Enrollment
886
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Van Nuys, CA
Kester Avenue Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Kester Avenue 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 062271003115
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 52
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Kester Avenue Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #1 of 12
- elementary schools in Van Nuys · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 26.8:1
- large classes for California
- 41.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Kester Avenue Elementary has class sizes larger than 89% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Kester Avenue Elementary ranks #1 of 12 elementary schools in Van Nuys, CA.
School address
District: Los Angeles Unified · California
NCES ID 062271003115 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
26.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+25% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
41.0%
vs 55.5% California avg
-26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Kester Avenue Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Kester Avenue Elementary
Kester Avenue Elementary is a large elementary school in Van Nuys, California, enrolling 886 students.
Class loads run heavy: 26.8:1 is larger than about 89% of California schools and 25% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 41.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 886 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 991 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #129.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (34%) and White (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 75/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Los Angeles Unified spends $21,940 per pupil, 33% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Van Nuys's elementary schools, it stands alongside Kittridge Street Elementary (768 students): Kester Avenue Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (26.8:1 vs 22.6:1).
Los Angeles Unified also operates Grover Cleveland Charter High (2,719 students) and North Hollywood Senior High (2,444 students) alongside Kester Avenue 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 Kester Avenue Elementary compares
Kester Avenue 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 | 26.8:1 | ▲ 25% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 41.0% | ▼ 26% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 886 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
26.8:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
886
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
41.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% 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
26.8:1
students per teacher
- 25% above state mean
Top 89% in California - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
19.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$21,940
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 33.7%
White 28.3%
Two or More 20.2%
Asian 12.8%
African American 5.0%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 33.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.7, Kester Avenue Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Los Angeles Unified, which includes Kester Avenue Elementary.
$21,940
Per student
+33%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.3%
State 54.5%
Federal 19.2%
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 Kester Avenue Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grover Cleveland Charter High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Hollywood Senior High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Phineas Banning Senior High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| San Pedro Senior High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Venice Senior High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Kester Avenue Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,719
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,444
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,422
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,398
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,293
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar elementary schools in Van Nuys
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Kittridge Street Elementary
Standard public school
768 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Valerio Street Elementary
Standard public school
645 students 20.2:1 students per teacher
Sylvan Park Elementary
Standard public school
643 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
Hazeltine Avenue Elementary
Standard public school
621 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
Lashon Academy
Standard public school
595 students 23.8:1 students per teacher
Erwin Elementary
Standard public school
580 students 20.7:1 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 (~886 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~26.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Kester Avenue Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Kester Avenue Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Los Angeles 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 Kester Avenue Elementary
How many students attend Kester Avenue Elementary?
Kester Avenue Elementary has 886 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Van Nuys, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Kester Avenue Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Kester Avenue Elementary is 26.8:1, which is 25% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 71% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Kester Avenue Elementary?
41.0% of students at Kester Avenue Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Kester Avenue Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Kester Avenue Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 33.7% of enrollment, in Van Nuys, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Kester Avenue Elementary?
Kester Avenue Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical 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 Kester Avenue Elementary rank among elementary schools in Van Nuys?
By Resource Investment Index, Kester Avenue Elementary ranks #1 of 12 elementary schools in Van Nuys, 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 Van Nuys on the city page.
Is Kester Avenue Elementary a good school?
Kester Avenue Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% 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 Los Angeles Unified?
Besides Kester Avenue Elementary, Los Angeles Unified also operates Grover Cleveland Charter High (2,719 students), North Hollywood Senior High (2,444 students), and Phineas Banning Senior High (2,422 students). See the Los Angeles 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.