Enrollment
295
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Petaluma, CA
La Tercera Elementary
Federal NCES profile for La Tercera Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062832004384
👥 S:T ratio 9
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 58
📋 Attendance 19
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
La Tercera Elementary earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #20 of 25
- elementary schools in Petaluma · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.7:1
- students per teacher
- 33.2%
- free-lunch eligible
La Tercera Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, La Tercera Elementary ranks #20 of 25 elementary schools in Petaluma, CA.
School address
District: Old Adobe Union · California
NCES ID 062832004384 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.2%
vs 55.5% California avg
-40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How La Tercera Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at La Tercera Elementary
La Tercera Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Petaluma, California, enrolling 295 students.
At 22.7:1, 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 33.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 295 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 651 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #387.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and Hispanic or Latino (36%) (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 211 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Petaluma's elementary schools, it stands alongside Mary Collins Charter School at Cherry Valley (494 students): La Tercera Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (22.7:1 vs 29.1:1).
Old Adobe Union also operates Loma Vista Immersion Academy (451 students) and Sonoma Mountain Elementary (422 students) alongside La Tercera 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 Tercera Elementary compares
La Tercera 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 | 22.7:1 | ▲ 6% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.2% | ▼ 40% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 295 | top 74% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.7:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
295
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
22.7:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 59% in California - lower ratio than 41% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
32.2%
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
$15,370
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
Counselors1.4 FTE
Per 211 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.8 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 53.2%
Hispanic or Latino 36.3%
Two or More 4.1%
African American 2.7%
Asian 2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
Largest group: White at 53.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.2, La Tercera Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Old Adobe Union, which includes La Tercera Elementary.
$15,370
Per student
-7%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.9%
State 36.3%
Federal 8.8%
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 La Tercera Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loma Vista Immersion Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sonoma Mountain Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Miwok Valley Elementary Charter | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Old Adobe Elementary Charter | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to La Tercera Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 451
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 422
- Students per teacher
- 26.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 288
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 278
- Students per teacher
- 23.2:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar elementary schools in Petaluma
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Mary Collins Charter School at Cherry Valley
Standard public school
494 students 29.1:1 students per teacher
Loma Vista Immersion Academy
Standard public school
451 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Sonoma Mountain Elementary
Standard public school
422 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
Corona Creek Elementary
Standard public school
403 students 22.4:1 students per teacher
Grant Elementary
Standard public school
386 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Meadow Elementary
Standard public school
384 students 24:1 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 (~295 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on La Tercera Elementary's federal record.
- Compare La Tercera Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Old Adobe Union'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 Tercera Elementary
How many students attend La Tercera Elementary?
La Tercera Elementary has 295 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Petaluma, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at La Tercera Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at La Tercera Elementary is 22.7:1, which is 6% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 45% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at La Tercera Elementary?
33.2% of students at La Tercera Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of La Tercera Elementary?
The largest demographic group at La Tercera Elementary is White at 53.2% of enrollment, in Petaluma, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for La Tercera Elementary?
La Tercera Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (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 Tercera Elementary rank among elementary schools in Petaluma?
By Resource Investment Index, La Tercera Elementary ranks #20 of 25 elementary schools in Petaluma, 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 Petaluma on the city page.
Is La Tercera Elementary a good school?
La Tercera Elementary earns 29/100 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 Old Adobe Union?
Besides La Tercera Elementary, Old Adobe Union also operates Loma Vista Immersion Academy (451 students), Sonoma Mountain Elementary (422 students), and Miwok Valley Elementary Charter (288 students). See the Old Adobe Union 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.