Enrollment
321
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Carmichael, CA
Thomas Kelly Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Thomas Kelly Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 13/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063462005786
👥 S:T ratio 8
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thomas Kelly Elementary earns 13/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #7 of 11
- elementary schools in Carmichael · Resource Index
- 13
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.9:1
- students per teacher
- 53.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Thomas Kelly Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Kelly Elementary ranks #7 of 11 elementary schools in Carmichael, CA.
School address
District: San Juan Unified · California
NCES ID 063462005786 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.9:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
-3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thomas Kelly Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thomas Kelly Elementary
Thomas Kelly Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Carmichael, California, enrolling 321 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 22.9:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 53.6% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 321 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 1,038 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #951, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and Hispanic or Latino (23%) (diversity index 65/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 47.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Carmichael's elementary schools, it stands alongside California Montessori Project-San Juan Campuses (1,545 students): Thomas Kelly Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (22.9:1 vs 25.3:1).
San Juan Unified also operates Bella Vista High (1,939 students) and Rio Americano High (1,891 students) alongside Thomas Kelly 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 Thomas Kelly Elementary compares
Thomas Kelly 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 | 22.9:1 | ▲ 7% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.6% | ▼ 3% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 321 | top 71% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.9:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
321
Bigger than 35% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% 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
22.9:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 61% in California - lower ratio than 39% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
47.7%
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
$15,338
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
6
in-school suspensions + 19 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.8 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
White 52.6%
Hispanic or Latino 22.7%
Two or More 9.7%
African American 6.9%
Asian 6.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 52.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.3, Thomas Kelly Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for San Juan Unified, which includes Thomas Kelly Elementary.
$15,338
Per student
-7%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 31.7%
State 54.0%
Federal 14.3%
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 Thomas Kelly Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bella Vista High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rio Americano High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mira Loma High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Del Campo High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| El Camino Fundamental High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thomas Kelly Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,939
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,891
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,655
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,548
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,226
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar elementary schools in Carmichael
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
California Montessori Project-San Juan Campuses
Standard public school
1,545 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
Starr King K-8
Standard public school
885 students 23.3:1 students per teacher
Mary Deterding Elementary
Standard public school
670 students 29.1:1 students per teacher
Del Dayo Elementary
Standard public school
496 students 24.8:1 students per teacher
Mission Avenue Open Elementary
Standard public school
415 students 27.7:1 students per teacher
Cameron Ranch Elementary
Standard public school
406 students 23.9:1 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 (~321 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thomas Kelly Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Thomas Kelly Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- San Juan 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 Thomas Kelly Elementary
How many students attend Thomas Kelly Elementary?
Thomas Kelly Elementary has 321 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Carmichael, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thomas Kelly Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Thomas Kelly Elementary is 22.9:1, which is 7% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 46% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thomas Kelly Elementary?
53.6% of students at Thomas Kelly Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thomas Kelly Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Thomas Kelly Elementary is White at 52.6% of enrollment, in Carmichael, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thomas Kelly Elementary?
Thomas Kelly Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 13/100 (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 Thomas Kelly Elementary rank among elementary schools in Carmichael?
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Kelly Elementary ranks #7 of 11 elementary schools in Carmichael, 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 Carmichael on the city page.
Is Thomas Kelly Elementary a good school?
Thomas Kelly Elementary earns 13/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 San Juan Unified?
Besides Thomas Kelly Elementary, San Juan Unified also operates Bella Vista High (1,939 students), Rio Americano High (1,891 students), and Mira Loma High (1,655 students). See the San Juan 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.