Enrollment
533
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Indio, CA
Martin Van Buren Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Martin Van Buren Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061111001233
👥 S:T ratio 7
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 12
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Martin Van Buren Elementary earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #2 of 11
- elementary schools in Indio · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 23.2:1
- students per teacher
- 79.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Martin Van Buren Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Martin Van Buren Elementary ranks #2 of 11 elementary schools in Indio, CA.
School address
District: Desert Sands Unified · California
NCES ID 061111001233 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.2:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
79.2%
vs 55.5% California avg
+43% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Martin Van Buren Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Martin Van Buren Elementary
Martin Van Buren Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Indio, California, enrolling 533 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 23.2:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 79.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 533 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 2,191 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #1,315.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (94% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 12/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 441 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 41.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Indio's elementary schools, it stands alongside Andrew Jackson Elementary (750 students): Martin Van Buren Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (23.2:1 vs 25:1).
Desert Sands Unified also operates La Quinta High (2,425 students) and Palm Desert High (2,079 students) alongside Martin Van Buren 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 Martin Van Buren Elementary compares
Martin Van Buren 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 | 23.2:1 | ▲ 8% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 79.2% | ▲ 43% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 533 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.2:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
533
Bigger than 66% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
79.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 43% 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
23.2:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 64% in California - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
41.8%
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
$15,695
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
Counselors1.2 FTE
Per 440 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 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 93.8%
Two or More 3.4%
White 1.3%
Asian 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
African American 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 93.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 11.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 11.9, Martin Van Buren Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Desert Sands Unified, which includes Martin Van Buren Elementary.
$15,695
Per student
-5%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.4%
State 50.5%
Federal 11.0%
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 Martin Van Buren Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Quinta High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Palm Desert High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Indio High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Shadow Hills High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Palm Desert Charter Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Martin Van Buren Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,425
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,079
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 1,962
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,650
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,298
- Students per teacher
- 26.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar elementary schools in Indio
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Andrew Jackson Elementary
Standard public school
750 students 25:1 students per teacher
Amelia Earhart Elementary School of International Studies
Standard public school
748 students 23.4:1 students per teacher
Mountain Vista Elementary
Standard public school
599 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
Dr. Reynaldo J. Carreon Jr. Academy
Standard public school
592 students 23.7:1 students per teacher
Richard R. Oliphant Elementary
Standard public school
568 students 21.8:1 students per teacher
Lyndon B. Johnson Elementary
Standard public school
560 students 24.3:1 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 (~533 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Martin Van Buren Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Martin Van Buren Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Desert 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 Martin Van Buren Elementary
How many students attend Martin Van Buren Elementary?
Martin Van Buren Elementary has 533 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Indio, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Martin Van Buren Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Martin Van Buren Elementary is 23.2:1, which is 8% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 48% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Martin Van Buren Elementary?
79.2% of students at Martin Van Buren Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Martin Van Buren Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Martin Van Buren Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 93.8% of enrollment, in Indio, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Martin Van Buren Elementary?
Martin Van Buren Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (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 Martin Van Buren Elementary rank among elementary schools in Indio?
By Resource Investment Index, Martin Van Buren Elementary ranks #2 of 11 elementary schools in Indio, 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 Indio on the city page.
Is Martin Van Buren Elementary a good school?
Martin Van Buren Elementary earns 22/100 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 Desert Sands Unified?
Besides Martin Van Buren Elementary, Desert Sands Unified also operates La Quinta High (2,425 students), Palm Desert High (2,079 students), and Indio High (1,962 students). See the Desert 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.