Enrollment
885
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Carmichael, CA
Starr King K-8
Federal NCES profile for Starr King K-8, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 12/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063462005822
👥 S:T ratio 7
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 12
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Starr King K-8 earns 12/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #8 of 11
- elementary schools in Carmichael · Resource Index
- 12
- Resource Index · Lower
- 23.3:1
- students per teacher
- 85.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Starr King K-8 has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Starr King K-8 ranks #8 of 11 elementary schools in Carmichael, CA.
School address
District: San Juan Unified · California
NCES ID 063462005822 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
85.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
+54% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Starr King K-8 compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Starr King K-8
Starr King K-8 is a high-poverty, large elementary school in Carmichael, California, enrolling 885 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 23.3:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 85.7% of students qualify for free meals, 54% above the California average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 885 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 1,029 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #895, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Asian (46%) and White (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 443 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 46.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Carmichael's elementary schools, it stands alongside California Montessori Project-San Juan Campuses (1,545 students): Starr King K-8 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (23.3:1 vs 25.3:1).
San Juan Unified also operates Bella Vista High (1,939 students) and Rio Americano High (1,891 students) alongside Starr King K-8.
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 Starr King K-8 compares
Starr King K-8 on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 23.3:1 | ▲ 8% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 85.7% | ▲ 54% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 885 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.3:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
885
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
85.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 54% above the California average of 55.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
23.3:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 65% in California - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
46.4%
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
$15,338
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 443 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 72 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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
Asian 46.2%
White 26.2%
Hispanic or Latino 13.1%
African American 7.7%
Two or More 5.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.1%
Largest group: Asian at 46.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.2, Starr King K-8 is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for San Juan Unified, which includes Starr King K-8.
$15,338
Per student
-7%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 31.7%
State 54.0%
Federal 14.3%
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 Starr King K-8 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bella Vista High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rio Americano High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mira Loma High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Del Campo High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| El Camino Fundamental High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Starr King K-8's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,939
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,891
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,655
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,548
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,226
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar elementary schools in Carmichael
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
California Montessori Project-San Juan Campuses
Standard public school
1,545 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
Mary Deterding Elementary
Standard public school
670 students 29.1:1 students per teacher
Del Dayo Elementary
Standard public school
496 students 24.8:1 students per teacher
Mission Avenue Open Elementary
Standard public school
415 students 27.7:1 students per teacher
Cameron Ranch Elementary
Standard public school
406 students 23.9:1 students per teacher
Carmichael Elementary
Standard public school
374 students 23.4:1 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 (~885 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Starr King K-8's federal record.
- Compare Starr King K-8 against another school. Compare schools
- San Juan 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 Starr King K-8
How many students attend Starr King K-8?
Starr King K-8 has 885 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Carmichael, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Starr King K-8?
The student-teacher ratio at Starr King K-8 is 23.3:1, which is 8% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 48% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Starr King K-8?
85.7% of students at Starr King K-8 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Starr King K-8?
The largest demographic group at Starr King K-8 is Asian at 46.2% of enrollment, in Carmichael, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Starr King K-8?
Starr King K-8 has a Resource Investment Index of 12/100 (lower 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 Starr King K-8 rank among elementary schools in Carmichael?
By Resource Investment Index, Starr King K-8 ranks #8 of 11 elementary schools in Carmichael, 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 Carmichael on the city page.
Is Starr King K-8 a good school?
Starr King K-8 earns 12/100 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 San Juan Unified?
Besides Starr King K-8, San Juan Unified also operates Bella Vista High (1,939 students), Rio Americano High (1,891 students), and Mira Loma High (1,655 students). See the San Juan 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.