Enrollment
324
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Eureka, CA
Lafayette Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Lafayette Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 19/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060005201481
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 28
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lafayette Elementary earns 19/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #8 of 11
- elementary schools in Eureka · Resource Index
- 19
- Resource Index · Lower
- 32.4:1
- large classes for California
- 75.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Lafayette Elementary has class sizes larger than 97% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lafayette Elementary ranks #8 of 11 elementary schools in Eureka, CA.
School address
District: Eureka City Schools · California
NCES ID 060005201481 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
10.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
32.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+51% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
75.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
+36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lafayette Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lafayette Elementary
Lafayette Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Eureka, California, enrolling 324 students.
Class loads run heavy: 32.4:1 is larger than about 97% of California schools and 51% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 75.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 324 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,389 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,085, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (35%) and Hispanic or Latino (33%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 20.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Eureka's elementary schools, it stands alongside Washington Elementary (426 students): Lafayette Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (32.4:1 vs 22.4:1).
Eureka City Schools also operates Eureka Senior High (1,162 students) and Washington Elementary (426 students) alongside Lafayette 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 Lafayette Elementary compares
Lafayette 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 | 32.4:1 | ▲ 51% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 75.7% | ▲ 36% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 324 | top 71% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
32.4:1
Leaner classes than 1% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
324
Bigger than 36% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
75.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% 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
32.4:1
students per teacher
- 51% above state mean
Top 97% in California - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
28.7%
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
$14,344
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
1
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.8 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 34.7%
Hispanic or Latino 32.8%
Two or More 13.3%
Asian 11.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 4.6%
African American 1.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.5%
Largest group: White at 34.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.9, Lafayette Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Eureka City Schools, which includes Lafayette Elementary.
$14,344
Per student
-13%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.9%
State 45.9%
Federal 20.1%
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 Lafayette Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eureka Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Washington Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Catherine L. Zane Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Winship Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Alice Birney Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lafayette Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,162
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 426
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 417
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 413
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 375
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
Similar elementary schools in Eureka
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Washington Elementary
Standard public school
426 students 22.4:1 students per teacher
Alice Birney Elementary
Standard public school
375 students 23.4:1 students per teacher
Cutten Elementary
Standard public school
288 students 20.6:1 students per teacher
Freshwater Elementary
Standard public school
283 students 25.7:1 students per teacher
Grant Elementary
Standard public school
278 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
Ridgewood Elementary
Standard public school
260 students 21.7:1 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 (~324 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~32.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lafayette Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Lafayette Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Eureka City Schools'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 Lafayette Elementary
How many students attend Lafayette Elementary?
Lafayette Elementary has 324 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Eureka, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lafayette Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Lafayette Elementary is 32.4:1, which is 51% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 106% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Lafayette Elementary?
75.7% of students at Lafayette Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lafayette Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Lafayette Elementary is White at 34.7% of enrollment, in Eureka, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lafayette Elementary?
Lafayette Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 19/100 (lower 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 Lafayette Elementary rank among elementary schools in Eureka?
By Resource Investment Index, Lafayette Elementary ranks #8 of 11 elementary schools in Eureka, 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 Eureka on the city page.
Is Lafayette Elementary a good school?
Lafayette Elementary earns 19/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% 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 Eureka City Schools?
Besides Lafayette Elementary, Eureka City Schools also operates Eureka Senior High (1,162 students), Washington Elementary (426 students), and Catherine L. Zane Middle (417 students). See the Eureka City Schools 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.