Enrollment
484
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Hayward, CA
Palma Ceia Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Palma Ceia Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061674002126
👥 S:T ratio 3
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Palma Ceia Elementary earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of California schools.
- #14 of 24
- elementary schools in Hayward · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.2:1
- large classes for California
- 66.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Palma Ceia Elementary has class sizes larger than 73% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Palma Ceia Elementary ranks #14 of 24 elementary schools in Hayward, CA.
School address
District: Hayward Unified · California
NCES ID 061674002126 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.2:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.0%
vs 55.5% California avg
+19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Palma Ceia Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Palma Ceia Elementary
Palma Ceia Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Hayward, California, enrolling 484 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.2:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 66.0% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 484 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 2,040 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #1,036.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (69%) and Asian (19%) (diversity index 48/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 63.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Hayward's elementary schools, it stands alongside Cherryland Elementary (855 students): Palma Ceia Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (24.2:1 vs 23.8:1).
Hayward Unified also operates Mt. Eden High (1,865 students) and Hayward High (1,580 students) alongside Palma Ceia 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 Palma Ceia Elementary compares
Palma Ceia 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 | 24.2:1 | ▲ 13% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.0% | ▲ 19% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 484 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.2:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
484
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
24.2:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 73% in California - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
63.0%
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
$17,201
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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 + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 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 69.0%
Asian 19.4%
Two or More 4.1%
African American 2.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.5%
White 1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 69.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.3, Palma Ceia Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hayward Unified, which includes Palma Ceia Elementary.
$17,201
Per student
+4%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.7%
State 52.2%
Federal 12.1%
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 Palma Ceia Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mt. Eden High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hayward High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Tennyson High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cherryland Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Burbank Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Palma Ceia Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,865
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,580
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,511
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 855
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 800
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar elementary schools in Hayward
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Cherryland Elementary
Standard public school
855 students 23.8:1 students per teacher
Burbank Elementary
Standard public school
800 students 25:1 students per teacher
Harder Elementary
Standard public school
671 students 24:1 students per teacher
Knowledge Enlightens You (Key) Academy
Standard public school
645 students 25.8:1 students per teacher
Schafer Park Elementary
Standard public school
606 students 20.2:1 students per teacher
Stonebrae Elementary
Standard public school
605 students 20.9:1 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 (~484 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Palma Ceia Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Palma Ceia Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Hayward Unified'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 Palma Ceia Elementary
How many students attend Palma Ceia Elementary?
Palma Ceia Elementary has 484 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Hayward, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Palma Ceia Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Palma Ceia Elementary is 24.2:1, which is 13% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 54% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Palma Ceia Elementary?
66.0% of students at Palma Ceia Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Palma Ceia Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Palma Ceia Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 69.0% of enrollment, in Hayward, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Palma Ceia Elementary?
Palma Ceia Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (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 Palma Ceia Elementary rank among elementary schools in Hayward?
By Resource Investment Index, Palma Ceia Elementary ranks #14 of 24 elementary schools in Hayward, 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 Hayward on the city page.
Is Palma Ceia Elementary a good school?
Palma Ceia Elementary earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% 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 Hayward Unified?
Besides Palma Ceia Elementary, Hayward Unified also operates Mt. Eden High (1,865 students), Hayward High (1,580 students), and Tennyson High (1,511 students). See the Hayward Unified 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.