CaliforniaSchoolsCostano Elementary

Costano Elementary

PublicRegular
East Palo Alto, California · Ravenswood City Elementary
Teachers18.0FTE
Ratio17.7:1students per teacher
Students318enrolled
SCHOOL SNAPSHOT
Students318
Grade Span0–5
Student:Teacher17.7:1
Free/Reduced Lunch85%
Title INo
SectorPublic
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Student : Teacher
17.6:1
0.6%vs prior yrUS avg 15.4:1
Teacher FTE
21
17%vs prior yr
Enrollment
369
16%vs prior yr
Years of Data
5
2020–2024
Counselors
ASCA max 1:250
Nurses
1:1,900
118%vs prior yrNASN max 1:750
Psychologists
1:950
82%vs prior yrNASP max 1:500
Social Workers
SSWAA max 1:250
Trends & 5-year history below

Pupil : Teacher Ratio — 5-Year Trend

15.0:116.1:117.1:118.1:119.1:120.2:12020202120222023202419.8:117.4:119.3:117.7:117.6:1Costano ElementaryUS public-school avg

Enrollment & Teacher FTE

305342378415451488181920222324202020212022202320244754003483183692423181821EnrollmentTeacher FTE

Year-by-year workforce

Metric20202021202220232024Nat Avg
Enrollment475400348318369
Teacher FTE2423181821
Pupil : Teacher ratio19.8:117.4:119.3:117.7:117.6:115.4:1

What These Numbers Mean

Teacher FTE

Full-Time Equivalent counts part-time teachers proportionally. One full-time teacher = 1.0 FTE; two half-time teachers also = 1.0 FTE. This is the standard federal reporting unit.

Pupil : Teacher ratio

NCES-reported ratio divides total enrollment by teacher FTE. It is NOT the same as average class size — schools with specialists, coaches, and resource teachers will show lower ratios than typical class sizes.

How to read the trend

A falling pupil:teacher ratio (line going down) means more staffing per student — generally a positive signal. A rising line can indicate budget pressure or fast enrollment growth outpacing hiring. Always compare to the US average (dashed grey).

Historical data spans 20202024 from NCES CCD.

Student Support & Wellbeing

Non-teaching staff who support student mental health, physical health, and behavioural needs. Lower pupil-to-staff ratios mean more one-on-one access.

Counselors & Social Workers — staff to pupils (recommended 1:250)

1:01:2821:5641:8461:1,1281:1,4092015201720201:7911:1,305Counselor : PupilsSocial Worker : PupilsRecommended 1:250

Nurses & Psychologists — staff to pupils

1:01:4101:8211:1,2311:1,6421:2,0522015201720201:9001:8701:1,9001:3681:5221:950Nurse : PupilsNASN 1:750Psychologist : PupilsNASP 1:500

Support staffing & ratios — year by year

Metric201520172020Nat Avg
Counselors (FTE)0.30.20
Nurses (FTE)0.30.30.3
Psychologists (FTE)0.70.50.5
Social Workers (FTE)000
Counselor : Pupils1:7911:1,3051:250
Nurse : Pupils1:9001:8701:1,9001:750
Psychologist : Pupils1:3681:5221:9501:500
Social Worker : Pupils1:250

Why these ratios matter

Counselors (ASCA 250:1)

School counselors support academic planning, college & career readiness, and social-emotional wellbeing. The American School Counselor Association recommends no more than 250 students per counselor.

Nurses (NASN 750:1)

School nurses manage chronic conditions, medications, immunisations, and emergencies. The National Association of School Nurses recommends at least 1 full-time nurse per 750 students (more for high-need populations).

Psychologists (NASP 500:1)

School psychologists assess learning & behavioural needs, run mental-health interventions, and coordinate special-education services. NASP recommends 500:1 or lower.

Social workers (SSWAA 250:1)

School social workers bridge home-school relationships, address attendance & trauma, and connect families to community resources. SSWAA recommends 250:1.

Source: US Dept of Education CRDC (20152020) — Civil Rights Data Collection.