Enrollment
31
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Chico, CA
Academy for Change
Federal NCES profile for Academy for Change, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 060837011853
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 94
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Academy for Change earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of California schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in California.
- #4 of 7
- schools in Chico · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 31:1
- large classes for California
- 75.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Academy for Change has class sizes larger than 97% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Academy for Change ranks #4 of 7 schools in Chico, CA.
School address
District: Chico Unified · California
NCES ID 060837011853 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
1.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
31:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+44% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
75.0%
vs 55.5% California avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Academy for Change compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Academy for Change
Academy for Change is a high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Chico, California, enrolling 31 students.
Class loads run heavy: 31:1 is larger than about 97% of California schools and 44% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 75.0% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 96% of California schools, with 31 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 134 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #70.
Its student body is led by White (61%) and Hispanic or Latino (19%) (diversity index 57/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 31 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Discipline events run high: 10 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 31 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Chico's public schools, it stands alongside Core Butte Charter (916 students): Academy for Change is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (31:1 vs 18:1).
Chico Unified also operates Pleasant Valley High (1,978 students) and Chico High (1,804 students) alongside Academy for Change.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Academy for Change compares
Academy for Change on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 31:1 | ▲ 44% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 75.0% | ▲ 35% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 31 | top 96% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
31:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
31
Bigger than 4% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
75.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
31:1
students per teacher
- 44% above state mean
Top 97% in California - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Funding equity
$15,280
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 31 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 16.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 32.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 61.3%
Hispanic or Latino 19.4%
Two or More 12.9%
African American 3.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.2%
Largest group: White at 61.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.8, Academy for Change is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chico Unified, which includes Academy for Change.
$15,280
Per student
-7%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.8%
State 51.0%
Federal 13.3%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Academy for Change Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Valley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Chico High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bidwell Junior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Chico Junior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Academy for Change's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,978
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,804
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,012
- Students per teacher
- 24.7:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 861
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 716
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar other schools in Chico
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Core Butte Charter
Standard public school
916 students 18:1 students per teacher
Oak Bridge Academy
Alternative education program
188 students 26.9:1 students per teacher
Pivot Charter School North Valley Ii
Standard public school
105 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Oakdale
Alternative education program
92 students 46:1 students per teacher
Center for Alternative Learning
Alternative education program
34 students 11.3:1 students per teacher
Butte County Community
Alternative education program
20 students 6.7:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~31 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Academy for Change's federal record.
- Compare Academy for Change against another school. Compare schools
- Chico Unified's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Academy for Change
How many students attend Academy for Change?
Academy for Change has 31 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Chico, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Academy for Change?
The student-teacher ratio at Academy for Change is 31:1, which is 44% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 97% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Academy for Change?
75.0% of students at Academy for Change are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Academy for Change?
The largest demographic group at Academy for Change is White at 61.3% of enrollment, in Chico, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Academy for Change?
Academy for Change has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Academy for Change rank among schools in Chico?
By Resource Investment Index, Academy for Change ranks #4 of 7 schools in Chico, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Chico on the city page.
Is Academy for Change a good school?
Academy for Change earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of California schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in California. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Chico Unified?
Besides Academy for Change, Chico Unified also operates Pleasant Valley High (1,978 students), Chico High (1,804 students), and Bidwell Junior High (1,012 students). See the Chico Unified district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.