Enrollment
141
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Eureka, CA
South Bay Elementary
Federal NCES profile for South Bay Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063735006314
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 94
📋 Attendance 11
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Bay Elementary earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #5 of 11
- elementary schools in Eureka · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 28.2:1
- large classes for California
- 71.7%
- free-lunch eligible
South Bay Elementary has class sizes larger than 93% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Bay Elementary ranks #5 of 11 elementary schools in Eureka, CA.
School address
District: South Bay Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 063735006314 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
5.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
28.2:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+31% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
71.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
+29% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Bay Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Bay Elementary
South Bay Elementary is a higher-need, small elementary school in Eureka, California, enrolling 141 students.
Class loads run heavy: 28.2:1 is larger than about 93% of California schools and 31% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 71.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 141 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 355 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #197.
Its student body is led by White (46%) and Hispanic or Latino (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 28 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Eureka's elementary schools, it stands alongside Washington Elementary (426 students): South Bay Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (28.2:1 vs 22.4:1).
South Bay Union Elementary also operates Pine Hill Elementary (189 students) and South Bay Charter (44 students) alongside South Bay 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 South Bay Elementary compares
South Bay 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 | 28.2:1 | ▲ 31% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 71.7% | ▲ 29% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 141 | top 87% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
28.2:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
141
Bigger than 14% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
71.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 29% 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
28.2:1
students per teacher
- 31% above state mean
Top 93% in California - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
35.5%
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
$16,647
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 28 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.5 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 46.1%
Hispanic or Latino 29.1%
Two or More 15.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 4.3%
African American 2.8%
Asian 2.1%
Largest group: White at 46.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.5, South Bay Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for South Bay Union Elementary, which includes South Bay Elementary.
$16,647
Per student
+1%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+0%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.4%
State 60.9%
Federal 19.8%
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 South Bay Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pine Hill Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Bay Charter | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Bay Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 189
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 44
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar elementary schools in Eureka
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Washington Elementary
Standard public school
426 students 22.4:1 students per teacher
Alice Birney Elementary
Standard public school
375 students 23.4:1 students per teacher
Lafayette Elementary
Standard public school
324 students 32.4:1 students per teacher
Cutten Elementary
Standard public school
288 students 20.6:1 students per teacher
Freshwater Elementary
Standard public school
283 students 25.7:1 students per teacher
Grant Elementary
Standard public school
278 students 25.3:1 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 (~141 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Bay Elementary's federal record.
- Compare South Bay Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- South Bay Union 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 South Bay Elementary
How many students attend South Bay Elementary?
South Bay Elementary has 141 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Eureka, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Bay Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at South Bay Elementary is 28.2:1, which is 31% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 80% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Bay Elementary?
71.7% of students at South Bay Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Bay Elementary?
The largest demographic group at South Bay Elementary is White at 46.1% of enrollment, in Eureka, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Bay Elementary?
South Bay Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does South Bay Elementary rank among elementary schools in Eureka?
By Resource Investment Index, South Bay Elementary ranks #5 of 11 elementary schools in Eureka, 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 Eureka on the city page.
Is South Bay Elementary a good school?
South Bay Elementary earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of California schools. 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 South Bay Union Elementary?
Besides South Bay Elementary, South Bay Union Elementary also operates Pine Hill Elementary (189 students) and South Bay Charter (44 students). See the South Bay Union 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.