Enrollment
579
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Modesto, CA
Orchard Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Orchard 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 063867001813
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 25
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Orchard Elementary earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #24 of 53
- elementary schools in Modesto · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.4:1
- students per teacher
- 49.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Orchard Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Orchard Elementary ranks #24 of 53 elementary schools in Modesto, CA.
School address
District: Sylvan Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 063867001813 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
49.0%
vs 55.5% California avg
-12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Orchard Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Orchard Elementary
Orchard Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Modesto, California, enrolling 579 students.
At 21.4:1, 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 below the state's typical profile, with 49.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 579 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.
Against 1,487 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #934.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (56%) and White (21%) (diversity index 63/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Modesto's elementary schools, it stands alongside Great Valley Academy (972 students): Orchard Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.4:1 vs 27.8:1).
Sylvan Union Elementary also operates Elizabeth Ustach Middle (1,016 students) and Somerset Middle (947 students) alongside Orchard 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 Orchard Elementary compares
Orchard 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 | 21.4:1 | ▼ 0% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 49.0% | ▼ 12% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 579 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.4:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
579
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
49.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.4:1
students per teacher
- 0% below state mean
Top 47% in California - lower ratio than 53% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
30.2%
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
$14,126
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
3
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 56.0%
White 20.7%
Two or More 9.0%
Asian 6.7%
African American 5.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 56.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.8, Orchard Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sylvan Union Elementary, which includes Orchard Elementary.
$14,126
Per student
-14%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.7%
State 63.6%
Federal 14.7%
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 Orchard Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth Ustach Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Somerset Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Daniel J. Savage Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Crossroads Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Freedom Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Orchard Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,016
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 947
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 906
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 752
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 713
- Students per teacher
- 25.5:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
Similar elementary schools in Modesto
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Great Valley Academy
Standard public school
972 students 27.8:1 students per teacher
Great Valley Academy - Salida
Standard public school
927 students 27.3:1 students per teacher
Bret Harte Elementary
Standard public school
867 students 23.4:1 students per teacher
Fairview Elementary
Standard public school
786 students 27.1:1 students per teacher
Franklin Elementary
Standard public school
777 students 25.1:1 students per teacher
Freedom Elementary
Standard public school
713 students 25.5:1 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 (~579 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Orchard Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Orchard Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Sylvan Union 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 Orchard Elementary
How many students attend Orchard Elementary?
Orchard Elementary has 579 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Modesto, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Orchard Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Orchard Elementary is 21.4:1, which is 0% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 36% 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 Orchard Elementary?
49.0% of students at Orchard Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Orchard Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Orchard Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 56.0% of enrollment, in Modesto, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Orchard Elementary?
Orchard 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 Orchard Elementary rank among elementary schools in Modesto?
By Resource Investment Index, Orchard Elementary ranks #24 of 53 elementary schools in Modesto, 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 Modesto on the city page.
Is Orchard Elementary a good school?
Orchard Elementary earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Sylvan Union Elementary?
Besides Orchard Elementary, Sylvan Union Elementary also operates Elizabeth Ustach Middle (1,016 students), Somerset Middle (947 students), and Daniel J. Savage Middle (906 students). See the Sylvan Union 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.