Enrollment
563
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Milpitas, CA
Pearl Zanker Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Pearl Zanker Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062450003677
👥 S:T ratio 2
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 62
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pearl Zanker Elementary earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of California schools.
- #4 of 10
- elementary schools in Milpitas · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.5:1
- large classes for California
- 26.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Pearl Zanker Elementary has class sizes larger than 76% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pearl Zanker Elementary ranks #4 of 10 elementary schools in Milpitas, CA.
School address
District: Milpitas Unified · California
NCES ID 062450003677 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.5:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
26.5%
vs 55.5% California avg
-52% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Pearl Zanker Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Pearl Zanker Elementary
Pearl Zanker Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Milpitas, California, enrolling 563 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.5:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 26.5% of students eligible for free meals.
With 563 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 1,369 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #774.
Its student body is led by Asian (67%) and Hispanic or Latino (16%) (diversity index 52/100).
15.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Milpitas's elementary schools, it stands alongside Mabel Mattos Elementary (746 students): Pearl Zanker Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (24.5:1 vs 32.4:1).
Milpitas Unified also operates Milpitas High (2,926 students) and Thomas Russell Middle (761 students) alongside Pearl Zanker 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 Pearl Zanker Elementary compares
Pearl Zanker 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 | 24.5:1 | ▲ 14% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 26.5% | ▼ 52% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 563 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.5:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
563
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
26.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 52% 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
24.5:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 76% in California - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
15.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,397
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.1 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
Asian 67.1%
Hispanic or Latino 16.0%
Two or More 8.0%
African American 4.6%
White 3.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: Asian at 67.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.5, Pearl Zanker Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Milpitas Unified, which includes Pearl Zanker Elementary.
$14,397
Per student
-13%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 53.7%
State 38.5%
Federal 7.8%
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 Pearl Zanker Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milpitas High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Thomas Russell Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mabel Mattos Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rancho Milpitas Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| John Sinnott Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pearl Zanker Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,926
- Students per teacher
- 22.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 761
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 746
- Students per teacher
- 32.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 693
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 686
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar elementary schools in Milpitas
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Mabel Mattos Elementary
Standard public school
746 students 32.4:1 students per teacher
John Sinnott Elementary
Standard public school
686 students 23.7:1 students per teacher
Curtner Elementary
Standard public school
663 students 26.5:1 students per teacher
Anthony Spangler Elementary
Standard public school
610 students 24.4:1 students per teacher
Marshall Pomeroy Elementary
Standard public school
597 students 23.9:1 students per teacher
Alexander Rose Elementary
Standard public school
518 students 25.9:1 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 (~563 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Pearl Zanker Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Pearl Zanker Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Milpitas 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 Pearl Zanker Elementary
How many students attend Pearl Zanker Elementary?
Pearl Zanker Elementary has 563 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Milpitas, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pearl Zanker Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Pearl Zanker Elementary is 24.5:1, which is 14% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 56% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Pearl Zanker Elementary?
26.5% of students at Pearl Zanker Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pearl Zanker Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Pearl Zanker Elementary is Asian at 67.1% of enrollment, in Milpitas, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pearl Zanker Elementary?
Pearl Zanker Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (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 Pearl Zanker Elementary rank among elementary schools in Milpitas?
By Resource Investment Index, Pearl Zanker Elementary ranks #4 of 10 elementary schools in Milpitas, 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 Milpitas on the city page.
Is Pearl Zanker Elementary a good school?
Pearl Zanker Elementary earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% 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 Milpitas Unified?
Besides Pearl Zanker Elementary, Milpitas Unified also operates Milpitas High (2,926 students), Thomas Russell Middle (761 students), and Mabel Mattos Elementary (746 students). See the Milpitas 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.