Enrollment
449
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Carlsbad, CA
Kelly Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Kelly Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060750000711
👥 S:T ratio 18
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 72
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Kelly Elementary earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #1 of 15
- elementary schools in Carlsbad · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 20.4:1
- students per teacher
- 12.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Kelly Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Kelly Elementary ranks #1 of 15 elementary schools in Carlsbad, CA.
School address
District: Carlsbad Unified · California
NCES ID 060750000711 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
12.5%
vs 55.5% California avg
-77% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Kelly Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Kelly Elementary
Kelly Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Carlsbad, California, enrolling 449 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 20.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 12.5% free-meal eligibility runs 77% below the California average.
With 449 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 95% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 907 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #18, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (60%) and Hispanic or Latino (16%) (diversity index 59/100).
11.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Carlsbad's elementary schools, it stands alongside Carrillo Elementary (725 students): Kelly Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (20.4:1 vs 25:1).
Carlsbad Unified also operates Carlsbad High (2,336 students) and Sage Creek High (1,289 students) alongside Kelly 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 Kelly Elementary compares
Kelly 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 | 20.4:1 | ▼ 5% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 12.5% | ▼ 77% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 449 | top 53% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.4:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
449
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
12.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 77% 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
20.4:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 38% in California - lower ratio than 62% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
11.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$13,634
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.6 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
White 60.1%
Hispanic or Latino 16.0%
Two or More 14.5%
Asian 7.1%
African American 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 60.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.7, Kelly Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Carlsbad Unified, which includes Kelly Elementary.
$13,634
Per student
-17%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 80.1%
State 14.0%
Federal 5.8%
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 Kelly Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlsbad High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sage Creek High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Aviara Oaks Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Valley Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hope Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Kelly Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,336
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,289
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 991
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 807
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 659
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Carlsbad
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Carrillo Elementary
Standard public school
725 students 25:1 students per teacher
La Costa Meadows Elementary
Standard public school
725 students 25:1 students per teacher
Hope Elementary
Standard public school
659 students 24.4:1 students per teacher
Pacific Rim Elementary
Standard public school
642 students 22.9:1 students per teacher
Aviara Oaks Elementary
Standard public school
612 students 23.5:1 students per teacher
La Costa Heights Elementary
Standard public school
552 students 19.7:1 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 (~449 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Kelly Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Kelly Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Carlsbad 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 Kelly Elementary
How many students attend Kelly Elementary?
Kelly Elementary has 449 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Carlsbad, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Kelly Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Kelly Elementary is 20.4:1, which is 5% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 30% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Kelly Elementary?
12.5% of students at Kelly Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Kelly Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Kelly Elementary is White at 60.1% of enrollment, in Carlsbad, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Kelly Elementary?
Kelly Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (higher 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 Kelly Elementary rank among elementary schools in Carlsbad?
By Resource Investment Index, Kelly Elementary ranks #1 of 15 elementary schools in Carlsbad, 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 Carlsbad on the city page.
Is Kelly Elementary a good school?
Kelly Elementary earns 54/100 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 Carlsbad Unified?
Besides Kelly Elementary, Carlsbad Unified also operates Carlsbad High (2,336 students), Sage Creek High (1,289 students), and Aviara Oaks Middle (991 students). See the Carlsbad 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.