Enrollment
501
California · 2024-25 NCES data
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 →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
-23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Stephen Foster Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Stephen Foster Elementary
Stephen Foster Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Lakewood, California, enrolling 501 students.
At 21.8:1, 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 below the state's typical profile, with 42.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 501 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,373 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #982, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (55%) and White (14%) (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 501 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Lakewood's elementary schools, it stands alongside Intensive Learning Center (646 students): Stephen Foster Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.8:1 vs 22.3:1).
Bellflower Unified also operates Mayfair High (2,422 students) and Bellflower High (1,997 students) alongside Stephen Foster 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 Stephen Foster Elementary compares
Stephen Foster 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 | 21.8:1 | ▲ 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 (what these measure)
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
$15,917
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
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.
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 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
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bellflower Unified, which includes Stephen Foster Elementary.
$15,917
Per student
-4%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 14.9%
State 70.8%
Federal 14.4%
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 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
- 2,422
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- 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
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 (~501 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Stephen Foster Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Stephen Foster Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Bellflower 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 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.
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, counselor availability, attendance rates. 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.
Is Stephen Foster Elementary a good school?
Stephen Foster Elementary earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 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.
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.