Enrollment
499
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Porterville, CA
William R. Buckley Elementary
Federal NCES profile for William R. Buckley Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060657007898
👥 S:T ratio 5
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 88
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
William R. Buckley Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of California schools.
- #1 of 19
- elementary schools in Porterville · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 23.8:1
- large classes for California
- 70.0%
- free-lunch eligible
William R. Buckley Elementary has class sizes larger than 70% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, William R. Buckley Elementary ranks #1 of 19 elementary schools in Porterville, CA.
School address
District: Burton Elementary · California
NCES ID 060657007898 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
70.0%
vs 55.5% California avg
+26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How William R. Buckley Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at William R. Buckley Elementary
William R. Buckley Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Porterville, California, enrolling 499 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 23.8:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 70.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 499 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 2,137 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #129, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (68%) and White (14%) (diversity index 50/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 499 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 5.0% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Porterville's elementary schools, it stands alongside Santa Fe Elementary (809 students): William R. Buckley Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (23.8:1 vs 23.1:1).
Burton Elementary also operates Summit Charter Academy (2,423 students) and Burton Middle (586 students) alongside William R. Buckley 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 R. Buckley Elementary compares
William R. Buckley 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 | 23.8:1 | ▲ 11% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 70.0% | ▲ 26% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 499 | top 45% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.8:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
499
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
70.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% 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
23.8:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 70% in California - lower ratio than 30% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
5.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$15,171
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 499 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.4 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 68.3%
White 14.4%
Asian 10.2%
Two or More 4.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.0%
African American 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 68.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.0, William R. Buckley Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Burton Elementary, which includes William R. Buckley Elementary.
$15,171
Per student
-8%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-9%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 8.1%
State 77.2%
Federal 14.8%
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 William R. Buckley Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summit Charter Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Burton Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jim Maples Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Burton Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Oak Grove Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to William R. Buckley Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,423
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 586
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 466
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 437
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 393
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar elementary schools in Porterville
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Santa Fe Elementary
Standard public school
809 students 23.1:1 students per teacher
Westfield Elementary
Standard public school
661 students 24.5:1 students per teacher
Olive Street Elementary
Standard public school
624 students 26:1 students per teacher
Vandalia Elementary
Standard public school
556 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
John J. Doyle Elementary
Standard public school
552 students 22.1:1 students per teacher
Alta Vista Elementary
Standard public school
531 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 (~499 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on William R. Buckley Elementary's federal record.
- Compare William R. Buckley Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Burton Elementary'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 R. Buckley Elementary
How many students attend William R. Buckley Elementary?
William R. Buckley Elementary has 499 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Porterville, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at William R. Buckley Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at William R. Buckley Elementary is 23.8:1, which is 11% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 52% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at William R. Buckley Elementary?
70.0% of students at William R. Buckley Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of William R. Buckley Elementary?
The largest demographic group at William R. Buckley Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 68.3% of enrollment, in Porterville, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for William R. Buckley Elementary?
William R. Buckley Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical 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 William R. Buckley Elementary rank among elementary schools in Porterville?
By Resource Investment Index, William R. Buckley Elementary ranks #1 of 19 elementary schools in Porterville, 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 Porterville on the city page.
Is William R. Buckley Elementary a good school?
William R. Buckley Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of 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 Burton Elementary?
Besides William R. Buckley Elementary, Burton Elementary also operates Summit Charter Academy (2,423 students), Burton Middle (586 students), and Jim Maples Academy (466 students). See the Burton Elementary 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.