- Enrollment
- 1,287
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Novato, CA
Rancho Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Rancho Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062772004194
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 87
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Rancho Elementary earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of California schools.
- #1 of 9
- elementary schools in Novato · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 27.6:1
- large classes for California
- 32.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Rancho Elementary has class sizes larger than 91% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Rancho Elementary ranks #1 of 9 elementary schools in Novato, CA.
School address
District: Novato Unified · California
NCES ID 062772004194 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+5 students YoY
Rancho Elementary held near 349 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+5 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 14.0 → 15.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+5 students YoY 062772004194 · Novato, CA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
387 enr · 27.6:1 · 32.0% lunch · RII 52
Nearest enrollment peer: Novato High (1,287 students)
Rancho Elementary held near 349 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+5 headcount). Teacher FTE added 14.0 → 15.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Rancho Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Novato High
Novato High
1,287 students
- San Marin High
San Marin High
1,250 students
- Sinaloa Middle
Sinaloa Middle
693 students
- San Jose Inter
San Jose Intermediate
559 students
- Hamilton Meado
Hamilton Meadow Park
544 students
- This school 387
Rancho Elementary
387 students
What this shows Rancho Elementary reports 387 students on the CCD universe file.
How Rancho Elementary compares
Rancho Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 27.6:1 | ▲ 28% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.0% | ▼ 42% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 387 | top 62% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
27.6:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
387
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
32.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% 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
27.6:1
students per teacher
- 28% above state mean
Top 91% in California - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
5.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$15,969
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
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 + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 46.0%
White 39.5%
Two or More 8.5%
Asian 4.4%
African American 1.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 46.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.3, Rancho Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Novato Unified reports $15,969 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Rancho Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novato High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| San Marin High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sinaloa Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| San Jose Intermediate | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hamilton Meadow Park | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Rancho Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,250
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 693
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 559
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 544
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar elementary schools in Novato
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Hamilton Meadow Park
Standard public school
544 students 22.7:1 students per teacher
Pleasant Valley Elementary
Standard public school
464 students 27.3:1 students per teacher
San Ramon Elementary
Standard public school
456 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
Loma Verde Elementary
Standard public school
426 students 25.1:1 students per teacher
Lu Sutton Elementary
Standard public school
367 students 24.5:1 students per teacher
Olive Elementary
Standard public school
364 students 22.8:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~387 students)
Frequently asked questions about Rancho Elementary
How many students attend Rancho Elementary?
Rancho Elementary has 387 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Novato, CA. CCD year-over-year: 344 (2022-23) → 349 (2023-24), nearly flat (+5).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Rancho Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Rancho Elementary is 27.6:1, which is 28% 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 Rancho Elementary?
32.0% of students at Rancho Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Rancho Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Rancho Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 46.0% of enrollment, in Novato, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Rancho Elementary?
Rancho Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Rancho Elementary rank among elementary schools in Novato?
By Resource Investment Index, Rancho Elementary ranks #1 of 9 elementary schools in Novato, 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 Novato on the city page.
What other schools are in Novato Unified?
Besides Rancho Elementary, Novato Unified also operates Novato High (1,287 students), San Marin High (1,250 students), and Sinaloa Middle (693 students). See the Novato Unified district page for the complete list.