Enrollment
343
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Petaluma, CA
Mcnear Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Mcnear Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063023004721
👥 S:T ratio 2
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 59
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mcnear Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of California schools.
- #4 of 25
- elementary schools in Petaluma · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 24.5:1
- large classes for California
- 22.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Mcnear Elementary has class sizes larger than 76% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mcnear Elementary ranks #4 of 25 elementary schools in Petaluma, CA.
School address
District: Petaluma City Elementary · California
NCES ID 063023004721 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.5:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.2%
vs 55.5% California avg
-60% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mcnear Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mcnear Elementary
Mcnear Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Petaluma, California, enrolling 343 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.5:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 22.2% free-meal eligibility runs 60% below the California average.
Enrollment of 343 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 755 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #103.
Its student body is led by White (69%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%) (diversity index 48/100).
16.6% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Petaluma's elementary schools, it stands alongside Mary Collins Charter School at Cherry Valley (494 students): Mcnear Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (24.5:1 vs 29.1:1).
Petaluma City Elementary also operates Penngrove Elementary (472 students) and Grant Elementary (386 students) alongside Mcnear 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 Mcnear Elementary compares
Mcnear 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 | 22.2% | ▼ 60% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 343 | top 69% | - | - |
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.
343
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 60% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
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
16.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.9 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 69.1%
Hispanic or Latino 20.4%
Two or More 6.7%
Asian 3.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 69.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.5, Mcnear Elementary is about as mixed as the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
How Mcnear Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penngrove Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Grant Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mckinley Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mcdowell Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Valley Vista Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mcnear Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 472
- Students per teacher
- 26.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 386
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 368
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 329
- Students per teacher
- 27.4:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 155
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar elementary schools in Petaluma
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Mary Collins Charter School at Cherry Valley
Standard public school
494 students 29.1:1 students per teacher
Loma Vista Immersion Academy
Standard public school
451 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Sonoma Mountain Elementary
Standard public school
422 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
Corona Creek Elementary
Standard public school
403 students 22.4:1 students per teacher
Grant Elementary
Standard public school
386 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Meadow Elementary
Standard public school
384 students 24:1 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 (~343 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mcnear Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Mcnear Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Petaluma 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 Mcnear Elementary
How many students attend Mcnear Elementary?
Mcnear Elementary has 343 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Petaluma, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mcnear Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Mcnear 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 Mcnear Elementary?
22.2% of students at Mcnear Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mcnear Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Mcnear Elementary is White at 69.1% of enrollment, in Petaluma, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mcnear Elementary?
Mcnear Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (typical 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 Mcnear Elementary rank among elementary schools in Petaluma?
By Resource Investment Index, Mcnear Elementary ranks #4 of 25 elementary schools in Petaluma, 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 Petaluma on the city page.
Is Mcnear Elementary a good school?
Mcnear Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% 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 Petaluma City Elementary?
Besides Mcnear Elementary, Petaluma City Elementary also operates Penngrove Elementary (472 students), Grant Elementary (386 students), and Mckinley Elementary (368 students). See the Petaluma 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.