Enrollment
514
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Hanford, CA
Joseph M. Simas
Federal NCES profile for Joseph M. Simas, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 14/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061647010816
👥 S:T ratio 11
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 15
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Joseph M. Simas earns 14/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #11 of 16
- elementary schools in Hanford · Resource Index
- 14
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.3:1
- students per teacher
- 57.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Joseph M. Simas has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Joseph M. Simas ranks #11 of 16 elementary schools in Hanford, CA.
School address
District: Hanford Elementary · California
NCES ID 061647010816 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
57.5%
vs 55.5% California avg
+4% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Joseph M. Simas compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Joseph M. Simas
Joseph M. Simas is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Hanford, California, enrolling 514 students.
At 22.3:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 57.5% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 514 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 93% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 1,754 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,491, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (63%) and White (20%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 514 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Hanford's elementary schools, it stands alongside Kings River-Hardwick Elementary (860 students): Joseph M. Simas is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (22.3:1 vs 24.6:1).
Hanford Elementary also operates Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary (624 students) and Monroe Elementary (611 students) alongside Joseph M. Simas.
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 M. Simas compares
Joseph M. Simas on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 22.3:1 | ▲ 4% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.5% | ▲ 4% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 514 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.3:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
514
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
57.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 4% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
22.3:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 56% in California - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
34.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$15,403
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 514 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 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
Hispanic or Latino 62.6%
White 19.8%
Asian 6.2%
Two or More 5.4%
African American 5.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 62.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.0, Joseph M. Simas is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hanford Elementary, which includes Joseph M. Simas.
$15,403
Per student
-7%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 8.5%
State 77.3%
Federal 14.2%
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 M. Simas Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Monroe Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| John F. Kennedy Junior High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Woodrow Wilson Junior High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Jefferson Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Joseph M. Simas's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 624
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 9/100
- Enrollment
- 611
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 11/100
- Enrollment
- 531
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 505
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 501
- Students per teacher
- 27.8:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
Similar elementary schools in Hanford
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Kings River-Hardwick Elementary
Standard public school
860 students 24.6:1 students per teacher
Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary
Standard public school
624 students 23.1:1 students per teacher
Frontier Elementary
Standard public school
619 students 28.1:1 students per teacher
Monroe Elementary
Standard public school
611 students 21.8:1 students per teacher
Pioneer Elementary
Standard public school
518 students 23.5:1 students per teacher
Jefferson Academy
Standard public school
501 students 27.8:1 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 (~514 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Joseph M. Simas's federal record.
- Compare Joseph M. Simas against another school. Compare schools
- Hanford Elementary'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 M. Simas
How many students attend Joseph M. Simas?
Joseph M. Simas has 514 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Hanford, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Joseph M. Simas?
The student-teacher ratio at Joseph M. Simas is 22.3:1, which is 4% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 42% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Joseph M. Simas?
57.5% of students at Joseph M. Simas are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Joseph M. Simas?
The largest demographic group at Joseph M. Simas is Hispanic or Latino at 62.6% of enrollment, in Hanford, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Joseph M. Simas?
Joseph M. Simas has a Resource Investment Index of 14/100 (lower 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 M. Simas rank among elementary schools in Hanford?
By Resource Investment Index, Joseph M. Simas ranks #11 of 16 elementary schools in Hanford, 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 Hanford on the city page.
Is Joseph M. Simas a good school?
Joseph M. Simas earns 14/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Hanford Elementary?
Besides Joseph M. Simas, Hanford Elementary also operates Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary (624 students), Monroe Elementary (611 students), and John F. Kennedy Junior High (531 students). See the Hanford Elementary 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.