Enrollment
838
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Downey, CA
Rio Hondo Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Rio Hondo Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 13/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061146001273
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Rio Hondo Elementary earns 13/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #5 of 13
- elementary schools in Downey · Resource Index
- 13
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.4:1
- large classes for California
- 60.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Rio Hondo Elementary has class sizes larger than 82% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Rio Hondo Elementary ranks #5 of 13 elementary schools in Downey, CA.
School address
District: Downey Unified · California
NCES ID 061146001273 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
+8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Rio Hondo Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Rio Hondo Elementary
Rio Hondo Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Downey, California, enrolling 838 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.4:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 60.1% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 838 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 1,285 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,092, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (91% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 18/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 36.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Downey's elementary schools, it stands alongside Lewis (Ed C.) Elementary (810 students): Rio Hondo Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (25.4:1 vs 24.5:1).
Downey Unified also operates Downey High (4,051 students) and Warren (Earl) High (3,609 students) alongside Rio Hondo 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 Rio Hondo Elementary compares
Rio Hondo 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 | 25.4:1 | ▲ 18% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.1% | ▲ 8% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 838 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.4:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
838
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
60.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% 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
25.4:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 82% in California - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
36.9%
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
$15,382
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
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.2 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 90.6%
White 6.0%
African American 1.8%
Asian 1.3%
Two or More 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 90.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 17.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 17.5, Rio Hondo Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Downey Unified, which includes Rio Hondo Elementary.
$15,382
Per student
-7%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.5%
State 67.1%
Federal 12.4%
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 Rio Hondo Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downey High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Warren (Earl) High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Stauffer (Mary R.) Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Doty (Wendy Lopour) Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Griffiths (Gordon) Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Rio Hondo Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 4,051
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 3,609
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,329
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,304
- Students per teacher
- 26.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,264
- Students per teacher
- 25.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar elementary schools in Downey
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Lewis (Ed C.) Elementary
Standard public school
810 students 24.5:1 students per teacher
Carpenter (C. C.) Elementary
Standard public school
796 students 39.8:1 students per teacher
Gallatin Elementary
Standard public school
788 students 27.2:1 students per teacher
Price (Maude) Elementary
Standard public school
757 students 25.2:1 students per teacher
Rio San Gabriel Elementary
Standard public school
747 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Alameda Elementary
Standard public school
744 students 24.8:1 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 (~838 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Rio Hondo Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Rio Hondo Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Downey 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 Rio Hondo Elementary
How many students attend Rio Hondo Elementary?
Rio Hondo Elementary has 838 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Downey, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Rio Hondo Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Rio Hondo Elementary is 25.4:1, which is 18% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 62% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Rio Hondo Elementary?
60.1% of students at Rio Hondo Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Rio Hondo Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Rio Hondo Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 90.6% of enrollment, in Downey, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Rio Hondo Elementary?
Rio Hondo Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 13/100 (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 Rio Hondo Elementary rank among elementary schools in Downey?
By Resource Investment Index, Rio Hondo Elementary ranks #5 of 13 elementary schools in Downey, 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 Downey on the city page.
Is Rio Hondo Elementary a good school?
Rio Hondo Elementary earns 13/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of California schools. It is also less 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 Downey Unified?
Besides Rio Hondo Elementary, Downey Unified also operates Downey High (4,051 students), Warren (Earl) High (3,609 students), and Stauffer (Mary R.) Middle (1,329 students). See the Downey 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.