Ralph Dunlap Elementary

Ralph Dunlap Elementary is one of the reasonably sized elementary schools in Santa Maria, California, run under Orcutt Union Elementary, with 502 students on its rolls from grades K through 6.

Orcutt Union Elementary comprises 10 schools with combined enrollment of 4,911 students; Ralph Dunlap Elementary is among them.

Demographically, Ralph Dunlap Elementary shows that 53% of students identify as Hispanic, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. The remainder breaks down as 34% White, 9% multiracial, 3% Asian.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, Ralph Dunlap Elementary has 19 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 26.4:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 22.3:1, putting Ralph Dunlap Elementary higher than the state norm the norm. Roughly 56% of students at Ralph Dunlap Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. Set against Santa Barbara County (around 68%), the school's rate is south of typical.

With demographic context factored in, Ralph Dunlap Elementary tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 46.0% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 33.3%.

In the area at large, census data for Santa Barbara County shows median household earnings sit near $98,161, 37% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 9%. In all, Santa Barbara County runs 129 public schools (combined enrollment of about 66,191 students), of which Ralph Dunlap Elementary is one.

The closest other public school is Orcutt School for Independent Study, roughly 0.0 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Among the 5 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Ralph Dunlap Elementary ranks 4th on composite proficiency, below the local average of 41.5%.

Geographically, the school is in a suburban area.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Ralph Dunlap Elementary has shrank 14%, going from 583 students in 2018 to 502 in 2025. The White share of enrollment contracted from 50% to 34% over that span. Class-load math has widened: from 25.4:1 in 2018 to 26.4:1 in 2025.

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