Enrollment
372
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Alameda, CA
William G. Paden Elementary
Federal NCES profile for William G. Paden Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060177000003
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 43
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
William G. Paden Elementary earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #8 of 10
- elementary schools in Alameda · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 28.6:1
- large classes for California
- 36.4%
- free-lunch eligible
William G. Paden Elementary has class sizes larger than 94% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, William G. Paden Elementary ranks #8 of 10 elementary schools in Alameda, CA.
School address
District: Alameda Unified · California
NCES ID 060177000003 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
28.6:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+33% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
-34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How William G. Paden Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at William G. Paden Elementary
William G. Paden Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Alameda, California, enrolling 372 students.
Class loads run heavy: 28.6:1 is larger than about 94% of California schools and 33% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 36.4% of students eligible for free meals.
With 372 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,037 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #708.
Its student body is led by White (28%) and Asian (25%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 78/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.6% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Alameda's elementary schools, it stands alongside The Academy of Alameda (638 students): William G. Paden Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (28.6:1 vs 21.3:1).
Alameda Unified also operates Alameda High (1,868 students) and Encinal Junior/Senior High (1,280 students) alongside William G. Paden 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 William G. Paden Elementary compares
William G. Paden 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 | 28.6:1 | ▲ 33% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.4% | ▼ 34% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 372 | top 65% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
28.6:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
372
Bigger than 43% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.4%
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
28.6:1
students per teacher
- 33% above state mean
Top 94% in California - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
22.6%
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
$16,276
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.2 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 27.5%
Asian 25.3%
Hispanic or Latino 21.0%
Two or More 18.1%
African American 6.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 27.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 77.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 77.9, William G. Paden Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Alameda Unified, which includes William G. Paden Elementary.
$16,276
Per student
-1%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-2%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 53.0%
State 39.0%
Federal 8.0%
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 William G. Paden Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Encinal Junior/Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Will C. Wood Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Amelia Earhart Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to William G. Paden Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,868
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,280
- Students per teacher
- 25.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 971
- Students per teacher
- 28.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 613
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 573
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar elementary schools in Alameda
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
The Academy of Alameda
Standard public school
638 students 21.3:1 students per teacher
Amelia Earhart Elementary
Standard public school
573 students 24.9:1 students per teacher
Frank Otis Elementary
Standard public school
569 students 25.9:1 students per teacher
Bay Farm
Standard public school
531 students 21.2:1 students per teacher
Love Elementary
Standard public school
498 students 27.7:1 students per teacher
Maya Lin
Standard public school
475 students 25:1 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 (~372 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~28.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on William G. Paden Elementary's federal record.
- Compare William G. Paden Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Alameda 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 William G. Paden Elementary
How many students attend William G. Paden Elementary?
William G. Paden Elementary has 372 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Alameda, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at William G. Paden Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at William G. Paden Elementary is 28.6:1, which is 33% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 82% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at William G. Paden Elementary?
36.4% of students at William G. Paden Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of William G. Paden Elementary?
The largest demographic group at William G. Paden Elementary is White at 27.5% of enrollment, in Alameda, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 77.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for William G. Paden Elementary?
William G. Paden Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (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 William G. Paden Elementary rank among elementary schools in Alameda?
By Resource Investment Index, William G. Paden Elementary ranks #8 of 10 elementary schools in Alameda, 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 Alameda on the city page.
Is William G. Paden Elementary a good school?
William G. Paden Elementary earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% 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 Alameda Unified?
Besides William G. Paden Elementary, Alameda Unified also operates Alameda High (1,868 students), Encinal Junior/Senior High (1,280 students), and Lincoln Middle (971 students). See the Alameda 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.