- Enrollment
- 2,183
- Students per teacher
- 27.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Orange, CA
Taft Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Taft Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062865004454
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 23
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Taft Elementary earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of California schools.
- #16 of 17
- elementary schools in Orange · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.8:1
- large classes for California
- 84.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Taft Elementary has class sizes larger than 84% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Taft Elementary ranks #16 of 17 elementary schools in Orange, CA.
School address
District: Orange Unified · California
NCES ID 062865004454 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-11 students YoY
Taft Elementary held near 436 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-11 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 15.5 → 15.7 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-11 students YoY 062865004454 · Orange, CA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
387 enr · 25.8:1 · 84.8% lunch · RII 23
Nearest enrollment peer: Canyon High (2,183 students)
Taft Elementary held near 436 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-11 headcount). Teacher FTE held 15.5 → 15.7 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Taft Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Canyon High
Canyon High
2,183 students
- Villa Park Hig
Villa Park High
2,023 students
- El Modena High
El Modena High
1,795 students
- Orange High
Orange High
1,728 students
- El Rancho Char
El Rancho Charter
1,144 students
- This school 387
Taft Elementary
387 students
What this shows Taft Elementary reports 387 students on the CCD universe file.
How Taft Elementary compares
Taft 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 | 25.8:1 | ▲ 20% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 84.8% | ▲ 53% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 387 | top 62% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.8:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
387
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
84.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 53% 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
25.8:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 84% in California - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
46.5%
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
$15,133
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 387 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 87.6%
White 5.2%
Asian 3.4%
Two or More 2.8%
African American 1.0%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 87.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 22.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 22.8, Taft Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Orange Unified reports $15,133 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Taft Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Villa Park High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| El Modena High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Orange High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| El Rancho Charter | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Taft Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,023
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,795
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,728
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,144
- Students per teacher
- 29.3:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar elementary schools in Orange
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Mcpherson Magnet
Standard public school
863 students 27:1 students per teacher
California Iinspire Academy
Standard public school
699 students 33.3:1 students per teacher
Fletcher Mandarin Language & Gate Academy
Standard public school
493 students 23.5:1 students per teacher
Jordan Academy of Language and Computer Science
Standard public school
430 students 30.7:1 students per teacher
Palmyra Elementary
Standard public school
429 students 25.2:1 students per teacher
Cambridge Elementary
Standard public school
415 students 23.1:1 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 (~387 students)
Frequently asked questions about Taft Elementary
How many students attend Taft Elementary?
Taft Elementary has 387 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Orange, CA. CCD year-over-year: 447 (2022-23) → 436 (2023-24), nearly flat (-11).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Taft Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Taft Elementary is 25.8:1, which is 20% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 64% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Taft Elementary?
84.8% of students at Taft Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Taft Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Taft Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 87.6% of enrollment, in Orange, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Taft Elementary?
Taft Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (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 Taft Elementary rank among elementary schools in Orange?
By Resource Investment Index, Taft Elementary ranks #16 of 17 elementary schools in Orange, 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 Orange on the city page.
What other schools are in Orange Unified?
Besides Taft Elementary, Orange Unified also operates Canyon High (2,183 students), Villa Park High (2,023 students), and El Modena High (1,795 students). See the Orange Unified district page for the complete list.