Enrollment
297
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Ridgecrest, CA
Pierce Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Pierce Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063680006239
👥 S:T ratio 21
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pierce Elementary earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #3 of 6
- elementary schools in Ridgecrest · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.8:1
- students per teacher
- 69.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Pierce Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pierce Elementary ranks #3 of 6 elementary schools in Ridgecrest, CA.
School address
District: Sierra Sands Unified · California
NCES ID 063680006239 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
15.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
+26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Pierce Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Pierce Elementary
Pierce Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Ridgecrest, California, enrolling 297 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 19.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 69.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 297 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,167 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #779.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (40%) and White (33%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 297 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 47.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Ridgecrest's elementary schools, it stands alongside Las Flores Elementary (526 students): Pierce Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19.8:1 vs 25:1).
Sierra Sands Unified also operates Burroughs High (1,536 students) and Murray Middle (643 students) alongside Pierce 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 Pierce Elementary compares
Pierce 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 | 19.8:1 | ▼ 8% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.8% | ▲ 26% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 297 | top 74% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.8:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
297
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% 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
19.8:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 33% in California - lower ratio than 67% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
47.1%
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
$14,502
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 297 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 29 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.8 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 40.1%
White 32.7%
African American 18.5%
Two or More 6.7%
Asian 1.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 40.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.3, Pierce Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sierra Sands Unified, which includes Pierce Elementary.
$14,502
Per student
-12%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 17.0%
State 69.4%
Federal 13.6%
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 Pierce Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burroughs High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Murray Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Las Flores Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Faller Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| James Monroe Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pierce Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,536
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 643
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 526
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 516
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 490
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar elementary schools in Ridgecrest
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Las Flores Elementary
Standard public school
526 students 25:1 students per teacher
Faller Elementary
Standard public school
516 students 24.6:1 students per teacher
Richmond Elementary
Standard public school
364 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Gateway Elementary
Standard public school
346 students 23.1:1 students per teacher
Ridgecrest Elem Acad for Language Music and Sci
Standard public school
239 students 26.6:1 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 (~297 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Pierce Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Pierce Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Sierra Sands 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 Pierce Elementary
How many students attend Pierce Elementary?
Pierce Elementary has 297 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Ridgecrest, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pierce Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Pierce Elementary is 19.8:1, which is 8% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 26% 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 Pierce Elementary?
69.8% of students at Pierce Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pierce Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Pierce Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 40.1% of enrollment, in Ridgecrest, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pierce Elementary?
Pierce Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (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 Pierce Elementary rank among elementary schools in Ridgecrest?
By Resource Investment Index, Pierce Elementary ranks #3 of 6 elementary schools in Ridgecrest, 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 Ridgecrest on the city page.
Is Pierce Elementary a good school?
Pierce Elementary earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Sierra Sands Unified?
Besides Pierce Elementary, Sierra Sands Unified also operates Burroughs High (1,536 students), Murray Middle (643 students), and Las Flores Elementary (526 students). See the Sierra Sands 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.