Enrollment
1,019
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Elk Grove, CA
Zehnder Ranch Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Zehnder Ranch 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 061233014065
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 45
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Zehnder Ranch Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of California schools.
- #3 of 24
- elementary schools in Elk Grove · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 24.9:1
- large classes for California
- 18.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Zehnder Ranch Elementary has class sizes larger than 79% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Zehnder Ranch Elementary ranks #3 of 24 elementary schools in Elk Grove, CA.
School address
District: Elk Grove Unified · California
NCES ID 061233014065 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.9:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
18.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
-66% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Zehnder Ranch Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Zehnder Ranch Elementary
Zehnder Ranch Elementary is a lower-poverty, large elementary school in Elk Grove, California, enrolling 1,019 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.9:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 18.7% free-meal eligibility runs 66% below the California average.
Enrollment of 1,019 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 699 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #269.
Its student body is led by Asian (58%) and Hispanic or Latino (15%) (diversity index 62/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Elk Grove's elementary schools, it stands alongside Irene B. West Elementary (1,063 students): Zehnder Ranch Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (24.9:1 vs 28.7:1).
Elk Grove Unified also operates Franklin High (2,650 students) and Pleasant Grove High (2,536 students) alongside Zehnder Ranch 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 Zehnder Ranch Elementary compares
Zehnder Ranch 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 | 24.9:1 | ▲ 16% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 18.7% | ▼ 66% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,019 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.9:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,019
Bigger than 92% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
18.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 66% 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
24.9:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 79% in California - lower ratio than 21% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
22.0%
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
$14,134
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
2
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 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
Asian 58.1%
Hispanic or Latino 14.7%
White 10.6%
Two or More 8.6%
African American 7.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.0%
Largest group: Asian at 58.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.7, Zehnder Ranch Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Elk Grove Unified, which includes Zehnder Ranch Elementary.
$14,134
Per student
-14%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.1%
State 65.7%
Federal 12.2%
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 Zehnder Ranch Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pleasant Grove High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sheldon High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Monterey Trail High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Laguna Creek High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Zehnder Ranch Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,650
- Students per teacher
- 23.2:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,536
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 2,368
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 2,263
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 2,142
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar elementary schools in Elk Grove
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Irene B. West Elementary
Standard public school
1,063 students 28.7:1 students per teacher
Miwok Village Elementary
Standard public school
1,050 students 38.9:1 students per teacher
Arthur C. Butler Elementary
Standard public school
949 students 27.9:1 students per teacher
Roy Herburger Elementary
Standard public school
937 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
Franklin Elementary
Standard public school
932 students 26.6:1 students per teacher
Carroll Elementary
Standard public school
854 students 23.7:1 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 (~1,019 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Zehnder Ranch Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Zehnder Ranch Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Elk Grove 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 Zehnder Ranch Elementary
How many students attend Zehnder Ranch Elementary?
Zehnder Ranch Elementary has 1,019 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Elk Grove, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Zehnder Ranch Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Zehnder Ranch Elementary is 24.9:1, which is 16% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 59% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Zehnder Ranch Elementary?
18.7% of students at Zehnder Ranch Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Zehnder Ranch Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Zehnder Ranch Elementary is Asian at 58.1% of enrollment, in Elk Grove, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Zehnder Ranch Elementary?
Zehnder Ranch 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 Zehnder Ranch Elementary rank among elementary schools in Elk Grove?
By Resource Investment Index, Zehnder Ranch Elementary ranks #3 of 24 elementary schools in Elk Grove, 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 Elk Grove on the city page.
Is Zehnder Ranch Elementary a good school?
Zehnder Ranch Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% 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 Elk Grove Unified?
Besides Zehnder Ranch Elementary, Elk Grove Unified also operates Franklin High (2,650 students), Pleasant Grove High (2,536 students), and Sheldon High (2,368 students). See the Elk Grove 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.