Enrollment
318
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Richmond, CA
Sheldon Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Sheldon 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 063255005060
👥 S:T ratio 9
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sheldon Elementary earns 13/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #12 of 21
- elementary schools in Richmond · Resource Index
- 13
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.7:1
- students per teacher
- 52.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Sheldon Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sheldon Elementary ranks #12 of 21 elementary schools in Richmond, CA.
School address
District: West Contra Costa Unified · California
NCES ID 063255005060 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
52.5%
vs 55.5% California avg
-5% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sheldon Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sheldon Elementary
Sheldon Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Richmond, California, enrolling 318 students.
At 22.7:1, 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 52.5% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 318 puts it in the smaller 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 1,006 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #920, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (50%) and Asian (19%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 50.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Richmond's elementary schools, it stands alongside Aspire Richmond Technology Academy (586 students): Sheldon Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (22.7:1 vs 36.6:1).
West Contra Costa Unified also operates El Cerrito High (1,460 students) and Richmond High (1,280 students) alongside Sheldon 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 Sheldon Elementary compares
Sheldon 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 | 22.7:1 | ▲ 6% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 52.5% | ▼ 5% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 318 | top 72% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.7:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
318
Bigger than 35% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
52.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 5% 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
22.7:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 59% in California - lower ratio than 41% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
50.9%
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
$17,537
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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 49.8%
Asian 18.9%
African American 10.4%
Two or More 10.1%
White 9.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 49.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.6, Sheldon Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for West Contra Costa Unified, which includes Sheldon Elementary.
$17,537
Per student
+6%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.1%
State 46.9%
Federal 11.0%
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 Sheldon Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Cerrito High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Richmond High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pinole Valley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| De Anza High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hercules High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sheldon Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,460
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,280
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,245
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,047
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 767
- Students per teacher
- 27.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar elementary schools in Richmond
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Aspire Richmond Technology Academy
Standard public school
586 students 36.6:1 students per teacher
Richmond College Preparatory
Standard public school
560 students 35:1 students per teacher
Grant Elementary
Standard public school
551 students 19.7:1 students per teacher
Peres Elementary
Standard public school
538 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Mira Vista Elementary
Standard public school
510 students 19.6:1 students per teacher
Richmond Charter Elementary-Benito Juarez
Standard public school
490 students 35:1 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 (~318 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sheldon Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Sheldon Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- West Contra Costa 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 Sheldon Elementary
How many students attend Sheldon Elementary?
Sheldon Elementary has 318 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Richmond, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sheldon Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Sheldon Elementary is 22.7:1, which is 6% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 45% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sheldon Elementary?
52.5% of students at Sheldon Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sheldon Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Sheldon Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 49.8% of enrollment, in Richmond, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sheldon Elementary?
Sheldon 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 Sheldon Elementary rank among elementary schools in Richmond?
By Resource Investment Index, Sheldon Elementary ranks #12 of 21 elementary schools in Richmond, 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 Richmond on the city page.
Is Sheldon Elementary a good school?
Sheldon Elementary earns 13/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more 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 West Contra Costa Unified?
Besides Sheldon Elementary, West Contra Costa Unified also operates El Cerrito High (1,460 students), Richmond High (1,280 students), and Pinole Valley High (1,245 students). See the West Contra Costa 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.