Enrollment
543
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Downey, CA
Ward (E. W.) Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Ward (E. W.) Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 12/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061146001277
👥 S:T ratio 6
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ward (E. W.) Elementary earns 12/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #6 of 13
- elementary schools in Downey · Resource Index
- 12
- Resource Index · Lower
- 23.6:1
- students per teacher
- 68.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Ward (E. W.) Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ward (E. W.) Elementary ranks #6 of 13 elementary schools in Downey, CA.
School address
District: Downey Unified · California
NCES ID 061146001277 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.6:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
+23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ward (E. W.) Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ward (E. W.) Elementary
Ward (E. W.) Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Downey, California, enrolling 543 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 23.6:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 68.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 543 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 2,154 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,889, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (88% of enrollment) (diversity index 23/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 54.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Downey's elementary schools, it stands alongside Rio Hondo Elementary (838 students): Ward (E. W.) Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (23.6:1 vs 25.4:1).
Downey Unified also operates Downey High (4,051 students) and Warren (Earl) High (3,609 students) alongside Ward (E. W.) 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 Ward (E. W.) Elementary compares
Ward (E. W.) 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 | 23.6:1 | ▲ 10% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.1% | ▲ 23% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 543 | top 39% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.6:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
543
Bigger than 67% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% 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
23.6:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 68% in California - lower ratio than 32% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
54.3%
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
$15,382
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
0
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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 87.5%
White 6.4%
Asian 2.8%
African American 1.5%
Two or More 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 87.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 22.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 22.9, Ward (E. W.) Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Downey Unified, which includes Ward (E. W.) Elementary.
$15,382
Per student
-7%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.5%
State 67.1%
Federal 12.4%
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 Ward (E. W.) Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downey High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Warren (Earl) High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Stauffer (Mary R.) Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Doty (Wendy Lopour) Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Griffiths (Gordon) Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ward (E. W.) Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 4,051
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 3,609
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,329
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,304
- Students per teacher
- 26.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,264
- Students per teacher
- 25.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar elementary schools in Downey
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Rio Hondo Elementary
Standard public school
838 students 25.4:1 students per teacher
Lewis (Ed C.) Elementary
Standard public school
810 students 24.5:1 students per teacher
Carpenter (C. C.) Elementary
Standard public school
796 students 39.8:1 students per teacher
Gallatin Elementary
Standard public school
788 students 27.2:1 students per teacher
Price (Maude) Elementary
Standard public school
757 students 25.2:1 students per teacher
Rio San Gabriel Elementary
Standard public school
747 students 24.1:1 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 (~543 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ward (E. W.) Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Ward (E. W.) Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Downey 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 Ward (E. W.) Elementary
How many students attend Ward (E. W.) Elementary?
Ward (E. W.) Elementary has 543 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Downey, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ward (E. W.) Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Ward (E. W.) Elementary is 23.6:1, which is 10% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 50% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ward (E. W.) Elementary?
68.1% of students at Ward (E. W.) Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ward (E. W.) Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Ward (E. W.) Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 87.5% of enrollment, in Downey, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ward (E. W.) Elementary?
Ward (E. W.) Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 12/100 (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 Ward (E. W.) Elementary rank among elementary schools in Downey?
By Resource Investment Index, Ward (E. W.) Elementary ranks #6 of 13 elementary schools in Downey, 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 Downey on the city page.
Is Ward (E. W.) Elementary a good school?
Ward (E. W.) Elementary earns 12/100 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 Downey Unified?
Besides Ward (E. W.) Elementary, Downey Unified also operates Downey High (4,051 students), Warren (Earl) High (3,609 students), and Stauffer (Mary R.) Middle (1,329 students). See the Downey 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.