- Enrollment
- 2,148
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Garden Grove, CA
Merton E. Hill Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Merton E. Hill 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 061488001851
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 42
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Merton E. Hill Elementary earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of California schools.
- #14 of 35
- elementary schools in Garden Grove · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 25.3:1
- large classes for California
- 77.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Merton E. Hill Elementary has class sizes larger than 81% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Merton E. Hill Elementary ranks #14 of 35 elementary schools in Garden Grove, CA.
School address
District: Garden Grove Unified · California
NCES ID 061488001851 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-3 students YoY
Merton E. Hill Elementary held near 270 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-3 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 11.6 → 12.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-3 students YoY 061488001851 · Garden Grove, CA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
278 enr · 25.3:1 · 77.3% lunch · RII 37
Nearest enrollment peer: Garden Grove High (2,148 students)
Merton E. Hill Elementary held near 270 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-3 headcount). Teacher FTE added 11.6 → 12.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Merton E. Hill Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Garden Grove H
Garden Grove High
2,148 students
- La Quinta High
La Quinta High
2,041 students
- Bolsa Grande H
Bolsa Grande High
1,701 students
- Santiago High
Santiago High
1,664 students
- Pacifica High
Pacifica High
1,634 students
- This school 278
Merton E. Hill Elementary
278 students
What this shows Merton E. Hill Elementary reports 278 students on the CCD universe file.
How Merton E. Hill Elementary compares
Merton E. Hill Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 25.3:1 | ▲ 18% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.3% | ▲ 39% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 278 | top 76% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.3:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
278
Bigger than 29% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
77.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% 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
25.3:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 81% in California - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
23.4%
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
$20,023
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $18,665
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Asian 58.6%
Hispanic or Latino 29.5%
Two or More 5.0%
White 3.2%
African American 2.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.1%
Largest group: Asian at 58.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.5, Merton E. Hill Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Garden Grove Unified reports $20,023 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Merton E. Hill Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garden Grove High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| La Quinta High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bolsa Grande High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Santiago High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pacifica High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Merton E. Hill Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,041
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,701
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,664
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,634
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar elementary schools in Garden Grove
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Patton Elementary
Standard public school
904 students 29.2:1 students per teacher
Ocia a. Peters Elementary
Standard public school
893 students 22.9:1 students per teacher
John Murdy Elementary
Standard public school
689 students 26.5:1 students per teacher
Lampson Elementary
Standard public school
676 students 32.2:1 students per teacher
Bryant Elementary
Standard public school
571 students 24.8:1 students per teacher
Gilbert Elementary
Standard public school
515 students 25.8:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~278 students)
Frequently asked questions about Merton E. Hill Elementary
How many students attend Merton E. Hill Elementary?
Merton E. Hill Elementary has 278 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Garden Grove, CA. CCD year-over-year: 273 (2022-23) → 270 (2023-24), nearly flat (-3).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Merton E. Hill Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Merton E. Hill Elementary is 25.3:1, which is 18% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 61% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Merton E. Hill Elementary?
77.3% of students at Merton E. Hill Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Merton E. Hill Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Merton E. Hill Elementary is Asian at 58.6% of enrollment, in Garden Grove, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Merton E. Hill Elementary?
Merton E. Hill Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Merton E. Hill Elementary rank among elementary schools in Garden Grove?
By Resource Investment Index, Merton E. Hill Elementary ranks #14 of 35 elementary schools in Garden Grove, 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 Garden Grove on the city page.
What other schools are in Garden Grove Unified?
Besides Merton E. Hill Elementary, Garden Grove Unified also operates Garden Grove High (2,148 students), La Quinta High (2,041 students), and Bolsa Grande High (1,701 students). See the Garden Grove Unified district page for the complete list.