- Enrollment
- 1,073
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 8/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Merced, CA
Pioneer Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Pioneer Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 13/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 064188003327
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pioneer Elementary earns 13/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #14 of 19
- elementary schools in Merced · Resource Index
- 13
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.9:1
- students per teacher
- 67.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Pioneer Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pioneer Elementary ranks #14 of 19 elementary schools in Merced, CA.
School address
District: Weaver Union · California
NCES ID 064188003327 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-64 students YoY
Pioneer Elementary shrank from 1,126 students in 2022-23 to 1,062 in 2023-24 (-5.7%).
Teacher FTE lost 53.9 → 53.3 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-64 students YoY 064188003327 · Merced, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
1,055 enr · 19.9:1 · 67.4% lunch · RII 13
Nearest enrollment peer: Weaver Middle (1,073 students)
Pioneer Elementary shrank from 1,126 students in 2022-23 to 1,062 in 2023-24 (-5.7%). Teacher FTE lost 53.9 → 53.3 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Pioneer Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Weaver Middle
Weaver Middle
1,073 students
- This school
Pioneer Elementary
1,055 students
- Farmdale Eleme
Farmdale Elementary
919 students
What this shows Pioneer Elementary reports 1,055 students on the CCD universe file.
How Pioneer Elementary compares
Pioneer Elementary is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.9:1 | ▼ 7% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.4% | ▲ 21% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,055 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.9:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,055
Bigger than 92% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
67.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% 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
19.9:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 34% in California - lower ratio than 66% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
49.4%
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
$16,359
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 1055 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
8
in-school suspensions + 34 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 73.3%
Asian 9.3%
White 7.0%
Two or More 5.4%
African American 4.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 73.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.4, Pioneer Elementary is about as mixed as the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for Weaver Union reports $16,359 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Pioneer Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weaver Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Farmdale Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pioneer Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 919
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
Similar elementary schools in Merced
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Farmdale Elementary
Standard public school
919 students 19.6:1 students per teacher
Rudolph Rivera Elementary
Standard public school
917 students 29.6:1 students per teacher
Mcswain Elementary
Standard public school
912 students 22.8:1 students per teacher
Donn B. Chenoweth Elementary
Standard public school
722 students 25.8:1 students per teacher
Luther Burbank Elementary
Standard public school
716 students 28.6:1 students per teacher
Allan Peterson Elementary
Standard public school
690 students 28.8:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~1,055 students)
Frequently asked questions about Pioneer Elementary
How many students attend Pioneer Elementary?
Pioneer Elementary has 1,055 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Merced, CA. CCD year-over-year: 1,126 (2022-23) → 1,062 (2023-24), down 64.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pioneer Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Pioneer Elementary is 19.9:1, which is 7% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 27% 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 Pioneer Elementary?
67.4% of students at Pioneer Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pioneer Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Pioneer Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 73.3% of enrollment, in Merced, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pioneer Elementary?
Pioneer Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 13/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Pioneer Elementary rank among elementary schools in Merced?
By Resource Investment Index, Pioneer Elementary ranks #14 of 19 elementary schools in Merced, 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 Merced on the city page.
What other schools are in Weaver Union?
Besides Pioneer Elementary, Weaver Union also operates Weaver Middle (1,073 students) and Farmdale Elementary (919 students). See the Weaver Union district page for the complete list.