Enrollment
526
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Ridgecrest, CA
Las Flores Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Las Flores Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 17/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063680006236
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Las Flores Elementary earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of California schools.
- #5 of 6
- elementary schools in Ridgecrest · Resource Index
- 17
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25:1
- large classes for California
- 35.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Las Flores Elementary has class sizes larger than 79% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Las Flores Elementary ranks #5 of 6 elementary schools in Ridgecrest, CA.
School address
District: Sierra Sands Unified · California
NCES ID 063680006236 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
-35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Las Flores Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Las Flores Elementary
Las Flores Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Ridgecrest, California, enrolling 526 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 35.9% of students eligible for free meals.
With 526 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,359 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,205, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (52%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%) (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 526 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Ridgecrest's elementary schools, it stands alongside Faller Elementary (516 students): Las Flores Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (25:1 vs 24.6:1).
Sierra Sands Unified also operates Burroughs High (1,536 students) and Murray Middle (643 students) alongside Las Flores 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 Las Flores Elementary compares
Las Flores 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 | 25:1 | ▲ 16% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.9% | ▼ 35% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 526 | top 42% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
526
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% 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
25:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 79% in California - lower ratio than 21% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
25.1%
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
$14,502
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 526 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.3 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 52.1%
Hispanic or Latino 31.4%
Two or More 8.4%
Asian 3.6%
African American 3.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 52.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.0, Las Flores Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sierra Sands Unified, which includes Las Flores Elementary.
$14,502
Per student
-12%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 17.0%
State 69.4%
Federal 13.6%
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 Las Flores Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burroughs High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Murray Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Faller Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| James Monroe Middle | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Richmond Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Las Flores Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,536
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 643
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 516
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 490
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 364
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar elementary schools in Ridgecrest
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Faller Elementary
Standard public school
516 students 24.6:1 students per teacher
Richmond Elementary
Standard public school
364 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Gateway Elementary
Standard public school
346 students 23.1:1 students per teacher
Pierce Elementary
Standard public school
297 students 19.8:1 students per teacher
Ridgecrest Elem Acad for Language Music and Sci
Standard public school
239 students 26.6:1 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 (~526 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Las Flores Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Las Flores Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Sierra Sands 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 Las Flores Elementary
How many students attend Las Flores Elementary?
Las Flores Elementary has 526 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Ridgecrest, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Las Flores Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Las Flores Elementary is 25:1, which is 16% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 59% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Las Flores Elementary?
35.9% of students at Las Flores Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Las Flores Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Las Flores Elementary is White at 52.1% of enrollment, in Ridgecrest, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Las Flores Elementary?
Las Flores Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 17/100 (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 Las Flores Elementary rank among elementary schools in Ridgecrest?
By Resource Investment Index, Las Flores Elementary ranks #5 of 6 elementary schools in Ridgecrest, 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 Ridgecrest on the city page.
Is Las Flores Elementary a good school?
Las Flores Elementary earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of 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 Sierra Sands Unified?
Besides Las Flores Elementary, Sierra Sands Unified also operates Burroughs High (1,536 students), Murray Middle (643 students), and Faller Elementary (516 students). See the Sierra Sands 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.