Enrollment
665
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Montebello, CA
La Merced Academy
Federal NCES profile for La Merced Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062547003799
👥 S:T ratio 17
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 11
📋 Attendance 7
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
La Merced Academy earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #4 of 5
- elementary schools in Montebello · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.8:1
- students per teacher
- 56.7%
- free-lunch eligible
La Merced Academy has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, La Merced Academy ranks #4 of 5 elementary schools in Montebello, CA.
School address
District: Montebello Unified · California
NCES ID 062547003799 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
56.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
+2% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How La Merced Academy compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at La Merced Academy
La Merced Academy is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Montebello, California, enrolling 665 students.
At 20.8:1, 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 56.7% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 665 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,584 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #714.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (97% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 6/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 443 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Montebello Unified spends $20,966 per pupil, 27% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 24.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Montebello's elementary schools, it stands alongside Greenwood Elementary (746 students): La Merced Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.8:1 vs 17.3:1).
Montebello Unified also operates Schurr High (2,121 students) and Bell Gardens High (2,046 students) alongside La Merced Academy.
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 Merced Academy compares
La Merced Academy on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.8:1 | ▼ 3% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.7% | ▲ 2% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 665 | top 26% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.8:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
665
Bigger than 78% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
56.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 2% 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
20.8:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 42% in California - lower ratio than 58% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
37.4%
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
$20,966
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
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 443 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 97.0%
Asian 1.7%
White 0.6%
Two or More 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 97.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 5.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 5.9, La Merced Academy is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Montebello Unified, which includes La Merced Academy.
$20,966
Per student
+27%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 17.8%
State 57.9%
Federal 24.4%
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 Merced Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schurr High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bell Gardens High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Montebello High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bell Gardens Intermediate | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Greenwood Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to La Merced Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,121
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,046
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,907
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 790
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 746
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar elementary schools in Montebello
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Greenwood Elementary
Standard public school
746 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Washington Elementary
Standard public school
685 students 20.1:1 students per teacher
Wilcox Elementary
Standard public school
479 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Fremont Elementary
Standard public school
366 students 20.3:1 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 (~665 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on La Merced Academy's federal record.
- Compare La Merced Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Montebello 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 Merced Academy
How many students attend La Merced Academy?
La Merced Academy has 665 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Montebello, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at La Merced Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at La Merced Academy is 20.8:1, which is 3% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 32% 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 Merced Academy?
56.7% of students at La Merced Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of La Merced Academy?
The largest demographic group at La Merced Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 97.0% of enrollment, in Montebello, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for La Merced Academy?
La Merced Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (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 Merced Academy rank among elementary schools in Montebello?
By Resource Investment Index, La Merced Academy ranks #4 of 5 elementary schools in Montebello, 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 Montebello on the city page.
Is La Merced Academy a good school?
La Merced Academy earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less 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 Montebello Unified?
Besides La Merced Academy, Montebello Unified also operates Schurr High (2,121 students), Bell Gardens High (2,046 students), and Montebello High (1,907 students). See the Montebello 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.