Enrollment
294
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Santa Paula, CA
Thelma Bedell Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Thelma Bedell Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060142106112
👥 S:T ratio 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thelma Bedell Elementary earns 35/100 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 10
- elementary schools in Santa Paula · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 22.6:1
- students per teacher
- 64.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Thelma Bedell Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thelma Bedell Elementary ranks #1 of 10 elementary schools in Santa Paula, CA.
School address
District: Santa Paula Unified · California
NCES ID 060142106112 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.6:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
+16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thelma Bedell Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thelma Bedell Elementary
Thelma Bedell Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Santa Paula, California, enrolling 294 students.
At 22.6:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 64.6% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 294 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,102 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #288.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (89% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 20/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 294 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Santa Paula's elementary schools, it stands alongside Glen City Elementary (675 students): Thelma Bedell Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (22.6:1 vs 27:1).
Santa Paula Unified also operates Santa Paula High (1,494 students) and Glen City Elementary (675 students) alongside Thelma Bedell 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 Thelma Bedell Elementary compares
Thelma Bedell 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 | 22.6:1 | ▲ 5% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.6% | ▲ 16% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 294 | top 74% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.6:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
294
Bigger than 31% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
64.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% 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
22.6:1
students per teacher
- 5% 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
32.7%
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
$17,587
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 294 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.0 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 89.1%
White 8.2%
Asian 1.0%
African American 0.7%
Two or More 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 89.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 19.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 19.9, Thelma Bedell Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Santa Paula Unified, which includes Thelma Bedell Elementary.
$17,587
Per student
+7%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.4%
State 68.9%
Federal 10.7%
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 Thelma Bedell Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Paula High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Glen City Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Isbell Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Grace Thille Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Barbara Webster Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thelma Bedell Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,494
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 675
- Students per teacher
- 27:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 634
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 358
- Students per teacher
- 25.6:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 325
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar elementary schools in Santa Paula
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Glen City Elementary
Standard public school
675 students 27:1 students per teacher
Grace Thille Elementary
Standard public school
358 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
Barbara Webster Elementary
Standard public school
325 students 20.3:1 students per teacher
Blanchard Elementary
Standard public school
317 students 24.4:1 students per teacher
Mckevett Elementary
Standard public school
300 students 20:1 students per teacher
Olivelands Elementary
Standard public school
236 students 21.5:1 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 (~294 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thelma Bedell Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Thelma Bedell Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Santa Paula 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 Thelma Bedell Elementary
How many students attend Thelma Bedell Elementary?
Thelma Bedell Elementary has 294 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Santa Paula, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thelma Bedell Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Thelma Bedell Elementary is 22.6:1, which is 5% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 44% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thelma Bedell Elementary?
64.6% of students at Thelma Bedell Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thelma Bedell Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Thelma Bedell Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 89.1% of enrollment, in Santa Paula, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thelma Bedell Elementary?
Thelma Bedell Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical 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 Thelma Bedell Elementary rank among elementary schools in Santa Paula?
By Resource Investment Index, Thelma Bedell Elementary ranks #1 of 10 elementary schools in Santa Paula, 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 Paula on the city page.
Is Thelma Bedell Elementary a good school?
Thelma Bedell Elementary earns 35/100 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 Santa Paula Unified?
Besides Thelma Bedell Elementary, Santa Paula Unified also operates Santa Paula High (1,494 students), Glen City Elementary (675 students), and Isbell Middle (634 students). See the Santa Paula 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.