Enrollment
2,278
Utah · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Sandy, UT
Alta High
Federal NCES profile for Alta High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 490014200659
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 33
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Alta High earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Utah schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Utah.
- #6 of 7
- schools in Sandy · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.6:1
- large classes for Utah
- 11.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Alta High has class sizes larger than 85% of Utah schools. Computed live against every Utah school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Alta High ranks #6 of 7 schools in Sandy, UT.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
89.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.6:1
vs 21.4:1 Utah avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
11.7%
vs 28.0% Utah avg
-58% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Alta High compares with Utah and U.S. medians
What stands out at Alta High
Alta High is a lower-poverty, large combined-grade school in Sandy, Utah, enrolling 2,278 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Utah schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 11.7% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Utah, bigger than 98% of state schools at 2,278 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,065 scored Utah schools.
Among 64 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Utah schools statewide, it ranks #56, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (74%) and Hispanic or Latino (16%) (diversity index 42/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 325 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Canyons District also operates Corner Canyon High (2,437 students) and Brighton High (2,435 students) alongside Alta High.
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 Alta High compares
Alta High on the metrics families compare, against Utah and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Utah | Utah avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 25.6:1 | ▲ 20% | 21.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 11.7% | ▼ 58% | 28.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,278 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.6:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,278
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
11.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 58% below the Utah average of 28.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
25.6:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 85% in Utah - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
26.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$10,509
per pupil, district-wide
- above Utah avg of $9,792
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors7.0 FTE
Per 325 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 29 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.5 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 74.3%
Hispanic or Latino 15.5%
Two or More 4.7%
Asian 2.5%
African American 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 74.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 42.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 42.1, Alta High is about as mixed as the Utah school average of 40.9.
Programs
AP courses offered 29
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Canyons District, which includes Alta High.
$10,509
Per student
+7%
vs Utah
Avg $9,792
-37%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 50.9%
State 37.3%
Federal 11.8%
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 Alta High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corner Canyon High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Brighton High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hillcrest High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jordan High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Draper Park Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Alta High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,437
- Students per teacher
- 26.2:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 2,435
- Students per teacher
- 27.1:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 2,421
- Students per teacher
- 25.2:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,820
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,411
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Utah, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~2,278 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Alta High's federal record.
- Compare Alta High against another school. Compare schools
- Canyons District'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 Alta High
How many students attend Alta High?
Alta High has 2,278 students enrolled. It is a public school in Sandy, UT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Alta High?
The student-teacher ratio at Alta High is 25.6:1, which is 20% higher than the Utah average of 21.4:1 and 63% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Alta High?
11.7% of students at Alta High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Utah average of 28.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Alta High?
The largest demographic group at Alta High is White at 74.3% of enrollment, in Sandy, UT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Alta High?
Alta High has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Alta High rank among schools in Sandy?
By Resource Investment Index, Alta High ranks #6 of 7 schools in Sandy, UT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Sandy on the city page.
Is Alta High a good school?
Alta High earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Utah schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Utah. 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 Canyons District?
Besides Alta High, Canyons District also operates Corner Canyon High (2,437 students), Brighton High (2,435 students), and Hillcrest High (2,421 students). See the Canyons District 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.