Enrollment
129
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Petaluma, CA
South County Consortium
Federal NCES profile for South County Consortium, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 063023013936
👥 S:T ratio 68
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South County Consortium earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 97% of California schools.
- #3 of 3
- schools in Petaluma · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 8.1:1
- small classes for California
- 40.9%
- free-lunch eligible
South County Consortium has class sizes smaller than 97% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South County Consortium ranks #3 of 3 schools in Petaluma, CA.
School address
District: Petaluma City Elementary · California
NCES ID 063023013936 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-62% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
40.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
-26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South County Consortium compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at South County Consortium
South County Consortium is a small combined-grade school in Petaluma, California, enrolling 129 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8.1:1, South County Consortium is leaner than roughly 97% of California schools and 62% under the state's 21.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 40.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 129 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 243 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #131.
Its student body is led by White (56%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%) (diversity index 59/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 70.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 32 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 129 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Petaluma's public schools, it stands alongside Heartwood Charter (739 students): South County Consortium is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (8.1:1 vs 35.2:1).
Petaluma City Elementary also operates Penngrove Elementary (472 students) and Grant Elementary (386 students) alongside South County Consortium.
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 County Consortium compares
South County Consortium on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 8.1:1 | ▼ 62% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.9% | ▼ 26% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 129 | top 87% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8.1:1
Leaner classes than 95% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
129
Bigger than 13% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
40.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% 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
8.1:1
students per teacher
- 62% below state mean
Top 3% in California - lower ratio than 97% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
70.5%
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.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 31 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 24.8 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 56.3%
Hispanic or Latino 30.5%
Asian 3.9%
Two or More 3.9%
African American 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.6%
Largest group: White at 56.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.6, South County Consortium is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
How South County Consortium Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penngrove Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Grant Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mckinley Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mcnear Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mcdowell Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South County Consortium's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 472
- Students per teacher
- 26.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 386
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 368
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 343
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 329
- Students per teacher
- 27.4:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
Similar other schools in Petaluma
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other 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 (~129 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~8.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South County Consortium's federal record.
- Compare South County Consortium against another school. Compare schools
- Petaluma City 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 County Consortium
How many students attend South County Consortium?
South County Consortium has 129 students enrolled. It is a special-education school in Petaluma, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South County Consortium?
The student-teacher ratio at South County Consortium is 8.1:1, which is 62% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 48% lower 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 South County Consortium?
40.9% of students at South County Consortium are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South County Consortium?
The largest demographic group at South County Consortium is White at 56.3% of enrollment, in Petaluma, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South County Consortium?
South County Consortium 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 South County Consortium rank among schools in Petaluma?
By Resource Investment Index, South County Consortium ranks #3 of 3 schools in Petaluma, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Petaluma on the city page.
Is South County Consortium a good school?
South County Consortium earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 97% of 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 Petaluma City Elementary?
Besides South County Consortium, Petaluma City Elementary also operates Penngrove Elementary (472 students), Grant Elementary (386 students), and Mckinley Elementary (368 students). See the Petaluma City 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.