Enrollment
621
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Chico, CA
Shasta Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Shasta Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060837000829
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 54
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Shasta Elementary earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #8 of 19
- elementary schools in Chico · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.4:1
- students per teacher
- 33.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Shasta Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Shasta Elementary ranks #8 of 19 elementary schools in Chico, CA.
School address
District: Chico Unified · California
NCES ID 060837000829 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
-39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Shasta Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Shasta Elementary
Shasta Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Chico, California, enrolling 621 students.
At 21.4:1, 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.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 33.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 621 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,401 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #576.
Its student body is led by White (62%) and Hispanic or Latino (25%) (diversity index 54/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.4% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Chico's elementary schools, it stands alongside Emma Wilson Elementary (597 students): Shasta Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.4:1 vs 21.3:1).
Chico Unified also operates Pleasant Valley High (1,978 students) and Chico High (1,804 students) alongside Shasta 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 Shasta Elementary compares
Shasta 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 | 21.4:1 | ▼ 0% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.7% | ▼ 39% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 621 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.4:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
621
Bigger than 75% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% 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
21.4:1
students per teacher
- 0% below state mean
Top 47% in California - lower ratio than 53% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
18.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$15,280
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: 0.3 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
White 62.1%
Hispanic or Latino 25.2%
Two or More 6.9%
Asian 3.9%
African American 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 62.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.4, Shasta Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chico Unified, which includes Shasta Elementary.
$15,280
Per student
-7%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.8%
State 51.0%
Federal 13.3%
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 Shasta Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Valley High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chico High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bidwell Junior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chico Junior High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Shasta Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,978
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,804
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,012
- Students per teacher
- 24.7:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 861
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 716
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar elementary schools in Chico
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Emma Wilson Elementary
Standard public school
597 students 21.3:1 students per teacher
Chico Country Day
Standard public school
585 students 25.4:1 students per teacher
Marigold Elementary
Standard public school
571 students 27.2:1 students per teacher
Rosedale Elementary
Standard public school
563 students 23.5:1 students per teacher
Little Chico Creek Elementary
Standard public school
471 students 21.4:1 students per teacher
Sierra View Elementary
Alternative education program
428 students 20.4:1 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 (~621 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Shasta Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Shasta Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Chico 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 Shasta Elementary
How many students attend Shasta Elementary?
Shasta Elementary has 621 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Chico, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Shasta Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Shasta Elementary is 21.4:1, which is 0% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 36% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Shasta Elementary?
33.7% of students at Shasta Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Shasta Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Shasta Elementary is White at 62.1% of enrollment, in Chico, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Shasta Elementary?
Shasta Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical 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 Shasta Elementary rank among elementary schools in Chico?
By Resource Investment Index, Shasta Elementary ranks #8 of 19 elementary schools in Chico, 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 Chico on the city page.
Is Shasta Elementary a good school?
Shasta Elementary earns 33/100 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 Chico Unified?
Besides Shasta Elementary, Chico Unified also operates Pleasant Valley High (1,978 students), Chico High (1,804 students), and Bidwell Junior High (1,012 students). See the Chico 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.