Enrollment
797
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Bakersfield, CA
Zephyr Lane Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Zephyr Lane Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061329013766
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 46
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Zephyr Lane Elementary earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #42 of 97
- elementary schools in Bakersfield · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.7:1
- large classes for California
- 81.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Zephyr Lane Elementary has class sizes larger than 84% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Zephyr Lane Elementary ranks #42 of 97 elementary schools in Bakersfield, CA.
School address
District: Fairfax Elementary · California
NCES ID 061329013766 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
81.5%
vs 55.5% California avg
+47% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Zephyr Lane Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Zephyr Lane Elementary
Zephyr Lane Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Bakersfield, California, enrolling 797 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.7:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 81.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 797 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,476 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #473.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (91% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 18/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 797 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.6% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 19.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Bakersfield's elementary schools, it stands alongside Dolores S. Whitley Tk-8 (1,151 students): Zephyr Lane Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (25.7:1 vs 25.6:1).
Fairfax Elementary also operates Virginia Avenue Elementary (644 students) and Shirley Lane Elementary (617 students) alongside Zephyr Lane 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 Zephyr Lane Elementary compares
Zephyr Lane 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 | 25.7:1 | ▲ 20% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 81.5% | ▲ 47% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 797 | top 18% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.7:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
797
Bigger than 85% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
81.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 47% 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
25.7:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 84% in California - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
21.6%
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
$16,089
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 797 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 18 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 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 90.5%
White 4.4%
Asian 2.9%
Two or More 1.6%
African American 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 90.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 17.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 17.8, Zephyr Lane Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fairfax Elementary, which includes Zephyr Lane Elementary.
$16,089
Per student
-3%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 14.2%
State 66.9%
Federal 19.0%
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 Zephyr Lane Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Avenue Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Shirley Lane Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Fairfax Jr. High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Zephyr Lane Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 644
- Students per teacher
- 22.2:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 617
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 609
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar elementary schools in Bakersfield
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Dolores S. Whitley Tk-8
Standard public school
1,151 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
Veterans Elementary
Standard public school
1,002 students 27.8:1 students per teacher
Douglas J. Miller Elementary
Standard public school
994 students 29.2:1 students per teacher
Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary
Standard public school
960 students 24:1 students per teacher
Berkshire Elementary
Standard public school
932 students 28.2:1 students per teacher
Patriot Elementary
Standard public school
931 students 23.3:1 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 (~797 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Zephyr Lane Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Zephyr Lane Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Fairfax 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 Zephyr Lane Elementary
How many students attend Zephyr Lane Elementary?
Zephyr Lane Elementary has 797 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Bakersfield, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Zephyr Lane Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Zephyr Lane Elementary is 25.7:1, which is 20% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 64% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Zephyr Lane Elementary?
81.5% of students at Zephyr Lane Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Zephyr Lane Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Zephyr Lane Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 90.5% of enrollment, in Bakersfield, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Zephyr Lane Elementary?
Zephyr Lane Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (lower 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 Zephyr Lane Elementary rank among elementary schools in Bakersfield?
By Resource Investment Index, Zephyr Lane Elementary ranks #42 of 97 elementary schools in Bakersfield, 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 Bakersfield on the city page.
Is Zephyr Lane Elementary a good school?
Zephyr Lane Elementary earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of California schools. 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 Fairfax Elementary?
Besides Zephyr Lane Elementary, Fairfax Elementary also operates Virginia Avenue Elementary (644 students), Shirley Lane Elementary (617 students), and Fairfax Jr. High (609 students). See the Fairfax 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.