Enrollment
512
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Redwood City, CA
Orion Alternative
Federal NCES profile for Orion Alternative, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063213008182
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 59
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Orion Alternative earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #5 of 13
- elementary schools in Redwood City · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 26.9:1
- large classes for California
- 30.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Orion Alternative has class sizes larger than 89% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Orion Alternative ranks #5 of 13 elementary schools in Redwood City, CA.
School address
District: Redwood City Elementary · California
NCES ID 063213008182 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
26.9:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+25% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
-46% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Orion Alternative compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Orion Alternative
Orion Alternative is a mid-sized elementary school in Redwood City, California, enrolling 512 students.
Class loads run heavy: 26.9:1 is larger than about 89% of California schools and 25% 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 30.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 512 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,318 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #743.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (29%) and Two or More (24%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 76/100).
16.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Redwood City's elementary schools, it stands alongside Kipp Excelencia Community Preparatory (711 students): Orion Alternative is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (26.9:1 vs 21.5:1).
Redwood City Elementary also operates John F. Kennedy Middle (808 students) and Clifford Elementary (698 students) alongside Orion Alternative.
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 Orion Alternative compares
Orion Alternative on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 26.9:1 | ▲ 25% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.1% | ▼ 46% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 512 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
26.9:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
512
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 46% 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
26.9:1
students per teacher
- 25% above state mean
Top 89% in California - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
16.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$19,381
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 + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 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 28.7%
Two or More 24.2%
White 22.9%
Asian 21.9%
African American 1.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 28.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 75.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 75.8, Orion Alternative is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Redwood City Elementary, which includes Orion Alternative.
$19,381
Per student
+17%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 68.1%
State 22.6%
Federal 9.3%
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 Orion Alternative Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John F. Kennedy Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Clifford Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hoover Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Roy Cloud Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Adelante Selby Spanish Immersion | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Orion Alternative's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 808
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 698
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 675
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 636
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 582
- Students per teacher
- 25.3:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
Similar elementary schools in Redwood City
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Kipp Excelencia Community Preparatory
Standard public school
711 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
Clifford Elementary
Standard public school
698 students 23.3:1 students per teacher
Hoover Elementary
Standard public school
675 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Roy Cloud Elementary
Standard public school
636 students 21.9:1 students per teacher
Sandpiper Elementary
Standard public school
534 students 24.3:1 students per teacher
North Star Academy
Standard public school
527 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 (~512 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~26.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Orion Alternative's federal record.
- Compare Orion Alternative against another school. Compare schools
- Redwood City 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 Orion Alternative
How many students attend Orion Alternative?
Orion Alternative has 512 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Redwood City, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Orion Alternative?
The student-teacher ratio at Orion Alternative is 26.9:1, which is 25% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 71% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Orion Alternative?
30.1% of students at Orion Alternative are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Orion Alternative?
The largest demographic group at Orion Alternative is Hispanic or Latino at 28.7% of enrollment, in Redwood City, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 75.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Orion Alternative?
Orion Alternative has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (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 Orion Alternative rank among elementary schools in Redwood City?
By Resource Investment Index, Orion Alternative ranks #5 of 13 elementary schools in Redwood City, 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 Redwood City on the city page.
Is Orion Alternative a good school?
Orion Alternative earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% 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 Redwood City Elementary?
Besides Orion Alternative, Redwood City Elementary also operates John F. Kennedy Middle (808 students), Clifford Elementary (698 students), and Hoover Elementary (675 students). See the Redwood City 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.