Enrollment
199
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · San Jose, CA
Rachel Carson Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Rachel Carson Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063459005706
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 6
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Rachel Carson Elementary earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 78% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #122 of 154
- elementary schools in San Jose · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.1:1
- small classes for California
- 36.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Rachel Carson Elementary has class sizes smaller than 78% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Rachel Carson Elementary ranks #122 of 154 elementary schools in San Jose, CA.
School address
District: San Jose Unified · California
NCES ID 063459005706 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
11.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
-35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Rachel Carson Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Rachel Carson Elementary
Rachel Carson Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in San Jose, California, enrolling 199 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 18.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 36.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 199 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.
Among 345 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #295, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (48%) and Asian (19%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 398 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among San Jose's elementary schools, it stands alongside Easterbrook Discovery (952 students): Rachel Carson Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.1:1 vs 22.1:1).
San Jose Unified also operates Abraham Lincoln High (1,590 students) and Willow Glen High (1,543 students) alongside Rachel Carson 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 Rachel Carson Elementary compares
Rachel Carson 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 | 18.1:1 | ▼ 16% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.1% | ▼ 35% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 199 | top 83% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.1:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
199
Bigger than 19% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.1:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 22% in California - lower ratio than 78% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
37.7%
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
$16,122
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.0 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 47.7%
Asian 19.1%
White 18.1%
Two or More 10.1%
African American 5.0%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 47.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.1, Rachel Carson Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for San Jose Unified, which includes Rachel Carson Elementary.
$16,122
Per student
-2%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 67.7%
State 23.6%
Federal 8.7%
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 Rachel Carson Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abraham Lincoln High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Willow Glen High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Leland High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pioneer High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Willow Glen Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Rachel Carson Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,590
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,543
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,471
- Students per teacher
- 26.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,393
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,180
- Students per teacher
- 25.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar elementary schools in San Jose
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Easterbrook Discovery
Standard public school
952 students 22.1:1 students per teacher
Merritt Trace Elementary
Standard public school
829 students 23:1 students per teacher
Orchard Elementary
Standard public school
740 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Tom Matsumoto Elementary
Standard public school
727 students 24.2:1 students per teacher
Herman (Leonard) Intermediate
Standard public school
723 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Booksin Elementary
Standard public school
715 students 23.8:1 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 (~199 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Rachel Carson Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Rachel Carson Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- San Jose 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 Rachel Carson Elementary
How many students attend Rachel Carson Elementary?
Rachel Carson Elementary has 199 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in San Jose, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Rachel Carson Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Rachel Carson Elementary is 18.1:1, which is 16% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 15% 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 Rachel Carson Elementary?
36.1% of students at Rachel Carson Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Rachel Carson Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Rachel Carson Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 47.7% of enrollment, in San Jose, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Rachel Carson Elementary?
Rachel Carson Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (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 Rachel Carson Elementary rank among elementary schools in San Jose?
By Resource Investment Index, Rachel Carson Elementary ranks #122 of 154 elementary schools in San Jose, 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 San Jose on the city page.
Is Rachel Carson Elementary a good school?
Rachel Carson Elementary earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 78% 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 San Jose Unified?
Besides Rachel Carson Elementary, San Jose Unified also operates Abraham Lincoln High (1,590 students), Willow Glen High (1,543 students), and Leland High (1,471 students). See the San Jose 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.