Enrollment
662
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Santa Maria, CA
Patterson Road Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Patterson Road Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 16/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062871004466
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 32
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Patterson Road Elementary earns 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of California schools.
- #23 of 24
- elementary schools in Santa Maria · Resource Index
- 16
- Resource Index · Lower
- 30.1:1
- large classes for California
- 36.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Patterson Road Elementary has class sizes larger than 96% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Patterson Road Elementary ranks #23 of 24 elementary schools in Santa Maria, CA.
School address
District: Orcutt Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 062871004466 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
30.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+40% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
-34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Patterson Road Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Patterson Road Elementary
Patterson Road Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Santa Maria, California, enrolling 662 students.
Class loads run heavy: 30.1:1 is larger than about 96% of California schools and 40% 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 36.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 662 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.
Among 1,356 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,212, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (57%) and White (28%) (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1324 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
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): Patterson Road Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (30.1:1 vs 29.4:1).
Orcutt Union Elementary also operates Orcutt Academy Charter (812 students) and Joe Nightingale Elementary (695 students) alongside Patterson Road 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 Patterson Road Elementary compares
Patterson Road 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 | 30.1:1 | ▲ 40% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.9% | ▼ 34% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 662 | top 26% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
30.1:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
662
Bigger than 78% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% 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
30.1:1
students per teacher
- 40% above state mean
Top 96% in California - lower ratio than 4% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
27.2%
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
$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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 28 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.7 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 57.1%
White 28.4%
Two or More 11.9%
Asian 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
African American 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 57.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.9, Patterson Road Elementary 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 Patterson Road Elementary.
$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 Patterson Road Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orcutt Academy Charter | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Joe Nightingale Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pine Grove Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Alice Shaw Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ralph Dunlap Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Patterson Road Elementary'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
- 569
- Students per teacher
- 28.4:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 530
- Students per teacher
- 26.5:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 502
- Students per teacher
- 27.9:1
- 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 (~662 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Patterson Road Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Patterson Road Elementary 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 Patterson Road Elementary
How many students attend Patterson Road Elementary?
Patterson Road Elementary has 662 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Santa Maria, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Patterson Road Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Patterson Road Elementary is 30.1:1, which is 40% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 92% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Patterson Road Elementary?
36.9% of students at Patterson Road Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Patterson Road Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Patterson Road Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 57.1% of enrollment, in Santa Maria, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Patterson Road Elementary?
Patterson Road Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 16/100 (lower 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 Patterson Road Elementary rank among elementary schools in Santa Maria?
By Resource Investment Index, Patterson Road Elementary ranks #23 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 Patterson Road Elementary a good school?
Patterson Road Elementary earns 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% 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 Patterson Road Elementary, Orcutt Union Elementary also operates Orcutt Academy Charter (812 students), Joe Nightingale Elementary (695 students), and Pine Grove Elementary (569 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.