Enrollment
465
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Whittier, CA
Laurel Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Laurel Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061185001317
👥 S:T ratio 2
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 5
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Laurel Elementary earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #13 of 29
- elementary schools in Whittier · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.5:1
- large classes for California
- 64.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Laurel Elementary has class sizes larger than 76% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Laurel Elementary ranks #13 of 29 elementary schools in Whittier, CA.
School address
District: East Whittier City Elementary · California
NCES ID 061185001317 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.5:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
+17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Laurel Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Laurel Elementary
Laurel Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Whittier, California, enrolling 465 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.5:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 64.8% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 465 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.
Against 1,986 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #901.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (92% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 16/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Whittier's elementary schools, it stands alongside Ocean View Elementary (668 students): Laurel Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (24.5:1 vs 26.7:1).
East Whittier City Elementary also operates Granada Middle (989 students) and East Whittier Middle (985 students) alongside Laurel 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 Laurel Elementary compares
Laurel 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 | 24.5:1 | ▲ 14% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.8% | ▲ 17% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 465 | top 50% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.5:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
465
Bigger than 57% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
64.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% 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
24.5:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 76% in California - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
38.1%
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
$15,029
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 + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 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
Hispanic or Latino 91.8%
White 4.3%
Two or More 2.4%
African American 0.9%
Asian 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 91.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 15.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 15.5, Laurel Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for East Whittier City Elementary, which includes Laurel Elementary.
$15,029
Per student
-9%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-9%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.6%
State 65.5%
Federal 11.9%
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 Laurel Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Granada Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| East Whittier Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ocean View Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hillview Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Leffingwell Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Laurel Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 989
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 985
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 668
- Students per teacher
- 26.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 643
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 551
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar elementary schools in Whittier
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Ocean View Elementary
Standard public school
668 students 26.7:1 students per teacher
Leffingwell Elementary
Standard public school
551 students 24:1 students per teacher
Wallen L. Andrews Elementary
Standard public school
542 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Jordan Elementary
Standard public school
516 students 25.8:1 students per teacher
Daniel Phelan Elementary
Standard public school
507 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Longfellow Elementary
Standard public school
499 students 24.9:1 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 (~465 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Laurel Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Laurel Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- East Whittier City Elementary'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 Laurel Elementary
How many students attend Laurel Elementary?
Laurel Elementary has 465 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Whittier, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Laurel Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Laurel Elementary is 24.5:1, which is 14% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 56% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Laurel Elementary?
64.8% of students at Laurel Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Laurel Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Laurel Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 91.8% of enrollment, in Whittier, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Laurel Elementary?
Laurel Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (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 Laurel Elementary rank among elementary schools in Whittier?
By Resource Investment Index, Laurel Elementary ranks #13 of 29 elementary schools in Whittier, 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 Whittier on the city page.
Is Laurel Elementary a good school?
Laurel Elementary earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of California schools. 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 East Whittier City Elementary?
Besides Laurel Elementary, East Whittier City Elementary also operates Granada Middle (989 students), East Whittier Middle (985 students), and Ocean View Elementary (668 students). See the East Whittier City Elementary 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.