Enrollment
941
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lancaster, CA
Sundown Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Sundown Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 10/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 064212003262
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sundown Elementary earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of California schools.
- #26 of 28
- elementary schools in Lancaster · Resource Index
- 10
- Resource Index · Lower
- 29.4:1
- large classes for California
- 48.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Sundown Elementary has class sizes larger than 95% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sundown Elementary ranks #26 of 28 elementary schools in Lancaster, CA.
School address
District: Westside Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 064212003262 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
29.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+37% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
-12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sundown Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sundown Elementary
Sundown Elementary is a large elementary school in Lancaster, California, enrolling 941 students.
Class loads run heavy: 29.4:1 is larger than about 95% of California schools and 37% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 48.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 941 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 892 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #848, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (53%) and African American (19%) (diversity index 64/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 41.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Westside Union Elementary spends $12,392 per pupil, 25% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Lancaster's elementary schools, it stands alongside Monte Vista Elementary (788 students): Sundown Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (29.4:1 vs 26.3:1).
Westside Union Elementary also operates Hillview Middle (1,100 students) and Esperanza Elementary (962 students) alongside Sundown 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 Sundown Elementary compares
Sundown 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 | 29.4:1 | ▲ 37% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.9% | ▼ 12% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 941 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
29.4:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
941
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% 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
29.4:1
students per teacher
- 37% above state mean
Top 95% in California - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
41.1%
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
$12,392
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 16 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.8 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
Hispanic or Latino 53.3%
African American 19.1%
White 17.7%
Two or More 7.9%
Asian 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 53.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.2, Sundown Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Westside Union Elementary, which includes Sundown Elementary.
$12,392
Per student
-25%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.4%
State 65.5%
Federal 7.1%
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 Sundown Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hillview Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Esperanza Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Gregg Anderson Academy | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rancho Vista Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Quartz Hill Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sundown Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,100
- Students per teacher
- 27.5:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 962
- Students per teacher
- 26.7:1
- Resource Index
- 7/100
- Enrollment
- 893
- Students per teacher
- 27.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 886
- Students per teacher
- 26.8:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 845
- Students per teacher
- 27.3:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
Similar elementary schools in Lancaster
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Monte Vista Elementary
Standard public school
788 students 26.3:1 students per teacher
Ilead Lancaster Charter
Standard public school
771 students 26.6:1 students per teacher
El Dorado Elementary
Standard public school
766 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
Del Sur Senior Elementary
Standard public school
763 students 28.3:1 students per teacher
West Wind Elementary
Standard public school
757 students 29.1:1 students per teacher
Lincoln Elementary
Standard public school
738 students 32.1:1 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 (~941 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sundown Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Sundown Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Westside Union 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 Sundown Elementary
How many students attend Sundown Elementary?
Sundown Elementary has 941 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lancaster, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sundown Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Sundown Elementary is 29.4:1, which is 37% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 87% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sundown Elementary?
48.9% of students at Sundown Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sundown Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Sundown Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 53.3% of enrollment, in Lancaster, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sundown Elementary?
Sundown Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 10/100 (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 Sundown Elementary rank among elementary schools in Lancaster?
By Resource Investment Index, Sundown Elementary ranks #26 of 28 elementary schools in Lancaster, 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 Lancaster on the city page.
Is Sundown Elementary a good school?
Sundown Elementary earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% 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 Westside Union Elementary?
Besides Sundown Elementary, Westside Union Elementary also operates Hillview Middle (1,100 students), Esperanza Elementary (962 students), and Gregg Anderson Academy (893 students). See the Westside Union 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.