Enrollment
534
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Arcata, CA
Pacific Union Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Pacific Union 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 062943004533
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 43
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pacific Union Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 72% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #2 of 6
- elementary schools in Arcata · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.1:1
- small classes for California
- 49.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Pacific Union Elementary has class sizes smaller than 72% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pacific Union Elementary ranks #2 of 6 elementary schools in Arcata, CA.
School address
District: Pacific Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 062943004533 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
49.0%
vs 55.5% California avg
-12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Pacific Union Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Pacific Union Elementary
Pacific Union Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Arcata, California, enrolling 534 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 19.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 49.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 534 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 1,491 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #136, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (49%) and Hispanic or Latino (27%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 356 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.8% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Pacific Union Elementary spends $10,212 per pupil, 38% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 17.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Arcata's elementary schools, it stands alongside Arcata Elementary (240 students): Pacific Union Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.1:1 vs 16:1).
Its district, Pacific Union Elementary, also runs Trillium Charter (34 students).
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 Pacific Union Elementary compares
Pacific Union 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 | 19.1:1 | ▼ 11% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 49.0% | ▼ 12% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 534 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.1:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
534
Bigger than 66% 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
19.1:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 28% in California - lower ratio than 72% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
22.8%
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
$10,212
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
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 356 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 19 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.6 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
White 49.1%
Hispanic or Latino 27.4%
Two or More 13.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 6.6%
African American 2.1%
Asian 1.5%
Largest group: White at 49.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.1, Pacific Union Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pacific Union Elementary, which includes Pacific Union Elementary.
$10,212
Per student
-38%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-38%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 12.5%
State 69.8%
Federal 17.7%
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 Pacific Union Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trillium Charter | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pacific Union Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 34
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar elementary schools in Arcata
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Arcata Elementary
Standard public school
240 students 16:1 students per teacher
Coastal Grove Charter
Standard public school
235 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Fuente Nueva Charter
Standard public school
150 students 25:1 students per teacher
Union Street Charter
Standard public school
99 students 19.8:1 students per teacher
Trillium Charter
Standard public school
34 students 17:1 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 (~534 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Pacific Union Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Pacific Union Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Pacific 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 Pacific Union Elementary
How many students attend Pacific Union Elementary?
Pacific Union Elementary has 534 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Arcata, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pacific Union Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Pacific Union Elementary is 19.1:1, which is 11% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 22% 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 Pacific Union Elementary?
49.0% of students at Pacific Union Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pacific Union Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Pacific Union Elementary is White at 49.1% of enrollment, in Arcata, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pacific Union Elementary?
Pacific Union Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Pacific Union Elementary rank among elementary schools in Arcata?
By Resource Investment Index, Pacific Union Elementary ranks #2 of 6 elementary schools in Arcata, 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 Arcata on the city page.
Is Pacific Union Elementary a good school?
Pacific Union Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 72% 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 Pacific Union Elementary?
Besides Pacific Union Elementary, Pacific Union Elementary also operates Trillium Charter (34 students). See the Pacific 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.