Enrollment
361
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · La Puente, CA
Sparks Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Sparks Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061632502063
👥 S:T ratio 15
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sparks Elementary earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #15 of 19
- elementary schools in La Puente · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.2:1
- students per teacher
- 72.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Sparks Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sparks Elementary ranks #15 of 19 elementary schools in La Puente, CA.
School address
District: Hacienda La Puente Unified · California
NCES ID 061632502063 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.2:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
72.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
+30% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sparks Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sparks Elementary
Sparks Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in La Puente, California, enrolling 361 students.
At 21.2:1, 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 above the state's typical profile, with 72.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 361 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 91% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 1,660 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,409, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (91% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 16/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 47.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among La Puente's elementary schools, it stands alongside Fairgrove Academy (749 students): Sparks Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.2:1 vs 25.8:1).
Hacienda La Puente Unified also operates Los Altos High (1,592 students) and Glen a. Wilson High (1,456 students) alongside Sparks 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 Sparks Elementary compares
Sparks 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 | 21.2:1 | ▼ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.1% | ▲ 30% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 361 | top 66% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.2:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
361
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
72.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 30% 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
21.2:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 45% in California - lower ratio than 55% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
47.6%
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
$16,162
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 91.4%
Asian 5.0%
White 1.7%
Two or More 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 91.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 16.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 16.2, Sparks Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hacienda La Puente Unified, which includes Sparks Elementary.
$16,162
Per student
-2%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.2%
State 68.2%
Federal 13.5%
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 Sparks Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Altos High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Glen a. Wilson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mesa Robles | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cedarlane Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| La Puente High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sparks Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,592
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,456
- Students per teacher
- 24.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,246
- Students per teacher
- 29:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 878
- Students per teacher
- 32.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 813
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar elementary schools in La Puente
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Fairgrove Academy
Standard public school
749 students 25.8:1 students per teacher
Don Julian Elementary
Standard public school
544 students 24.7:1 students per teacher
Baldwin Academy
Standard public school
519 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Edgewood Academy
Standard public school
478 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Rorimer Elementary
Standard public school
405 students 20.3:1 students per teacher
Hurley Elementary
Standard public school
387 students 19.4:1 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 (~361 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sparks Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Sparks Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Hacienda La Puente 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 Sparks Elementary
How many students attend Sparks Elementary?
Sparks Elementary has 361 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in La Puente, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sparks Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Sparks Elementary is 21.2:1, which is 1% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 35% 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 Sparks Elementary?
72.1% of students at Sparks Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sparks Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Sparks Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 91.4% of enrollment, in La Puente, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sparks Elementary?
Sparks Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (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 Sparks Elementary rank among elementary schools in La Puente?
By Resource Investment Index, Sparks Elementary ranks #15 of 19 elementary schools in La Puente, 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 La Puente on the city page.
Is Sparks Elementary a good school?
Sparks Elementary earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less 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 Hacienda La Puente Unified?
Besides Sparks Elementary, Hacienda La Puente Unified also operates Los Altos High (1,592 students), Glen a. Wilson High (1,456 students), and Mesa Robles (1,246 students). See the Hacienda La Puente 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.