Enrollment
444
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Ventura, CA
Portola Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Portola Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 064098006763
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 11
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Portola Elementary earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #15 of 18
- elementary schools in Ventura · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.1:1
- students per teacher
- 42.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Portola Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Portola Elementary ranks #15 of 18 elementary schools in Ventura, CA.
School address
District: Ventura Unified · California
NCES ID 064098006763 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.0%
vs 55.5% California avg
-24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Portola Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Portola Elementary
Portola Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Ventura, California, enrolling 444 students.
At 21.1:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 42.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 444 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,308 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #855.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (58%) and White (27%) (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 444 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Ventura's elementary schools, it stands alongside Citrus Glen Elementary (491 students): Portola Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.1:1 vs 27.3:1).
Ventura Unified also operates Ventura High (1,939 students) and Buena High (1,585 students) alongside Portola 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 Portola Elementary compares
Portola 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 | 21.1:1 | ▼ 2% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.0% | ▼ 24% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 444 | top 54% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.1:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
444
Bigger than 54% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
42.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% 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
21.1:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 44% in California - lower ratio than 56% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
48.4%
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
$14,481
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 444 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.0 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 57.7%
White 27.0%
Asian 7.0%
Two or More 4.7%
African American 2.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 57.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.6, Portola Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Ventura Unified, which includes Portola Elementary.
$14,481
Per student
-12%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.6%
State 48.9%
Federal 10.4%
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 Portola Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ventura High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Buena High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Foothill Technology High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cabrillo Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Balboa Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Portola Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,939
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,585
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 951
- Students per teacher
- 25.7:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 936
- Students per teacher
- 33.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 845
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Ventura
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Citrus Glen Elementary
Standard public school
491 students 27.3:1 students per teacher
Mound Elementary
Standard public school
490 students 22.3:1 students per teacher
Academy of Technology & Leadership at Saticoy
Standard public school
461 students 27.1:1 students per teacher
Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education
Standard public school
455 students 23.9:1 students per teacher
Will Rogers Elementary
Standard public school
426 students 26.6:1 students per teacher
Junipero Serra Elementary
Standard public school
418 students 22:1 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 (~444 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Portola Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Portola Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Ventura 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 Portola Elementary
How many students attend Portola Elementary?
Portola Elementary has 444 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Ventura, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Portola Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Portola Elementary is 21.1:1, which is 2% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 34% 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 Portola Elementary?
42.0% of students at Portola Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Portola Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Portola Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 57.7% of enrollment, in Ventura, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Portola Elementary?
Portola Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (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 Portola Elementary rank among elementary schools in Ventura?
By Resource Investment Index, Portola Elementary ranks #15 of 18 elementary schools in Ventura, 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 Ventura on the city page.
Is Portola Elementary a good school?
Portola Elementary earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Ventura Unified?
Besides Portola Elementary, Ventura Unified also operates Ventura High (1,939 students), Buena High (1,585 students), and Foothill Technology High (951 students). See the Ventura 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.