Enrollment
465
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Buena Park, CA
San Marino Elementary
Federal NCES profile for San Marino Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 19/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060807000780
👥 S:T ratio 12
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 17
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
San Marino Elementary earns 19/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #10 of 10
- elementary schools in Buena Park · Resource Index
- 19
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.1:1
- students per teacher
- 55.4%
- free-lunch eligible
San Marino Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, San Marino Elementary ranks #10 of 10 elementary schools in Buena Park, CA.
School address
District: Centralia Elementary · California
NCES ID 060807000780 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
55.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
-0% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How San Marino Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at San Marino Elementary
San Marino Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Buena Park, California, enrolling 465 students.
At 22.1:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 55.4% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 465 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 1,651 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,215, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (57%) and Asian (24%) (diversity index 61/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Buena Park's elementary schools, it stands alongside Charles G. Emery Elementary (646 students): San Marino Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (22.1:1 vs 24.8:1).
Centralia Elementary also operates Buena Terra Elementary (627 students) and Los Coyotes Elementary (568 students) alongside San Marino 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 San Marino Elementary compares
San Marino 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 | 22.1:1 | ▲ 3% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 55.4% | ▼ 0% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 465 | top 50% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.1:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
465
Bigger than 57% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
55.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 0% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
22.1:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 54% in California - lower ratio than 46% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
33.3%
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
$14,874
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 + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 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 56.6%
Asian 24.1%
White 10.8%
Two or More 4.9%
African American 2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 56.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.7, San Marino Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Centralia Elementary, which includes San Marino Elementary.
$14,874
Per student
-10%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-10%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 41.3%
State 46.6%
Federal 12.1%
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 San Marino Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buena Terra Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Los Coyotes Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| George B. Miller Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Centralia Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Glen H. Dysinger Sr. Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to San Marino Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 627
- Students per teacher
- 25.1:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 568
- Students per teacher
- 25.8:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 502
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 496
- Students per teacher
- 26.1:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 468
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar elementary schools in Buena Park
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Charles G. Emery Elementary
Standard public school
646 students 24.8:1 students per teacher
Buena Terra Elementary
Standard public school
627 students 25.1:1 students per teacher
James a. Whitaker Elementary
Standard public school
559 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
Carl E. Gilbert Elementary
Standard public school
490 students 23.3:1 students per teacher
Glen H. Dysinger Sr. Elementary
Standard public school
468 students 21.3:1 students per teacher
Holder Elementary
Standard public school
445 students 19.3:1 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 (~465 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on San Marino Elementary's federal record.
- Compare San Marino Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Centralia 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 San Marino Elementary
How many students attend San Marino Elementary?
San Marino Elementary has 465 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Buena Park, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at San Marino Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at San Marino Elementary is 22.1:1, which is 3% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 41% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at San Marino Elementary?
55.4% of students at San Marino Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of San Marino Elementary?
The largest demographic group at San Marino Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 56.6% of enrollment, in Buena Park, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for San Marino Elementary?
San Marino Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 19/100 (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 San Marino Elementary rank among elementary schools in Buena Park?
By Resource Investment Index, San Marino Elementary ranks #10 of 10 elementary schools in Buena Park, 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 Buena Park on the city page.
Is San Marino Elementary a good school?
San Marino Elementary earns 19/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Centralia Elementary?
Besides San Marino Elementary, Centralia Elementary also operates Buena Terra Elementary (627 students), Los Coyotes Elementary (568 students), and George B. Miller Elementary (502 students). See the Centralia 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.