Enrollment
502
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Santa Maria, CA
Ralph Dunlap Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Ralph Dunlap Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 17/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062871004461
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ralph Dunlap Elementary earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of California schools.
- #21 of 24
- elementary schools in Santa Maria · Resource Index
- 17
- Resource Index · Lower
- 27.9:1
- large classes for California
- 37.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Ralph Dunlap Elementary has class sizes larger than 92% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ralph Dunlap Elementary ranks #21 of 24 elementary schools in Santa Maria, CA.
School address
District: Orcutt Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 062871004461 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
27.9:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+30% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
37.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
-32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ralph Dunlap Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ralph Dunlap Elementary
Ralph Dunlap Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Santa Maria, California, enrolling 502 students.
Class loads run heavy: 27.9:1 is larger than about 92% of California schools and 30% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 37.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 502 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.
Among 1,331 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,168, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (53%) and White (34%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1004 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Orcutt Union Elementary spends $12,686 per pupil, 23% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Santa Maria's elementary schools, it stands alongside Jimenez Roberto and Dr. Francisco Elementary (1,177 students): Ralph Dunlap Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (27.9:1 vs 29.4:1).
Orcutt Union Elementary also operates Orcutt Academy Charter (812 students) and Joe Nightingale Elementary (695 students) alongside Ralph Dunlap 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 Ralph Dunlap Elementary compares
Ralph Dunlap 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 | 27.9:1 | ▲ 30% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 37.6% | ▼ 32% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 502 | top 45% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
27.9:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
502
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
37.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% 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
27.9:1
students per teacher
- 30% 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
24.9%
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
$12,686
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.6 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 52.6%
White 33.9%
Two or More 8.8%
Asian 3.2%
African American 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 52.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.9, Ralph Dunlap Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Orcutt Union Elementary, which includes Ralph Dunlap Elementary.
$12,686
Per student
-23%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.2%
State 55.5%
Federal 7.4%
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 Ralph Dunlap Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orcutt Academy Charter | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Joe Nightingale Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Patterson Road Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pine Grove Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Alice Shaw Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ralph Dunlap Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 812
- Students per teacher
- 23.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 695
- Students per teacher
- 26.7:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 662
- Students per teacher
- 30.1:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 569
- Students per teacher
- 28.4:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 530
- Students per teacher
- 26.5:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
Similar elementary schools in Santa Maria
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Jimenez Roberto and Dr. Francisco Elementary
Standard public school
1,177 students 29.4:1 students per teacher
Bruce (Robert) Elementary
Standard public school
1,050 students 24.4:1 students per teacher
Alvin Elementary
Standard public school
998 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary
Standard public school
917 students 25.5:1 students per teacher
Rice (William) Elementary
Standard public school
887 students 24:1 students per teacher
Miller (Isaac) Elementary
Standard public school
883 students 25.2:1 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 (~502 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~27.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ralph Dunlap Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Ralph Dunlap Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Orcutt Union Elementary'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 Ralph Dunlap Elementary
How many students attend Ralph Dunlap Elementary?
Ralph Dunlap Elementary has 502 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Santa Maria, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ralph Dunlap Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Ralph Dunlap Elementary is 27.9:1, which is 30% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 78% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ralph Dunlap Elementary?
37.6% of students at Ralph Dunlap Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ralph Dunlap Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Ralph Dunlap Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 52.6% of enrollment, in Santa Maria, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ralph Dunlap Elementary?
Ralph Dunlap Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 17/100 (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 Ralph Dunlap Elementary rank among elementary schools in Santa Maria?
By Resource Investment Index, Ralph Dunlap Elementary ranks #21 of 24 elementary schools in Santa Maria, 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 Santa Maria on the city page.
Is Ralph Dunlap Elementary a good school?
Ralph Dunlap Elementary earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of 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 Orcutt Union Elementary?
Besides Ralph Dunlap Elementary, Orcutt Union Elementary also operates Orcutt Academy Charter (812 students), Joe Nightingale Elementary (695 students), and Patterson Road Elementary (662 students). See the Orcutt Union Elementary 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.