Enrollment
460
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · West Covina, CA
Merlinda Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Merlinda Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 064200006881
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 41
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Merlinda Elementary earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of California schools.
- #5 of 15
- elementary schools in West Covina · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 25.6:1
- large classes for California
- 66.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Merlinda Elementary has class sizes larger than 83% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Merlinda Elementary ranks #5 of 15 elementary schools in West Covina, CA.
School address
District: West Covina Unified · California
NCES ID 064200006881 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.6:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
+19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Merlinda Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Merlinda Elementary
Merlinda Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in West Covina, California, enrolling 460 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.6:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 66.1% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 460 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 2,007 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #250.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (72%) and Asian (20%) (diversity index 44/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.7% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among West Covina's elementary schools, it stands alongside San Jose Charter Academy (1,255 students): Merlinda Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (25.6:1 vs 22.8:1).
West Covina Unified also operates West Covina High (1,756 students) and Hollencrest Middle (737 students) alongside Merlinda 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 Merlinda Elementary compares
Merlinda 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 | 25.6:1 | ▲ 19% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.1% | ▲ 19% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 460 | top 51% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.6:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
460
Bigger than 56% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
25.6:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 83% in California - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
23.7%
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
$17,197
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 72.4%
Asian 19.8%
African American 3.0%
White 2.6%
Two or More 2.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 72.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.5, Merlinda Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for West Covina Unified, which includes Merlinda Elementary.
$17,197
Per student
+4%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.9%
State 65.2%
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 Merlinda Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Covina High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hollencrest Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Edgewood High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Merced Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Edgewood Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Merlinda Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,756
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 737
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 712
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 617
- Students per teacher
- 29.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 597
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar elementary schools in West Covina
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
San Jose Charter Academy
Standard public school
1,255 students 22.8:1 students per teacher
Mesa Elementary
Standard public school
753 students 23.5:1 students per teacher
Telesis Academy of Science & Math
Standard public school
621 students 21.4:1 students per teacher
Merced Elementary
Standard public school
617 students 29.4:1 students per teacher
Grovecenter Elementary
Standard public school
595 students 25.9:1 students per teacher
Orangewood Elementary
Standard public school
580 students 23.2:1 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 (~460 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Merlinda Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Merlinda Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- West Covina 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 Merlinda Elementary
How many students attend Merlinda Elementary?
Merlinda Elementary has 460 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in West Covina, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Merlinda Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Merlinda Elementary is 25.6:1, which is 19% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 63% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Merlinda Elementary?
66.1% of students at Merlinda Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Merlinda Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Merlinda Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 72.4% of enrollment, in West Covina, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Merlinda Elementary?
Merlinda Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 Merlinda Elementary rank among elementary schools in West Covina?
By Resource Investment Index, Merlinda Elementary ranks #5 of 15 elementary schools in West Covina, 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 West Covina on the city page.
Is Merlinda Elementary a good school?
Merlinda Elementary earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% 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 West Covina Unified?
Besides Merlinda Elementary, West Covina Unified also operates West Covina High (1,756 students), Hollencrest Middle (737 students), and Edgewood High (712 students). See the West Covina 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.