Enrollment
628
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Torrance, CA
Joseph Arnold Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Joseph Arnold Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063942006552
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 94
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Joseph Arnold Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #4 of 20
- elementary schools in Torrance · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 25.1:1
- large classes for California
- 18.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Joseph Arnold Elementary has class sizes larger than 80% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Joseph Arnold Elementary ranks #4 of 20 elementary schools in Torrance, CA.
School address
District: Torrance Unified · California
NCES ID 063942006552 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
18.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
-66% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Joseph Arnold Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Joseph Arnold Elementary
Joseph Arnold Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Torrance, California, enrolling 628 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.1:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 18.6% free-meal eligibility runs 66% below the California average.
Enrollment of 628 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,279 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #329.
Its student body is led by Asian (41%) and Hispanic or Latino (24%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 628 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 2.5% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Torrance Unified spends $13,194 per pupil, 20% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Torrance's elementary schools, it stands alongside Victor Elementary (965 students): Joseph Arnold Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (25.1:1 vs 24.7:1).
Torrance Unified also operates Torrance High (1,879 students) and North High (1,812 students) alongside Joseph Arnold Elementary.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Joseph Arnold Elementary compares
Joseph Arnold Elementary on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 25.1:1 | ▲ 17% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 18.6% | ▼ 66% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 628 | top 29% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.1:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
628
Bigger than 75% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
18.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 66% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
25.1:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 80% in California - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
2.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$13,194
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 628 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Asian 41.4%
Hispanic or Latino 24.4%
Two or More 15.0%
White 14.6%
African American 4.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Asian at 41.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.3, Joseph Arnold Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Torrance Unified, which includes Joseph Arnold Elementary.
$13,194
Per student
-20%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.0%
State 52.3%
Federal 9.8%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Joseph Arnold Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Torrance High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Victor Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Joseph Arnold Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,879
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,812
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,775
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 1,734
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 965
- Students per teacher
- 24.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar elementary schools in Torrance
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Victor Elementary
Standard public school
965 students 24.7:1 students per teacher
Hickory Elementary
Standard public school
847 students 27.3:1 students per teacher
Walteria Elementary
Standard public school
650 students 26:1 students per teacher
Anza Elementary
Standard public school
613 students 24.5:1 students per teacher
Riviera Elementary
Standard public school
611 students 24.4:1 students per teacher
Meyler Street Elementary
Standard public school
603 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~628 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Joseph Arnold Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Joseph Arnold Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Torrance Unified's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Joseph Arnold Elementary
How many students attend Joseph Arnold Elementary?
Joseph Arnold Elementary has 628 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Torrance, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Joseph Arnold Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Joseph Arnold Elementary is 25.1:1, which is 17% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 60% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Joseph Arnold Elementary?
18.6% of students at Joseph Arnold Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Joseph Arnold Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Joseph Arnold Elementary is Asian at 41.4% of enrollment, in Torrance, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Joseph Arnold Elementary?
Joseph Arnold Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Joseph Arnold Elementary rank among elementary schools in Torrance?
By Resource Investment Index, Joseph Arnold Elementary ranks #4 of 20 elementary schools in Torrance, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Torrance on the city page.
Is Joseph Arnold Elementary a good school?
Joseph Arnold Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Torrance Unified?
Besides Joseph Arnold Elementary, Torrance Unified also operates Torrance High (1,879 students), North High (1,812 students), and West High (1,775 students). See the Torrance Unified district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.