- Enrollment
- 2,505
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Santa Ana, CA
Taft Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Taft Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063531006009
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Taft Elementary earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 90% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #7 of 51
- elementary schools in Santa Ana · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.6:1
- small classes for California
- 69.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Taft Elementary has class sizes smaller than 90% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Taft Elementary ranks #7 of 51 elementary schools in Santa Ana, CA.
School address
District: Santa Ana Unified · California
NCES ID 063531006009 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-29 students YoY
Taft Elementary shrank from 429 students in 2022-23 to 400 in 2023-24 (-6.8%).
Teacher FTE lost 28.3 → 26.2 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-29 students YoY 063531006009 · Santa Ana, CA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
408 enr · 14.6:1 · 69.2% lunch · RII 37
Nearest enrollment peer: Santa Ana High (2,505 students)
Taft Elementary shrank from 429 students in 2022-23 to 400 in 2023-24 (-6.8%). Teacher FTE lost 28.3 → 26.2 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
- Santa Ana High
Santa Ana High
2,505 students
- Segerstrom Hig
Segerstrom High
2,376 students
- Valley High
Valley High
1,908 students
- Hector G. Godi
Hector G. Godinez
1,687 students
- Century High
Century High
1,519 students
- This school 408
Taft Elementary
408 students
What this shows Taft Elementary reports 408 students on the CCD universe file.
How Taft Elementary compares
Taft Elementary is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.6:1 | ▼ 32% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.2% | ▲ 25% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 408 | top 59% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.6:1
Leaner classes than 51% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
408
Bigger than 49% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
69.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 25% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.6:1
students per teacher
- 32% below state mean
Top 10% in California - lower ratio than 90% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
47.1%
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
$22,289
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $18,665
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 89.7%
Asian 4.2%
White 3.7%
Two or More 2.0%
African American 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 89.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 19.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 19.2, Taft Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Santa Ana Unified reports $22,289 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Segerstrom High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Valley High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hector G. Godinez | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Century High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar 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
- 2,376
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,908
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,687
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 1,519
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Santa Ana
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Mcfadden Institute of Technology
Standard public school
1,074 students 20.3:1 students per teacher
El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy
Standard public school
980 students 20.4:1 students per teacher
Santiago Elementary
Standard public school
906 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Romero-Cruz Academy
Standard public school
827 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
Greenville Fundamental Elementary
Standard public school
817 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
Manuel Esqueda Elementary
Standard public school
811 students 19.8:1 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 (~408 students)
Frequently asked questions about Taft Elementary
How many students attend Taft Elementary?
Taft Elementary has 408 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Santa Ana, CA. CCD year-over-year: 429 (2022-23) → 400 (2023-24), down 29.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Taft Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Taft Elementary is 14.6:1, which is 32% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 7% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Taft Elementary?
69.2% 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 89.7% of enrollment, in Santa Ana, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Taft Elementary?
Taft Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Taft Elementary rank among elementary schools in Santa Ana?
By Resource Investment Index, Taft Elementary ranks #7 of 51 elementary schools in Santa Ana, 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 Santa Ana on the city page.
What other schools are in Santa Ana Unified?
Besides Taft Elementary, Santa Ana Unified also operates Santa Ana High (2,505 students), Segerstrom High (2,376 students), and Valley High (1,908 students). See the Santa Ana Unified district page for the complete list.