El Centro Elementary
El Centro Elementary is a public school district based in El Centro, California, serving 5,157 students in 13 schools. By enrollment it ranks #250 of the 554 California districts with 1,000 or more students, larger than about 55% of them. Its schools average 397 students each, fewer than the California median of 533. Its superintendent is Ruben Castro. It spends about $15,218 per student on day-to-day operations, 11% more than the California median. It has roughly 21.5 students per teacher.
How El Centro Elementary compares
Spending and staffing
| Measure | El Centro Elementary | California median | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current spending per student | $15,218 | $13,724 | FY2020-21 |
| Instruction spending per student | $9,298 | $8,321 | FY2020-21 |
| Total spending | $91.1 million | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Total revenue | $97.2 million | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Teachers (full-time equivalent) | 240 | n/a | 2024-25 |
| Total staff (full-time equivalent) | 761 | n/a | 2024-25 |
| Students per teacher | 21.5 | 21.7 | 2024-25 |
| Students per counselor | 1,289 | 474 | 2024-25 |
Spending: NCES school district finance survey (F-33), FY2020-21. Staffing and enrollment: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25. Via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. The California median compares districts with 1,000 or more students.
Leadership
Moves tracker →Ruben Castro
Source: California Department of Education, School Directory, checked 2026-10-19. Report a change
In the news
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Peer districts in California
Compare side by side →| District | Students | Schools | Spending per student | Students per teacher | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rio ElementaryOxnard | 5,251 | 9 | $14,050 | 23.5 | #249 |
| El Centro ElementaryEl Centro · this district | 5,157 | 13 | $15,218 | 21.5 | #250 |
| Sulphur Springs UnionCanyon Country | 5,157 | 10 | $12,331 | 24.9 | #251 |
| Oakley Union ElementaryOakley | 5,131 | 9 | $11,561 | 22.9 | #252 |
| Oakdale Joint UnifiedOakdale | 5,118 | 9 | $12,085 | 22.3 | #253 |
Similar-size districts nationally
| District | Students | Spending per student | Students per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison CountyDanielsville, GA | 5,165 | $12,232 | 13.5 |
| Jackson CountyHollywood, AL | 5,159 | $11,093 | 18.0 |
| Humboldt Unified District (4469)Prescott Vly, AZ | 5,159 | $8,755 | 18.3 |
| Mount Pleasant ISDMount Pleasant, TX | 5,153 | $10,629 | 12.7 |
Peers are the districts closest in enrollment, so they can still differ in many other ways. Enrollment, school counts and phone numbers are from the NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25.
Printed from Superintendent's Corner: https://superintendentscorner.com/district-ca-el-centro-elementary