Enrollment
420
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · South Gate, CA
Willow Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Willow Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062271013090
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Willow Elementary earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #12 of 18
- elementary schools in South Gate · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20:1
- students per teacher
- 91.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Willow Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Willow Elementary ranks #12 of 18 elementary schools in South Gate, CA.
School address
District: Los Angeles Unified · California
NCES ID 062271013090 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
91.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
+65% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Willow Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Willow Elementary
Willow Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in South Gate, California, enrolling 420 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 20:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 91.3% of students qualify for free meals, 65% above the California average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 420 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,210 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #462.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (98% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 5/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 56.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Los Angeles Unified spends $21,940 per pupil, 33% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among South Gate's elementary schools, it stands alongside Kipp Corazon Academy (1,070 students): Willow Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (20:1 vs 24.3:1).
Los Angeles Unified also operates Grover Cleveland Charter High (2,719 students) and North Hollywood Senior High (2,444 students) alongside Willow 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 Willow Elementary compares
Willow 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 | 20:1 | ▼ 7% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 91.3% | ▲ 65% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 420 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
420
Bigger than 50% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
91.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 65% above the California average of 55.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
20:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 35% in California - lower ratio than 65% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
56.9%
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
$21,940
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
Hispanic or Latino 97.6%
Two or More 1.7%
White 0.2%
African American 0.2%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 97.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 4.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 4.7, Willow Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Los Angeles Unified, which includes Willow Elementary.
$21,940
Per student
+33%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.3%
State 54.5%
Federal 19.2%
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 Willow Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grover Cleveland Charter High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Hollywood Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Phineas Banning Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| San Pedro Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Venice Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Willow Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,719
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,444
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,422
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,398
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,293
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar elementary schools in South Gate
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Kipp Corazon Academy
Standard public school
1,070 students 24.3:1 students per teacher
Hollydale
Standard public school
794 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
Bryson Avenue Elementary
Standard public school
706 students 20.2:1 students per teacher
San Miguel Elementary
Standard public school
677 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Montara Avenue Elementary
Standard public school
554 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
Madison Elementary
Standard public school
482 students 17.9:1 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 (~420 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Willow Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Willow Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Los Angeles 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 Willow Elementary
How many students attend Willow Elementary?
Willow Elementary has 420 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in South Gate, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Willow Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Willow Elementary is 20:1, which is 7% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 27% 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 Willow Elementary?
91.3% of students at Willow Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Willow Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Willow Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 97.6% of enrollment, in South Gate, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Willow Elementary?
Willow Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (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 Willow Elementary rank among elementary schools in South Gate?
By Resource Investment Index, Willow Elementary ranks #12 of 18 elementary schools in South Gate, 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 South Gate on the city page.
Is Willow Elementary a good school?
Willow Elementary earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less 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 Los Angeles Unified?
Besides Willow Elementary, Los Angeles Unified also operates Grover Cleveland Charter High (2,719 students), North Hollywood Senior High (2,444 students), and Phineas Banning Senior High (2,422 students). See the Los Angeles 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.