- Enrollment
- 269
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Needles, CA
Vista Colorado Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Vista Colorado Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062676004059
👥 S:T ratio 15
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Vista Colorado Elementary earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #5 of 5
- public schools in Needles · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.3:1
- students per teacher
- 82.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Vista Colorado Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Vista Colorado Elementary ranks #5 of 5 public schools in Needles, CA.
School address
District: Needles Unified · California
NCES ID 062676004059 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+6 students YoY
Vista Colorado Elementary held near 327 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+6 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 15.0 → 15.3 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+6 students YoY 062676004059 · Needles, CA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
319 enr · 21.3:1 · 82.6% lunch · RII 15
Nearest enrollment peer: Needles High (269 students)
Vista Colorado Elementary held near 327 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+6 headcount). Teacher FTE added 15.0 → 15.3 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Vista Colorado Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- This school
Vista Colorado Elementary
319 students
- Needles High
Needles High
269 students
- Needles Middle
Needles Middle
196 students
- Monument Peak 70
Monument Peak
70 students
- Chemehuevi Val 40
Chemehuevi Valley Elementary
40 students
- Needles Commun 18
Needles Community Day
18 students
What this shows Vista Colorado Elementary reports 319 students on the CCD universe file.
How Vista Colorado Elementary compares
Vista Colorado 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 | 21.3:1 | ▼ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 82.6% | ▲ 49% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 319 | top 72% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.3:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
319
Bigger than 35% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
82.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 49% 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
21.3:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 46% in California - lower ratio than 54% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
48.9%
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
$22,698
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
1
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 48.0%
Hispanic or Latino 36.4%
African American 6.3%
Two or More 5.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.4%
Asian 0.9%
Largest group: White at 48.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.9, Vista Colorado Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for Needles Unified reports $22,698 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Vista Colorado Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Needles High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Needles Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Monument Peak | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Chemehuevi Valley Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Needles Community Day | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Vista Colorado Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 196
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 70
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 40
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 18
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
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 (~319 students)
Frequently asked questions about Vista Colorado Elementary
How many students attend Vista Colorado Elementary?
Vista Colorado Elementary has 319 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Needles, CA. CCD year-over-year: 321 (2022-23) → 327 (2023-24), nearly flat (+6).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Vista Colorado Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Vista Colorado Elementary is 21.3:1, which is 1% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 36% higher 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 Vista Colorado Elementary?
82.6% of students at Vista Colorado Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Vista Colorado Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Vista Colorado Elementary is White at 48.0% of enrollment, in Needles, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Vista Colorado Elementary?
Vista Colorado Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (lower 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 Vista Colorado Elementary rank among public schools in Needles?
By Resource Investment Index, Vista Colorado Elementary ranks #5 of 5 public schools in Needles, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Needles on the city page.
What other schools are in Needles Unified?
Besides Vista Colorado Elementary, Needles Unified also operates Needles High (269 students), Needles Middle (196 students), and Monument Peak (70 students). See the Needles Unified district page for the complete list.