CaliforniaSchoolsJohn R. Peterson Elementary

John R. Peterson Elementary

PublicRegular
Huntington Beach, California · Huntington Beach City Elementary
Teachers22.0FTE
Ratio23.3:1students per teacher
Students512enrolled
SCHOOL SNAPSHOT
Students512
Grade Span0–5
Student:Teacher23.3:1
Free/Reduced Lunch45%
Title INo
SectorPublic
Student : Teacher
23.9:1
2.6%vs prior yrUS avg 15.4:1
Teacher FTE
20
9.1%vs prior yr
Enrollment
477
6.8%vs prior yr
Years of Data
5
2020–2024
Counselors
ASCA max 1:250
Nurses
NASN max 1:750
Psychologists
1:778
1.3%vs prior yrNASP max 1:500
Social Workers
SSWAA max 1:250
Trends & 5-year history below

Pupil : Teacher Ratio — 5-Year Trend

14.7:116.7:118.7:120.6:122.6:124.6:12020202120222023202423.0:119.8:122.2:123.3:123.9:1This schoolUS public-school avg

Enrollment & Teacher FTE

465499533566600634192123252729202020212022202320246225544895124772728222220EnrollmentTeacher FTE

Year-by-year workforce

Metric20202021202220232024Nat Avg
Enrollment622554489512477
Teacher FTE2728222220
Pupil : Teacher ratio23.0:119.8:122.2:123.3:123.9:115.4:1

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.

Nurses & Psychologists — staff to pupils

1:01:1,2371:2,4741:3,7111:4,9481:6,1852015201720201:5,7271:1,0501:7881:778Nurse : PupilsNASN 1:750Psychologist : PupilsNASP 1:500

Support staffing & ratios — year by year

Metric201520172020Nat Avg
Counselors (FTE)000
Nurses (FTE)00.10
Psychologists (FTE)0.60.80.8
Social Workers (FTE)000
Counselor : Pupils1:250
Nurse : Pupils1:5,7271:750
Psychologist : Pupils1:1,0501:7881:7781:500
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.