Enrollment
608
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · La Mesa, CA
Murdock Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Murdock Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062025002438
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 45
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Murdock Elementary earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #5 of 12
- elementary schools in La Mesa · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 27.6:1
- large classes for California
- 27.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Murdock Elementary has class sizes larger than 91% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Murdock Elementary ranks #5 of 12 elementary schools in La Mesa, CA.
School address
District: La Mesa-Spring Valley · California
NCES ID 062025002438 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
27.6:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+28% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
27.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
-51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Murdock Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Murdock Elementary
Murdock Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in La Mesa, California, enrolling 608 students.
Class loads run heavy: 27.6:1 is larger than about 91% of California schools and 28% 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 27.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 608 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 1,394 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,067, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (42%) and White (35%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 18.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among La Mesa's elementary schools, it stands alongside La Mesa Arts Academy (1,059 students): Murdock Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (27.6:1 vs 24.6:1).
La Mesa-Spring Valley also operates La Mesa Arts Academy (1,059 students) and Parkway Sports and Health Science Academy (897 students) alongside Murdock 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 Murdock Elementary compares
Murdock 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 | 27.6:1 | ▲ 28% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 27.1% | ▼ 51% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 608 | top 31% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
27.6:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
608
Bigger than 73% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
27.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% 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
27.6:1
students per teacher
- 28% above state mean
Top 91% in California - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
22.2%
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
$15,084
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 + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 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 41.8%
White 34.9%
Two or More 15.0%
African American 4.4%
Asian 3.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 41.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.8, Murdock Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for La Mesa-Spring Valley, which includes Murdock Elementary.
$15,084
Per student
-9%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-9%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.8%
State 50.7%
Federal 18.5%
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 Murdock Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Mesa Arts Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Parkway Sports and Health Science Academy | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sci Tech Engr Arts and Math Acad at La Presa | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Spring Valley Academy | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Fletcher Hills Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Murdock Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,059
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 897
- Students per teacher
- 30.9:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 800
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
- Enrollment
- 597
- Students per teacher
- 28.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 540
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar elementary schools in La Mesa
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
La Mesa Arts Academy
Standard public school
1,059 students 24.6:1 students per teacher
Avocado Elementary
Standard public school
573 students 24.9:1 students per teacher
Murray Manor Elementary
Standard public school
530 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Vista La Mesa Academy
Standard public school
518 students 21.6:1 students per teacher
Lemon Avenue Elementary
Standard public school
502 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
La Mesa Dale Elementary
Standard public school
460 students 24.2:1 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 (~608 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~27.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Murdock Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Murdock Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- La Mesa-Spring Valley'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 Murdock Elementary
How many students attend Murdock Elementary?
Murdock Elementary has 608 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in La Mesa, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Murdock Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Murdock Elementary is 27.6:1, which is 28% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 76% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Murdock Elementary?
27.1% of students at Murdock Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Murdock Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Murdock Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 41.8% of enrollment, in La Mesa, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Murdock Elementary?
Murdock Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (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 Murdock Elementary rank among elementary schools in La Mesa?
By Resource Investment Index, Murdock Elementary ranks #5 of 12 elementary schools in La Mesa, 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 La Mesa on the city page.
Is Murdock Elementary a good school?
Murdock Elementary earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of California schools. It is also more 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 La Mesa-Spring Valley?
Besides Murdock Elementary, La Mesa-Spring Valley also operates La Mesa Arts Academy (1,059 students), Parkway Sports and Health Science Academy (897 students), and Sci Tech Engr Arts and Math Acad at La Presa (800 students). See the La Mesa-Spring Valley 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.