Enrollment
230
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Pico Rivera, CA
Montebello Gardens Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Montebello Gardens Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062547003802
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 69
📋 Attendance 24
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Montebello Gardens Elementary earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #1 of 9
- elementary schools in Pico Rivera · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.9:1
- students per teacher
- 68.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Montebello Gardens Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Montebello Gardens Elementary ranks #1 of 9 elementary schools in Pico Rivera, CA.
School address
District: Montebello Unified · California
NCES ID 062547003802 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
11.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.9:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Montebello Gardens Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Montebello Gardens Elementary
Montebello Gardens Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Pico Rivera, California, enrolling 230 students.
At 20.9:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 68.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 230 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 729 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #93.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (95% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 9/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 153 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Montebello Unified spends $20,966 per pupil, 27% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 24.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Pico Rivera's elementary schools, it stands alongside Rivera Elementary (473 students): Montebello Gardens Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (20.9:1 vs 24.9:1).
Montebello Unified also operates Schurr High (2,121 students) and Bell Gardens High (2,046 students) alongside Montebello Gardens 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 Montebello Gardens Elementary compares
Montebello Gardens 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 | 20.9:1 | ▼ 3% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.7% | ▲ 24% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 230 | top 81% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.9:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
230
Bigger than 23% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% 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
20.9:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 42% in California - lower ratio than 58% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
30.4%
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
$20,966
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 153 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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 95.2%
Asian 2.6%
White 2.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 95.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 9.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 9.3, Montebello Gardens Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Montebello Unified, which includes Montebello Gardens Elementary.
$20,966
Per student
+27%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 17.8%
State 57.9%
Federal 24.4%
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 Montebello Gardens Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schurr High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bell Gardens High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Montebello High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bell Gardens Intermediate | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Greenwood Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Montebello Gardens Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,121
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,046
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,907
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 790
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 746
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar elementary schools in Pico Rivera
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Rivera Elementary
Standard public school
473 students 24.9:1 students per teacher
Valencia Academy of the Arts
Standard public school
398 students 24.9:1 students per teacher
Magee Academy of Arts & Sciences
Standard public school
376 students 25.1:1 students per teacher
Rio Vista Elementary
Standard public school
370 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
South Ranchito Dual Language Academy
Standard public school
351 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
Birney Tech Academy
Standard public school
344 students 22.9:1 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 (~230 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Montebello Gardens Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Montebello Gardens Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Montebello 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 Montebello Gardens Elementary
How many students attend Montebello Gardens Elementary?
Montebello Gardens Elementary has 230 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Pico Rivera, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Montebello Gardens Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Montebello Gardens Elementary is 20.9:1, which is 3% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 33% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Montebello Gardens Elementary?
68.7% of students at Montebello Gardens Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Montebello Gardens Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Montebello Gardens Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 95.2% of enrollment, in Pico Rivera, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Montebello Gardens Elementary?
Montebello Gardens Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (typical 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 Montebello Gardens Elementary rank among elementary schools in Pico Rivera?
By Resource Investment Index, Montebello Gardens Elementary ranks #1 of 9 elementary schools in Pico Rivera, 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 Pico Rivera on the city page.
Is Montebello Gardens Elementary a good school?
Montebello Gardens Elementary earns 45/100 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 Montebello Unified?
Besides Montebello Gardens Elementary, Montebello Unified also operates Schurr High (2,121 students), Bell Gardens High (2,046 students), and Montebello High (1,907 students). See the Montebello 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.