Enrollment
670
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Carmichael, CA
Mary Deterding Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Mary Deterding Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063462005772
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 33
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mary Deterding Elementary earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of California schools.
- #3 of 11
- elementary schools in Carmichael · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 29.1:1
- large classes for California
- 38.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Mary Deterding Elementary has class sizes larger than 95% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mary Deterding Elementary ranks #3 of 11 elementary schools in Carmichael, CA.
School address
District: San Juan Unified · California
NCES ID 063462005772 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
29.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+35% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
-30% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mary Deterding Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mary Deterding Elementary
Mary Deterding Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Carmichael, California, enrolling 670 students.
Class loads run heavy: 29.1:1 is larger than about 95% of California schools and 35% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 38.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 670 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,342 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,035, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (54%) and Hispanic or Latino (17%) (diversity index 65/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Carmichael's elementary schools, it stands alongside California Montessori Project-San Juan Campuses (1,545 students): Mary Deterding Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (29.1:1 vs 25.3:1).
San Juan Unified also operates Bella Vista High (1,939 students) and Rio Americano High (1,891 students) alongside Mary Deterding 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 Mary Deterding Elementary compares
Mary Deterding 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 | 29.1:1 | ▲ 35% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.9% | ▼ 30% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 670 | top 26% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
29.1:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
670
Bigger than 78% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 30% 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
29.1:1
students per teacher
- 35% above state mean
Top 95% in California - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
26.7%
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
$15,338
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
2
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 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 53.6%
Hispanic or Latino 16.6%
Asian 14.5%
Two or More 11.6%
African American 3.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 53.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.0, Mary Deterding Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for San Juan Unified, which includes Mary Deterding Elementary.
$15,338
Per student
-7%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 31.7%
State 54.0%
Federal 14.3%
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 Mary Deterding Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bella Vista High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rio Americano High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mira Loma High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Del Campo High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| El Camino Fundamental High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mary Deterding Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,939
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,891
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,655
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,548
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,226
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar elementary schools in Carmichael
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
California Montessori Project-San Juan Campuses
Standard public school
1,545 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
Starr King K-8
Standard public school
885 students 23.3:1 students per teacher
Del Dayo Elementary
Standard public school
496 students 24.8:1 students per teacher
Mission Avenue Open Elementary
Standard public school
415 students 27.7:1 students per teacher
Cameron Ranch Elementary
Standard public school
406 students 23.9:1 students per teacher
Carmichael Elementary
Standard public school
374 students 23.4:1 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 (~670 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mary Deterding Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Mary Deterding Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- San Juan 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 Mary Deterding Elementary
How many students attend Mary Deterding Elementary?
Mary Deterding Elementary has 670 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Carmichael, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mary Deterding Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Mary Deterding Elementary is 29.1:1, which is 35% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 85% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mary Deterding Elementary?
38.9% of students at Mary Deterding Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mary Deterding Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Mary Deterding Elementary is White at 53.6% of enrollment, in Carmichael, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mary Deterding Elementary?
Mary Deterding Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (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 Mary Deterding Elementary rank among elementary schools in Carmichael?
By Resource Investment Index, Mary Deterding Elementary ranks #3 of 11 elementary schools in Carmichael, 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 Carmichael on the city page.
Is Mary Deterding Elementary a good school?
Mary Deterding Elementary earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% 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 San Juan Unified?
Besides Mary Deterding Elementary, San Juan Unified also operates Bella Vista High (1,939 students), Rio Americano High (1,891 students), and Mira Loma High (1,655 students). See the San Juan 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.