Enrollment
702
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Manteca, CA
Joshua Cowell Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Joshua Cowell Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 11/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062361004004
👥 S:T ratio 3
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Joshua Cowell Elementary earns 11/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of California schools.
- #10 of 14
- elementary schools in Manteca · Resource Index
- 11
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.2:1
- large classes for California
- 46.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Joshua Cowell Elementary has class sizes larger than 73% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Joshua Cowell Elementary ranks #10 of 14 elementary schools in Manteca, CA.
School address
District: Manteca Unified · California
NCES ID 062361004004 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.2:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
46.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
-16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Joshua Cowell Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Joshua Cowell Elementary
Joshua Cowell Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Manteca, California, enrolling 702 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.2:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 46.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 702 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 1,295 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,215, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (53%) and Asian (19%) (diversity index 65/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 40.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Manteca Unified spends $12,941 per pupil, 22% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Manteca's elementary schools, it stands alongside Veritas Elementary (1,266 students): Joshua Cowell Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (24.2:1 vs 34.2:1).
Manteca Unified also operates Manteca High (1,907 students) and Sierra High (1,670 students) alongside Joshua Cowell 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 Joshua Cowell Elementary compares
Joshua Cowell 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 | 24.2:1 | ▲ 13% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.8% | ▼ 16% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 702 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.2:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
702
Bigger than 80% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
46.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
24.2:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 73% in California - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
40.0%
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
$12,941
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 31 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.4 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 53.4%
Asian 18.5%
White 17.1%
Two or More 4.7%
African American 3.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 53.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.7, Joshua Cowell Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Manteca Unified, which includes Joshua Cowell Elementary.
$12,941
Per student
-22%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.3%
State 59.7%
Federal 11.0%
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 Joshua Cowell Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manteca High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sierra High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Union High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lathrop High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Veritas Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Joshua Cowell Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,907
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,670
- Students per teacher
- 23.2:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,524
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,486
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,266
- Students per teacher
- 34.2:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar elementary schools in Manteca
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Veritas Elementary
Standard public school
1,266 students 34.2:1 students per teacher
Nile Garden Elementary
Standard public school
1,221 students 29.8:1 students per teacher
George Mcparland Elementary
Standard public school
1,195 students 26.6:1 students per teacher
Walter Woodward Elementary
Standard public school
1,056 students 27.8:1 students per teacher
Stella Brockman Elementary
Standard public school
833 students 28.7:1 students per teacher
Sequoia Elementary
Standard public school
814 students 26.3:1 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 (~702 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Joshua Cowell Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Joshua Cowell Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Manteca 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 Joshua Cowell Elementary
How many students attend Joshua Cowell Elementary?
Joshua Cowell Elementary has 702 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Manteca, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Joshua Cowell Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Joshua Cowell Elementary is 24.2:1, which is 13% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 54% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Joshua Cowell Elementary?
46.8% of students at Joshua Cowell Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Joshua Cowell Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Joshua Cowell Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 53.4% of enrollment, in Manteca, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Joshua Cowell Elementary?
Joshua Cowell Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 11/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Joshua Cowell Elementary rank among elementary schools in Manteca?
By Resource Investment Index, Joshua Cowell Elementary ranks #10 of 14 elementary schools in Manteca, 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 Manteca on the city page.
Is Joshua Cowell Elementary a good school?
Joshua Cowell Elementary earns 11/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of 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 Manteca Unified?
Besides Joshua Cowell Elementary, Manteca Unified also operates Manteca High (1,907 students), Sierra High (1,670 students), and East Union High (1,524 students). See the Manteca 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.