Enrollment
360
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Sacramento, CA
Pony Express Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Pony Express Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063384005277
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 19
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pony Express Elementary earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #26 of 124
- elementary schools in Sacramento · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.7:1
- large classes for California
- 50.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Pony Express Elementary has class sizes larger than 84% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pony Express Elementary ranks #26 of 124 elementary schools in Sacramento, CA.
School address
District: Sacramento City Unified · California
NCES ID 063384005277 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
-9% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Pony Express Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Pony Express Elementary
Pony Express Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Sacramento, California, enrolling 360 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.7:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 50.7% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 360 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,170 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #494.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (43%) and Asian (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Sacramento's elementary schools, it stands alongside Smythe Academy of Arts and Sciences (1,091 students): Pony Express Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (25.7:1 vs 23.7:1).
Sacramento City Unified also operates C. K. Mcclatchy High (2,569 students) and Hiram W. Johnson High (1,682 students) alongside Pony Express 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 Pony Express Elementary compares
Pony Express 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 | 25.7:1 | ▲ 20% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.7% | ▼ 9% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 360 | top 66% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.7:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
360
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 9% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
25.7:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 84% in California - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
32.2%
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
$17,312
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 + 15 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.2 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 43.3%
Asian 25.6%
Two or More 10.8%
White 10.0%
African American 7.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 43.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.9, Pony Express Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sacramento City Unified, which includes Pony Express Elementary.
$17,312
Per student
+5%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.8%
State 53.8%
Federal 19.4%
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 Pony Express Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| C. K. Mcclatchy High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hiram W. Johnson High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| John F. Kennedy High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Luther Burbank High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rosemont High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pony Express Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,569
- Students per teacher
- 28.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,682
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,652
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,535
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,485
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar elementary schools in Sacramento
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Smythe Academy of Arts and Sciences
Standard public school
1,091 students 23.7:1 students per teacher
Las Palmas Elementary
Standard public school
1,001 students 25.7:1 students per teacher
Mary Tsukamoto Elementary
Standard public school
989 students 26:1 students per teacher
Heron
Standard public school
977 students 23.3:1 students per teacher
Arnold Adreani Elementary
Standard public school
944 students 27:1 students per teacher
Paso Verde
Standard public school
897 students 23.6:1 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 (~360 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Pony Express Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Pony Express Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Sacramento City 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 Pony Express Elementary
How many students attend Pony Express Elementary?
Pony Express Elementary has 360 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Sacramento, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pony Express Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Pony Express Elementary is 25.7:1, which is 20% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 64% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Pony Express Elementary?
50.7% of students at Pony Express Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pony Express Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Pony Express Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 43.3% of enrollment, in Sacramento, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pony Express Elementary?
Pony Express Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (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 Pony Express Elementary rank among elementary schools in Sacramento?
By Resource Investment Index, Pony Express Elementary ranks #26 of 124 elementary schools in Sacramento, 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 Sacramento on the city page.
Is Pony Express Elementary a good school?
Pony Express Elementary earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of California schools. 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 Sacramento City Unified?
Besides Pony Express Elementary, Sacramento City Unified also operates C. K. Mcclatchy High (2,569 students), Hiram W. Johnson High (1,682 students), and John F. Kennedy High (1,652 students). See the Sacramento City 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.