CaliforniaSchoolsFoster City Elementary

Foster City Elementary

PublicRegular
Foster City, California · San Mateo-Foster City
Teachers30.0FTE
Ratio22.6:1students per teacher
Students679enrolled
SCHOOL SNAPSHOT
Students679
Grade Span0–5
Student:Teacher22.6:1
Free/Reduced Lunch12%
Title INo
SectorPublic
Visit school website →
Student : Teacher
21.5:1
4.9%vs prior yrUS avg 15.4:1
Teacher FTE
29
3.3%vs prior yr
Enrollment
624
8.1%vs prior yr
Years of Data
5
2020–2024
Counselors
ASCA max 1:250
Nurses
1:214
95.8%vs prior yrNASN max 1:750
Psychologists
NASP max 1:500
Social Workers
SSWAA max 1:250
Trends & 5-year history below

Pupil : Teacher Ratio — 5-Year Trend

14.7:116.7:118.6:120.5:122.4:124.4:12020202120222023202423.7:121.1:121.2:122.6:121.5:1Foster City ElementaryUS public-school avg

Enrollment & Teacher FTE

606659712766819872283032333537202020212022202320248547596996796243636333029EnrollmentTeacher FTE

Year-by-year workforce

Metric20202021202220232024Nat Avg
Enrollment854759699679624
Teacher FTE3636333029
Pupil : Teacher ratio23.7:121.1:121.2:122.6:121.5:115.4:1

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

1:01:1,1021:2,2031:3,3051:4,4061:5,508201520201:5,1001:2141:867Nurse : PupilsNASN 1:750Psychologist : PupilsNASP 1:500

Support staffing & ratios — year by year

Metric20152020Nat Avg
Counselors (FTE)0
Nurses (FTE)0.24
Psychologists (FTE)1
Social Workers (FTE)0
Counselor : Pupils1:250
Nurse : Pupils1:5,1001:2141:750
Psychologist : Pupils1:8671:500
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.