Enrollment
508
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Irvine, CA
Northwood Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Northwood Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 068450007374
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northwood Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #13 of 35
- elementary schools in Irvine · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 29.9:1
- large classes for California
- 29.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Northwood Elementary has class sizes larger than 96% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northwood Elementary ranks #13 of 35 elementary schools in Irvine, CA.
School address
District: Irvine Unified · California
NCES ID 068450007374 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
29.9:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+39% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
29.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
-48% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northwood Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northwood Elementary
Northwood Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Irvine, California, enrolling 508 students.
Class loads run heavy: 29.9:1 is larger than about 96% of California schools and 39% 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 29.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 508 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 1,326 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #161.
Its student body is led by Asian (50%) and White (20%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
15.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Irvine Unified spends $13,289 per pupil, 20% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Irvine's elementary schools, it stands alongside Orchard Hills (1,373 students): Northwood Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (29.9:1 vs 29.2:1).
Irvine Unified also operates Portola High (2,693 students) and University High (2,307 students) alongside Northwood 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 Northwood Elementary compares
Northwood 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 | 29.9:1 | ▲ 39% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 29.1% | ▼ 48% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 508 | top 44% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
29.9:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
508
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
29.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 48% 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
29.9:1
students per teacher
- 39% above state mean
Top 96% in California - lower ratio than 4% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
15.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,289
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
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.2 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
Asian 49.6%
White 19.9%
Hispanic or Latino 16.3%
Two or More 8.5%
African American 4.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Asian at 49.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.8, Northwood Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Irvine Unified, which includes Northwood Elementary.
$13,289
Per student
-20%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 62.4%
State 31.0%
Federal 6.6%
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 Northwood Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portola High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| University High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Northwood High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Woodbridge High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Irvine High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northwood Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,693
- Students per teacher
- 32.4:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,307
- Students per teacher
- 28.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,244
- Students per teacher
- 27.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 2,232
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,964
- Students per teacher
- 25.8:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar elementary schools in Irvine
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Orchard Hills
Standard public school
1,373 students 29.2:1 students per teacher
Woodbury Elementary
Standard public school
1,095 students 31.3:1 students per teacher
Beacon Park
Standard public school
1,065 students 29.6:1 students per teacher
Stonegate Elementary
Standard public school
1,037 students 32.4:1 students per teacher
Cypress Village Elementary
Standard public school
1,007 students 28:1 students per teacher
Solis Park
Standard public school
972 students 60.8:1 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 (~508 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~29.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northwood Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Northwood Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Irvine 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 Northwood Elementary
How many students attend Northwood Elementary?
Northwood Elementary has 508 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Irvine, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northwood Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Northwood Elementary is 29.9:1, which is 39% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 90% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Northwood Elementary?
29.1% of students at Northwood Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northwood Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Northwood Elementary is Asian at 49.6% of enrollment, in Irvine, 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 Northwood Elementary?
Northwood Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Northwood Elementary rank among elementary schools in Irvine?
By Resource Investment Index, Northwood Elementary ranks #13 of 35 elementary schools in Irvine, 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 Irvine on the city page.
Is Northwood Elementary a good school?
Northwood Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% 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 Irvine Unified?
Besides Northwood Elementary, Irvine Unified also operates Portola High (2,693 students), University High (2,307 students), and Northwood High (2,244 students). See the Irvine 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.