- Enrollment
- 2,422
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lakewood, CA
Stephen Foster Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Stephen Foster Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060444000397
👥 S:T ratio 13
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 3
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Stephen Foster Elementary earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #12 of 14
- elementary schools in Lakewood · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.8:1
- students per teacher
- 42.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Stephen Foster Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Stephen Foster Elementary ranks #12 of 14 elementary schools in Lakewood, CA.
School address
District: Bellflower Unified · California
NCES ID 060444000397 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-16 students YoY
Stephen Foster Elementary held near 519 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-16 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 23.3 → 24.3 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-16 students YoY 060444000397 · Lakewood, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
501 enr · 21.8:1 · 42.6% lunch · RII 22
Nearest enrollment peer: Mayfair High (2,422 students)
Stephen Foster Elementary held near 519 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-16 headcount). Teacher FTE added 23.3 → 24.3 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Stephen Foster Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Mayfair High
Mayfair High
2,422 students
- Bellflower Hig
Bellflower High
1,997 students
- Intensive Lear 646
Intensive Learning Center
646 students
- Washington Ele 579
Washington Elementary
579 students
- Esther Lindstr 552
Esther Lindstrom Elementary
552 students
- This school 501
Stephen Foster Elementary
501 students
What this shows Stephen Foster Elementary reports 501 students on the CCD universe file.
How Stephen Foster Elementary compares
Stephen Foster Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.8:1 | ▲ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.6% | ▼ 23% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 501 | top 45% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.8:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
501
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
42.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% 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
21.8:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 51% in California - lower ratio than 49% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
38.7%
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
$19,789
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $18,665
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 501 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 55.1%
White 13.8%
Two or More 11.4%
Asian 10.6%
African American 6.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 55.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.8, Stephen Foster Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Bellflower Unified reports $19,789 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Stephen Foster Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mayfair High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bellflower High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Intensive Learning Center | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Washington Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Esther Lindstrom Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Stephen Foster Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,997
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 646
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 579
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 552
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar elementary schools in Lakewood
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Intensive Learning Center
Standard public school
646 students 22.3:1 students per teacher
Esther Lindstrom Elementary
Standard public school
552 students 23:1 students per teacher
Riley Elementary
Standard public school
490 students 27.2:1 students per teacher
Craig Williams Elementary
Standard public school
478 students 26.6:1 students per teacher
Palms Elementary
Standard public school
463 students 21:1 students per teacher
Cleveland Elementary
Standard public school
450 students 26.5:1 students per teacher
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 (~501 students)
Frequently asked questions about Stephen Foster Elementary
How many students attend Stephen Foster Elementary?
Stephen Foster Elementary has 501 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lakewood, CA. CCD year-over-year: 535 (2022-23) → 519 (2023-24), nearly flat (-16).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Stephen Foster Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Stephen Foster Elementary is 21.8:1, which is 1% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 39% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Stephen Foster Elementary?
42.6% of students at Stephen Foster Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Stephen Foster Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Stephen Foster Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 55.1% of enrollment, in Lakewood, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Stephen Foster Elementary?
Stephen Foster Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (lower 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).
How does Stephen Foster Elementary rank among elementary schools in Lakewood?
By Resource Investment Index, Stephen Foster Elementary ranks #12 of 14 elementary schools in Lakewood, 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 Lakewood on the city page.
What other schools are in Bellflower Unified?
Besides Stephen Foster Elementary, Bellflower Unified also operates Mayfair High (2,422 students), Bellflower High (1,997 students), and Intensive Learning Center (646 students). See the Bellflower Unified district page for the complete list.