- Enrollment
- 2,012
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Pismo Beach, CA
Shell Beach Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Shell Beach Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062308003529
👥 S:T ratio 12
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 48
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Shell Beach Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 22:1
- students per teacher
- 27.1%
- free-lunch eligible
- 330
- students enrolled
Shell Beach Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Lucia Mar Unified · California
NCES ID 062308003529 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+22 students YoY
Shell Beach Elementary grew from 325 students in 2022-23 to 347 in 2023-24 (+6.8%).
Teacher FTE added 15.9 → 17.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+22 students YoY 062308003529 · Pismo Beach, CA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
330 enr · 22:1 · 27.1% lunch · RII 32
Nearest enrollment peer: Arroyo Grande High (2,012 students)
Shell Beach Elementary grew from 325 students in 2022-23 to 347 in 2023-24 (+6.8%). Teacher FTE added 15.9 → 17.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Shell Beach Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Arroyo Grande
Arroyo Grande High
2,012 students
- Nipomo High
Nipomo High
819 students
- Harloe Element 619
Harloe Elementary
619 students
- Dana Elementar 612
Dana Elementary
612 students
- Lange (Dorothe 577
Lange (Dorothea) Elementary
577 students
- This school 330
Shell Beach Elementary
330 students
What this shows Shell Beach Elementary reports 330 students on the CCD universe file.
How Shell Beach Elementary compares
Shell Beach Elementary is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 22:1 | ▲ 2% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 27.1% | ▼ 51% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 330 | top 70% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
330
Bigger than 37% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
27.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% 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
22:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 53% in California - lower ratio than 47% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
20.9%
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
$15,856
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
Counselors0.5 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.
Student demographics
White 56.4%
Hispanic or Latino 26.1%
Two or More 14.5%
Asian 2.7%
African American 0.3%
Largest group: White at 56.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.2, Shell Beach Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Lucia Mar Unified reports $15,856 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Shell Beach Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arroyo Grande High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Nipomo High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Harloe Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dana Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lange (Dorothea) Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Shell Beach Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 819
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 619
- Students per teacher
- 25.8:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 612
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 577
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
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 (~330 students)
Frequently asked questions about Shell Beach Elementary
How many students attend Shell Beach Elementary?
Shell Beach Elementary has 330 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Pismo Beach, CA. CCD year-over-year: 325 (2022-23) → 347 (2023-24), up 22.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Shell Beach Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Shell Beach Elementary is 22:1, which is 2% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 40% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Shell Beach Elementary?
27.1% of students at Shell Beach Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Shell Beach Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Shell Beach Elementary is White at 56.4% of enrollment, in Pismo Beach, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Shell Beach Elementary?
Shell Beach Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical 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).
What other schools are in Lucia Mar Unified?
Besides Shell Beach Elementary, Lucia Mar Unified also operates Arroyo Grande High (2,012 students), Nipomo High (819 students), and Harloe Elementary (619 students). See the Lucia Mar Unified district page for the complete list.