Enrollment
538
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Placentia, CA
Van Buren Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Van Buren Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063066004774
👥 S:T ratio 2
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Van Buren Elementary earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #6 of 9
- elementary schools in Placentia · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.5:1
- large classes for California
- 36.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Van Buren Elementary has class sizes larger than 76% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Van Buren Elementary ranks #6 of 9 elementary schools in Placentia, CA.
School address
District: Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified · California
NCES ID 063066004774 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.5:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
-34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Van Buren Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Van Buren Elementary
Van Buren Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Placentia, California, enrolling 538 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.5:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 36.9% of students eligible for free meals.
With 538 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,381 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #819.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (47%) and White (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1076 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Placentia's elementary schools, it stands alongside Golden Elementary (834 students): Van Buren Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (24.5:1 vs 29.8:1).
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified also operates Valencia High (2,411 students) and El Dorado High (1,998 students) alongside Van Buren 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 Van Buren Elementary compares
Van Buren 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 | 24.5:1 | ▲ 14% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.9% | ▼ 34% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 538 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.5:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
538
Bigger than 66% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
24.5:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 76% in California - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
25.1%
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
$13,989
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 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 47.4%
White 29.2%
Asian 13.9%
Two or More 8.4%
African American 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 47.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.4, Van Buren Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified, which includes Van Buren Elementary.
$13,989
Per student
-15%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 50.7%
State 41.2%
Federal 8.1%
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 Van Buren Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valencia High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| El Dorado High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Yorba Linda High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Esperanza High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Travis Ranch | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Van Buren Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,411
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,998
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,631
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,393
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,197
- Students per teacher
- 23.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar elementary schools in Placentia
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Golden Elementary
Standard public school
834 students 29.8:1 students per teacher
John O. Tynes Elementary
Standard public school
591 students 21.1:1 students per teacher
Brookhaven Elementary
Standard public school
482 students 28.4:1 students per teacher
Sierra Vista Elementary
Standard public school
454 students 26.7:1 students per teacher
Charles Wagner Elementary
Standard public school
440 students 24.4:1 students per teacher
Morse Elementary
Standard public school
382 students 29.4:1 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 (~538 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Van Buren Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Van Buren Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Placentia-Yorba Linda 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 Van Buren Elementary
How many students attend Van Buren Elementary?
Van Buren Elementary has 538 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Placentia, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Van Buren Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Van Buren Elementary is 24.5:1, which is 14% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 56% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Van Buren Elementary?
36.9% of students at Van Buren Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Van Buren Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Van Buren Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 47.4% of enrollment, in Placentia, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Van Buren Elementary?
Van Buren Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower 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 Van Buren Elementary rank among elementary schools in Placentia?
By Resource Investment Index, Van Buren Elementary ranks #6 of 9 elementary schools in Placentia, 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 Placentia on the city page.
Is Van Buren Elementary a good school?
Van Buren Elementary earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of California schools. It is also more 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 Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified?
Besides Van Buren Elementary, Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified also operates Valencia High (2,411 students), El Dorado High (1,998 students), and Yorba Linda High (1,631 students). See the Placentia-Yorba Linda 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.