Joe Hamilton Elementary

Joe Hamilton Elementary operates as a small K-5 school in Crescent City, California, part of Del Norte County Unified. Current enrollment sits at 298 students spanning grades K through 5. Enrollment runs roughly 36% leaner than the state mean of about 465.

Del Norte County Unified runs 11 schools in total, collectively educating 3,378 students. Joe Hamilton Elementary is one of those campuses.

On demographics, Joe Hamilton Elementary lists that 45% of students identify as White, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups; the rest reads as 22% Hispanic, 14% Native American, 12% multiracial, 6% Asian. That is meaningfully less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 64%.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, Joe Hamilton Elementary has 15 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 20.5:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 22.3:1, putting Joe Hamilton Elementary tighter than the state norm the norm. Roughly 82% of students at Joe Hamilton Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. By comparison, Del Norte County runs at roughly 69%, so the school's eligibility rate is higher than the surrounding baseline.

After controlling for student poverty, Joe Hamilton Elementary tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 30.9% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 22.5%.

Around the school, ACS estimates for Del Norte County put the typical household earns roughly $67,058 per year, 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 8%. Joe Hamilton Elementary is one of 16 public schools in Del Norte County (combined enrollment of about 4,003 students).

Nearest neighbor: Crescent Elk Middle, around 0.1 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. On composite proficiency, Joe Hamilton Elementary comes 3rd of 7 in the immediate cluster, higher than the nearby-schools average of 21.3%.

Geographically, the school is in a small-town area.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Joe Hamilton Elementary has edged down 14%, going from 345 students in 2018 to 298 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share fell from 53% to 45%. The student-to-teacher ratio tightened from 23.0:1 in 2018 to 20.5:1 today.

Inside the community feed, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.