Enrollment
531
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Culver City, CA
La Ballona Elementary
Federal NCES profile for La Ballona Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061026001121
👥 S:T ratio 15
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 16
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
La Ballona Elementary earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #8 of 8
- elementary schools in Culver City · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.2:1
- students per teacher
- 44.7%
- free-lunch eligible
La Ballona Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, La Ballona Elementary ranks #8 of 8 elementary schools in Culver City, CA.
School address
District: Culver City Unified · California
NCES ID 061026001121 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.2:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
44.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
-19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How La Ballona Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at La Ballona Elementary
La Ballona Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Culver City, California, enrolling 531 students.
At 21.2:1, 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.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 44.7% of students eligible for free meals.
With 531 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 91% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 1,396 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,218, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (64%) and White (15%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 531 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Culver City's elementary schools, it stands alongside El Marino Elementary (795 students): La Ballona Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.2:1 vs 22.7:1).
Culver City Unified also operates Culver City High (2,012 students) and Culver City Middle (1,523 students) alongside La Ballona 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 La Ballona Elementary compares
La Ballona 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 | 21.2:1 | ▼ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.7% | ▼ 19% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 531 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.2:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
531
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
44.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
21.2:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 45% in California - lower ratio than 55% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
33.7%
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
$14,708
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 531 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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 64.4%
White 15.4%
Two or More 8.1%
African American 5.8%
Asian 5.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 64.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.8, La Ballona Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Culver City Unified, which includes La Ballona Elementary.
$14,708
Per student
-11%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.3%
State 51.6%
Federal 9.1%
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 La Ballona Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Culver City High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Culver City Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| El Marino Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Linwood E. Howe Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| El Rincon Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to La Ballona Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,012
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,523
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 795
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 567
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 565
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar elementary schools in Culver City
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
El Marino Elementary
Standard public school
795 students 22.7:1 students per teacher
Linwood E. Howe Elementary
Standard public school
567 students 22.7:1 students per teacher
El Rincon Elementary
Standard public school
565 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Farragut Elementary
Standard public school
548 students 23.8:1 students per teacher
Braddock Drive Elementary
Standard public school
541 students 20:1 students per teacher
Playa Del Rey Elementary
Standard public school
272 students 22.7:1 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 (~531 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on La Ballona Elementary's federal record.
- Compare La Ballona Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Culver City 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 La Ballona Elementary
How many students attend La Ballona Elementary?
La Ballona Elementary has 531 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Culver City, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at La Ballona Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at La Ballona Elementary is 21.2:1, which is 1% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 35% 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 La Ballona Elementary?
44.7% of students at La Ballona Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of La Ballona Elementary?
The largest demographic group at La Ballona Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 64.4% of enrollment, in Culver City, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for La Ballona Elementary?
La Ballona Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (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 La Ballona Elementary rank among elementary schools in Culver City?
By Resource Investment Index, La Ballona Elementary ranks #8 of 8 elementary schools in Culver City, 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 Culver City on the city page.
Is La Ballona Elementary a good school?
La Ballona Elementary earns 15/100 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 Culver City Unified?
Besides La Ballona Elementary, Culver City Unified also operates Culver City High (2,012 students), Culver City Middle (1,523 students), and El Marino Elementary (795 students). See the Culver City 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.