Enrollment
858
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Sacramento, CA
Prairie Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Prairie 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 061233001411
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Prairie Elementary earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #76 of 124
- elementary schools in Sacramento · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 27.7:1
- large classes for California
- 60.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Prairie Elementary has class sizes larger than 92% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Elementary ranks #76 of 124 elementary schools in Sacramento, CA.
School address
District: Elk Grove Unified · California
NCES ID 061233001411 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
27.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+29% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
+10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Prairie Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Prairie Elementary
Prairie Elementary is a higher-need, large elementary school in Sacramento, California, enrolling 858 students.
Class loads run heavy: 27.7:1 is larger than about 92% of California schools and 29% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 60.9% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 858 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,249 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #693.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (46%) and Asian (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 52.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Sacramento's elementary schools, it stands alongside Smythe Academy of Arts and Sciences (1,091 students): Prairie Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (27.7:1 vs 23.7:1).
Elk Grove Unified also operates Franklin High (2,650 students) and Pleasant Grove High (2,536 students) alongside Prairie 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 Prairie Elementary compares
Prairie 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 | 27.7:1 | ▲ 29% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.9% | ▲ 10% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 858 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
27.7:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
858
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
60.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% 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
27.7:1
students per teacher
- 29% above state mean
Top 92% in California - lower ratio than 8% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
52.3%
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
$14,134
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
1
in-school suspensions + 41 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.9 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 45.5%
Asian 28.0%
African American 11.9%
Two or More 5.4%
White 5.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 4.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 45.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.3, Prairie Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Elk Grove Unified, which includes Prairie Elementary.
$14,134
Per student
-14%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.1%
State 65.7%
Federal 12.2%
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 Prairie Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pleasant Grove High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sheldon High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Monterey Trail High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Laguna Creek High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Prairie Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,650
- Students per teacher
- 23.2:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,536
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 2,368
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 2,263
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 2,142
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
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 (~858 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Prairie Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Prairie Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Elk Grove 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 Prairie Elementary
How many students attend Prairie Elementary?
Prairie Elementary has 858 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Sacramento, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Prairie Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Prairie Elementary is 27.7:1, which is 29% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 76% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Prairie Elementary?
60.9% of students at Prairie Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Prairie Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Prairie Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 45.5% of enrollment, in Sacramento, 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 Prairie Elementary?
Prairie Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (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 Prairie Elementary rank among elementary schools in Sacramento?
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Elementary ranks #76 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 Prairie Elementary a good school?
Prairie Elementary earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% 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 Elk Grove Unified?
Besides Prairie Elementary, Elk Grove Unified also operates Franklin High (2,650 students), Pleasant Grove High (2,536 students), and Sheldon High (2,368 students). See the Elk Grove 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.