Enrollment
44
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Santa Maria, CA
Orcutt School for Independent Study
Federal NCES profile for Orcutt School for Independent Study, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062871014591
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 12
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Orcutt School for Independent Study earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 90% of California schools.
- #11 of 24
- elementary schools in Santa Maria · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 14.7:1
- small classes for California
- 57.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Orcutt School for Independent Study has class sizes smaller than 90% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Orcutt School for Independent Study ranks #11 of 24 elementary schools in Santa Maria, CA.
School address
District: Orcutt Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 062871014591 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
3.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-32% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
57.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
+3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Orcutt School for Independent Study compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Orcutt School for Independent Study
Orcutt School for Independent Study is a higher-need, small elementary school in Santa Maria, California, enrolling 44 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 14.7:1, Orcutt School for Independent Study is leaner than roughly 90% of California schools and 32% under the state's 21.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 57.4% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 94% of California schools, with 44 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 135 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #101, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (57%) and White (32%) (diversity index 57/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 440 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
The surrounding Orcutt Union Elementary spends $12,686 per pupil, 23% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Santa Maria's elementary schools, it stands alongside Jimenez Roberto and Dr. Francisco Elementary (1,177 students): Orcutt School for Independent Study is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.7:1 vs 29.4:1).
Orcutt Union Elementary also operates Orcutt Academy Charter (812 students) and Joe Nightingale Elementary (695 students) alongside Orcutt School for Independent Study.
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 Orcutt School for Independent Study compares
Orcutt School for Independent Study on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.7:1 | ▼ 32% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.4% | ▲ 3% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 44 | top 94% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
44
Bigger than 5% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
57.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% 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
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 32% below state mean
Top 10% in California - lower ratio than 90% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Funding equity
$12,686
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.1 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: 2.3 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 56.8%
White 31.8%
Asian 4.5%
Two or More 4.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 56.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.2, Orcutt School for Independent Study is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Orcutt Union Elementary, which includes Orcutt School for Independent Study.
$12,686
Per student
-23%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.2%
State 55.5%
Federal 7.4%
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 Orcutt School for Independent Study Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orcutt Academy Charter | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Joe Nightingale Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Patterson Road Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pine Grove Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Alice Shaw Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Orcutt School for Independent Study's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 812
- Students per teacher
- 23.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 695
- Students per teacher
- 26.7:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 662
- Students per teacher
- 30.1:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 569
- Students per teacher
- 28.4:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 530
- Students per teacher
- 26.5:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
Similar elementary schools in Santa Maria
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Jimenez Roberto and Dr. Francisco Elementary
Standard public school
1,177 students 29.4:1 students per teacher
Bruce (Robert) Elementary
Standard public school
1,050 students 24.4:1 students per teacher
Alvin Elementary
Standard public school
998 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary
Standard public school
917 students 25.5:1 students per teacher
Rice (William) Elementary
Standard public school
887 students 24:1 students per teacher
Miller (Isaac) Elementary
Standard public school
883 students 25.2:1 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 (~44 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Orcutt School for Independent Study's federal record.
- Compare Orcutt School for Independent Study against another school. Compare schools
- Orcutt 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 Orcutt School for Independent Study
How many students attend Orcutt School for Independent Study?
Orcutt School for Independent Study has 44 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Santa Maria, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Orcutt School for Independent Study?
The student-teacher ratio at Orcutt School for Independent Study is 14.7:1, which is 32% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 6% lower 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 Orcutt School for Independent Study?
57.4% of students at Orcutt School for Independent Study are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Orcutt School for Independent Study?
The largest demographic group at Orcutt School for Independent Study is Hispanic or Latino at 56.8% of enrollment, in Santa Maria, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Orcutt School for Independent Study?
Orcutt School for Independent Study has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Orcutt School for Independent Study rank among elementary schools in Santa Maria?
By Resource Investment Index, Orcutt School for Independent Study ranks #11 of 24 elementary schools in Santa Maria, 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 Santa Maria on the city page.
Is Orcutt School for Independent Study a good school?
Orcutt School for Independent Study earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 90% 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 Orcutt Union Elementary?
Besides Orcutt School for Independent Study, Orcutt Union Elementary also operates Orcutt Academy Charter (812 students), Joe Nightingale Elementary (695 students), and Patterson Road Elementary (662 students). See the Orcutt 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.