Enrollment
370
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Pasadena, CA
Norma Coombs Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Norma Coombs Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062994004683
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Norma Coombs Elementary earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of California schools.
- #9 of 11
- elementary schools in Pasadena · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 26.4:1
- large classes for California
- 67.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Norma Coombs Elementary has class sizes larger than 87% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Norma Coombs Elementary ranks #9 of 11 elementary schools in Pasadena, CA.
School address
District: Pasadena Unified · California
NCES ID 062994004683 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
26.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
67.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
+21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Norma Coombs Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Norma Coombs Elementary
Norma Coombs Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Pasadena, California, enrolling 370 students.
Class loads run heavy: 26.4:1 is larger than about 87% of California schools and 23% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 67.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 370 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,649 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #1,002.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (61%) and African American (16%) (diversity index 59/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Pasadena's elementary schools, it stands alongside Longfellow (Henry W.) Elementary (546 students): Norma Coombs Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (26.4:1 vs 23.7:1).
Pasadena Unified also operates Marshall Fundamental (1,689 students) and Pasadena High (1,303 students) alongside Norma Coombs 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 Norma Coombs Elementary compares
Norma Coombs 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 | 26.4:1 | ▲ 23% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.3% | ▲ 21% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 370 | top 65% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
26.4:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
370
Bigger than 43% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
67.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% 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
26.4:1
students per teacher
- 23% above state mean
Top 87% in California - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
44.6%
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
$17,889
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
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 + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.4 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 60.5%
African American 16.2%
White 11.6%
Two or More 7.0%
Asian 4.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 60.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.8, Norma Coombs Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pasadena Unified, which includes Norma Coombs Elementary.
$17,889
Per student
+8%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.4%
State 40.3%
Federal 14.3%
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 Norma Coombs Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall Fundamental | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pasadena High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| John Muir High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Blair High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Jackson Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Norma Coombs Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,689
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,303
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,206
- Students per teacher
- 25.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,053
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 658
- Students per teacher
- 26.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar elementary schools in Pasadena
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Longfellow (Henry W.) Elementary
Standard public school
546 students 23.7:1 students per teacher
Mckinley
Standard public school
538 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Hamilton Elementary
Standard public school
510 students 26.8:1 students per teacher
Field (Eugene) Elementary
Standard public school
449 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
Washington Elementary
Standard public school
428 students 21.4:1 students per teacher
San Rafael Elementary
Standard public school
412 students 25.8:1 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 (~370 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Norma Coombs Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Norma Coombs Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Pasadena 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 Norma Coombs Elementary
How many students attend Norma Coombs Elementary?
Norma Coombs Elementary has 370 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Pasadena, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Norma Coombs Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Norma Coombs Elementary is 26.4:1, which is 23% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 68% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Norma Coombs Elementary?
67.3% of students at Norma Coombs Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Norma Coombs Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Norma Coombs Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 60.5% of enrollment, in Pasadena, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Norma Coombs Elementary?
Norma Coombs Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (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 Norma Coombs Elementary rank among elementary schools in Pasadena?
By Resource Investment Index, Norma Coombs Elementary ranks #9 of 11 elementary schools in Pasadena, 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 Pasadena on the city page.
Is Norma Coombs Elementary a good school?
Norma Coombs Elementary earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% 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 Pasadena Unified?
Besides Norma Coombs Elementary, Pasadena Unified also operates Marshall Fundamental (1,689 students), Pasadena High (1,303 students), and John Muir High (1,206 students). See the Pasadena 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.