- Enrollment
- 568
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Salinas, CA
Santa Rita Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Santa Rita Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 10/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063579006116
👥 S:T ratio 5
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 6
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Santa Rita Elementary earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #32 of 39
- elementary schools in Salinas · Resource Index
- 10
- Resource Index · Lower
- 23.7:1
- students per teacher
- 81.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Santa Rita Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Santa Rita Elementary ranks #32 of 39 elementary schools in Salinas, CA.
School address
District: Santa Rita Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 063579006116 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+17 students YoY
Santa Rita Elementary held near 587 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+17 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 23.3 → 26.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+17 students YoY 063579006116 · Salinas, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
545 enr · 23.7:1 · 81.4% lunch · RII 10
Nearest enrollment peer: John Gutierrez Middle (568 students)
Santa Rita Elementary held near 587 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+17 headcount). Teacher FTE added 23.3 → 26.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Santa Rita Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- John Gutierrez
John Gutierrez Middle
568 students
- Gavilan View M
Gavilan View Middle
556 students
- This school
Santa Rita Elementary
545 students
- La Joya Elemen
La Joya Elementary
498 students
- New Republic E
New Republic Elementary
482 students
- Mckinnon
Mckinnon
439 students
What this shows Santa Rita Elementary reports 545 students on the CCD universe file.
How Santa Rita Elementary compares
Santa Rita 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 | 23.7:1 | ▲ 10% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 81.4% | ▲ 47% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 545 | top 39% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.7:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
545
Bigger than 67% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
81.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 47% 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
23.7:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 69% in California - lower ratio than 31% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
37.6%
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
$16,217
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 545 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 99.1%
White 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 99.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 1.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 1.8, Santa Rita Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for Santa Rita Union Elementary reports $16,217 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Santa Rita Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Gutierrez Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Gavilan View Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| La Joya Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| New Republic Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mckinnon | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Santa Rita Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 556
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 498
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
- Enrollment
- 482
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 439
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
Similar elementary schools in Salinas
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Sherwood Elementary
Standard public school
859 students 22:1 students per teacher
Monte Bella Elementary
Standard public school
812 students 25.4:1 students per teacher
Henry F. Kammann Elementary
Standard public school
743 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
Fremont Elementary
Standard public school
711 students 22.9:1 students per teacher
Natividad Elementary
Standard public school
705 students 24.3:1 students per teacher
Mission Park Elementary
Standard public school
657 students 27.4:1 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 (~545 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.7:1)
Frequently asked questions about Santa Rita Elementary
How many students attend Santa Rita Elementary?
Santa Rita Elementary has 545 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Salinas, CA. CCD year-over-year: 570 (2022-23) → 587 (2023-24), nearly flat (+17).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Santa Rita Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Santa Rita Elementary is 23.7:1, which is 10% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 51% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Santa Rita Elementary?
81.4% of students at Santa Rita Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Santa Rita Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Santa Rita Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 99.1% of enrollment, in Salinas, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Santa Rita Elementary?
Santa Rita Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 10/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Santa Rita Elementary rank among elementary schools in Salinas?
By Resource Investment Index, Santa Rita Elementary ranks #32 of 39 elementary schools in Salinas, 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 Salinas on the city page.
What other schools are in Santa Rita Union Elementary?
Besides Santa Rita Elementary, Santa Rita Union Elementary also operates John Gutierrez Middle (568 students), Gavilan View Middle (556 students), and La Joya Elementary (498 students). See the Santa Rita Union Elementary district page for the complete list.