Enrollment
613
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Imperial, CA
T. L. Waggoner Elementary
Federal NCES profile for T. L. Waggoner Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061821008489
👥 S:T ratio 9
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 63
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
T. L. Waggoner Elementary earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Imperial · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 22.7:1
- students per teacher
- 46.8%
- free-lunch eligible
T. L. Waggoner Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, T. L. Waggoner Elementary ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Imperial, CA.
School address
District: Imperial Unified · California
NCES ID 061821008489 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
46.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
-16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How T. L. Waggoner Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at T. L. Waggoner Elementary
T. L. Waggoner Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Imperial, California, enrolling 613 students.
At 22.7:1, 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 46.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 613 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,408 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #50, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (92% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 15/100).
14.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Imperial's elementary schools, it stands alongside Ben Hulse Elementary (838 students): T. L. Waggoner Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (22.7:1 vs 24.6:1).
Imperial Unified also operates Imperial High (1,439 students) and Frank M. Wright Middle (1,116 students) alongside T. L. Waggoner 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 T. L. Waggoner Elementary compares
T. L. Waggoner 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 | 22.7:1 | ▲ 6% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.8% | ▼ 16% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 613 | top 31% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.7:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
613
Bigger than 74% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
46.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% 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
22.7:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 59% in California - lower ratio than 41% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
14.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$13,369
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.2 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 92.2%
White 6.5%
Asian 0.8%
Two or More 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 92.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 14.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 14.6, T. L. Waggoner Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Imperial Unified, which includes T. L. Waggoner Elementary.
$13,369
Per student
-19%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.5%
State 67.3%
Federal 11.2%
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 T. L. Waggoner Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Imperial High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Frank M. Wright Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ben Hulse Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Imperial Cross Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Imperial Ave. Holbrook High | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to T. L. Waggoner Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,439
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,116
- Students per teacher
- 25.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 838
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 760
- Students per teacher
- 26.2:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 28
- Students per teacher
- 28:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar elementary schools in Imperial
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~613 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on T. L. Waggoner Elementary's federal record.
- Compare T. L. Waggoner Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Imperial 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 T. L. Waggoner Elementary
How many students attend T. L. Waggoner Elementary?
T. L. Waggoner Elementary has 613 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Imperial, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at T. L. Waggoner Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at T. L. Waggoner Elementary is 22.7:1, which is 6% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 45% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at T. L. Waggoner Elementary?
46.8% of students at T. L. Waggoner Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of T. L. Waggoner Elementary?
The largest demographic group at T. L. Waggoner Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 92.2% of enrollment, in Imperial, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for T. L. Waggoner Elementary?
T. L. Waggoner Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (typical 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 T. L. Waggoner Elementary rank among elementary schools in Imperial?
By Resource Investment Index, T. L. Waggoner Elementary ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Imperial, 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 Imperial on the city page.
Is T. L. Waggoner Elementary a good school?
T. L. Waggoner Elementary earns 47/100 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 Imperial Unified?
Besides T. L. Waggoner Elementary, Imperial Unified also operates Imperial High (1,439 students), Frank M. Wright Middle (1,116 students), and Ben Hulse Elementary (838 students). See the Imperial 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.