Enrollment
489
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Fullerton, CA
Orangethorpe Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Orangethorpe Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061473001799
👥 S:T ratio 2
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 50
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Orangethorpe Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of California schools.
- #11 of 18
- elementary schools in Fullerton · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 24.4:1
- large classes for California
- 75.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Orangethorpe Elementary has class sizes larger than 75% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Orangethorpe Elementary ranks #11 of 18 elementary schools in Fullerton, CA.
School address
District: Fullerton Elementary · California
NCES ID 061473001799 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
75.2%
vs 55.5% California avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Orangethorpe Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Orangethorpe Elementary
Orangethorpe Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Fullerton, California, enrolling 489 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.4:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 75.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 489 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.
Among 2,169 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #133, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (78%) and White (8%) (diversity index 37/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 16.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Fullerton's elementary schools, it stands alongside Robert C. Fisler Elementary (892 students): Orangethorpe Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (24.4:1 vs 27:1).
Fullerton Elementary also operates Robert C. Fisler Elementary (892 students) and Beechwood Elementary (872 students) alongside Orangethorpe 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 Orangethorpe Elementary compares
Orangethorpe 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 | 24.4:1 | ▲ 13% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 75.2% | ▲ 35% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 489 | top 47% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.4:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
489
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
75.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% 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
24.4:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 75% in California - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
20.0%
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
$15,836
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
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
Hispanic or Latino 78.3%
White 8.4%
Asian 8.2%
Two or More 3.5%
African American 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 78.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 37.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 37.2, Orangethorpe Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fullerton Elementary, which includes Orangethorpe Elementary.
$15,836
Per student
-4%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.1%
State 43.6%
Federal 16.2%
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 Orangethorpe Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert C. Fisler Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Beechwood Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| D. Russell Parks Junior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ladera Vista Junior High School of the Arts | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sunset Lane Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Orangethorpe Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 892
- Students per teacher
- 27:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 872
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 854
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 820
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 700
- Students per teacher
- 28:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar elementary schools in Fullerton
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Robert C. Fisler Elementary
Standard public school
892 students 27:1 students per teacher
Beechwood Elementary
Standard public school
872 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Sunset Lane Elementary
Standard public school
700 students 28:1 students per teacher
Acacia Elementary
Standard public school
661 students 30:1 students per teacher
Laguna Road Elementary
Standard public school
623 students 31.1:1 students per teacher
Golden Hill School for Creative & Performing Arts
Standard public school
610 students 27.7:1 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 (~489 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Orangethorpe Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Orangethorpe Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Fullerton Elementary'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 Orangethorpe Elementary
How many students attend Orangethorpe Elementary?
Orangethorpe Elementary has 489 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Fullerton, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Orangethorpe Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Orangethorpe Elementary is 24.4:1, which is 13% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 55% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Orangethorpe Elementary?
75.2% of students at Orangethorpe Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Orangethorpe Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Orangethorpe Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 78.3% of enrollment, in Fullerton, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Orangethorpe Elementary?
Orangethorpe Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Orangethorpe Elementary rank among elementary schools in Fullerton?
By Resource Investment Index, Orangethorpe Elementary ranks #11 of 18 elementary schools in Fullerton, 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 Fullerton on the city page.
Is Orangethorpe Elementary a good school?
Orangethorpe Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% 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 Fullerton Elementary?
Besides Orangethorpe Elementary, Fullerton Elementary also operates Robert C. Fisler Elementary (892 students), Beechwood Elementary (872 students), and D. Russell Parks Junior High (854 students). See the Fullerton Elementary 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.