Enrollment
305
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Palo Alto, CA
Walter Hays Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Walter Hays Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062961004588
👥 S:T ratio 13
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 71
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Walter Hays Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #6 of 10
- elementary schools in Palo Alto · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.8:1
- students per teacher
- 13.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Walter Hays Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Walter Hays Elementary ranks #6 of 10 elementary schools in Palo Alto, CA.
School address
District: Palo Alto Unified · California
NCES ID 062961004588 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
13.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
-75% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Walter Hays Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Walter Hays Elementary
Walter Hays Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Palo Alto, California, enrolling 305 students.
At 21.8:1, 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.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 13.6% free-meal eligibility runs 75% below the California average.
Enrollment of 305 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 449 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #172.
Its student body is led by Asian (43%) and White (23%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 71/100).
11.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Palo Alto Unified spends $27,172 per pupil, 65% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Palo Alto's elementary schools, it stands alongside Ohlone Elementary (464 students): Walter Hays Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.8:1 vs 20.2:1).
Palo Alto Unified also operates Palo Alto High (1,891 students) and Henry M. Gunn High (1,643 students) alongside Walter Hays 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 Walter Hays Elementary compares
Walter Hays 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 | 21.8:1 | ▲ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 13.6% | ▼ 75% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 305 | top 73% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.8:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
305
Bigger than 33% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
13.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 75% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
21.8:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 51% in California - lower ratio than 49% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
11.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$27,172
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
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
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
Asian 43.0%
White 23.3%
Hispanic or Latino 19.7%
Two or More 10.5%
African American 2.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.6%
Largest group: Asian at 43.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.0, Walter Hays Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Palo Alto Unified, which includes Walter Hays Elementary.
$27,172
Per student
+65%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+64%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 86.1%
State 11.1%
Federal 2.8%
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 Walter Hays Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Henry M. Gunn High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Frank S. Greene Jr. Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ellen Fletcher Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Walter Hays Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,891
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,643
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 1,002
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 732
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 572
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
Similar elementary schools in Palo Alto
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Ohlone Elementary
Standard public school
464 students 20.2:1 students per teacher
Fairmeadow Elementary
Standard public school
425 students 22.4:1 students per teacher
Herbert Hoover Elementary
Standard public school
389 students 19.4:1 students per teacher
Duveneck Elementary
Standard public school
376 students 22.1:1 students per teacher
Addison Elementary
Standard public school
366 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
Palo Verde Elementary
Standard public school
334 students 17.6:1 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 (~305 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Walter Hays Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Walter Hays Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Palo Alto 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 Walter Hays Elementary
How many students attend Walter Hays Elementary?
Walter Hays Elementary has 305 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Palo Alto, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Walter Hays Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Walter Hays Elementary is 21.8:1, which is 1% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 39% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Walter Hays Elementary?
13.6% of students at Walter Hays Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Walter Hays Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Walter Hays Elementary is Asian at 43.0% of enrollment, in Palo Alto, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Walter Hays Elementary?
Walter Hays Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical 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 Walter Hays Elementary rank among elementary schools in Palo Alto?
By Resource Investment Index, Walter Hays Elementary ranks #6 of 10 elementary schools in Palo Alto, 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 Palo Alto on the city page.
Is Walter Hays Elementary a good school?
Walter Hays Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Palo Alto Unified?
Besides Walter Hays Elementary, Palo Alto Unified also operates Palo Alto High (1,891 students), Henry M. Gunn High (1,643 students), and Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle (1,002 students). See the Palo Alto 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.