Enrollment
56
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Santa Cruz, CA
Ark Independent Studies
Federal NCES profile for Ark Independent Studies, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 10/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 063560007869
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ark Independent Studies earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of California schools.
- #6 of 6
- schools in Santa Cruz · Resource Index
- 10
- Resource Index · Lower
- 28:1
- large classes for California
- 42.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Ark Independent Studies has class sizes larger than 93% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ark Independent Studies ranks #6 of 6 schools in Santa Cruz, CA.
School address
District: Santa Cruz City High · California
NCES ID 063560007869 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
2.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
28:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+30% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
-23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ark Independent Studies compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ark Independent Studies
Ark Independent Studies is a small combined-grade school in Santa Cruz, California, enrolling 56 students.
Class loads run heavy: 28:1 is larger than about 93% of California schools and 30% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 42.6% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 93% of California schools, with 56 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 137 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #135, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (50%) and White (45%) (diversity index 55/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 98.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Santa Cruz's public schools, it stands alongside Santa Cruz County Community (730 students): Ark Independent Studies is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (28:1 vs 24.3:1).
Santa Cruz City High also operates Santa Cruz High (1,093 students) and Soquel High (1,074 students) alongside Ark Independent Studies.
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 Ark Independent Studies compares
Ark Independent Studies on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 28:1 | ▲ 30% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.6% | ▼ 23% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 56 | top 93% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
28:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
56
Bigger than 6% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
42.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
28:1
students per teacher
- 30% above state mean
Top 93% in California - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
98.2%
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.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 50.0%
White 44.6%
Two or More 5.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 50.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.8, Ark Independent Studies is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 4
How Ark Independent Studies Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Soquel High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Harbor High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mission Hill Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Branciforte Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ark Independent Studies's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,093
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,074
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,013
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 510
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 409
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other schools in Santa Cruz
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Santa Cruz County Community
Alternative education program
730 students 24.3:1 students per teacher
Pacific Collegiate Charter
Standard public school
536 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Alternative Family Education
Alternative education program
110 students 27.5:1 students per teacher
Santa Cruz County Special Education
Special-education school
105 students 7.5:1 students per teacher
Santa Cruz County Court
Alternative education program
20 students 5:1 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 (~56 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~28:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ark Independent Studies's federal record.
- Compare Ark Independent Studies against another school. Compare schools
- Santa Cruz City High'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 Ark Independent Studies
How many students attend Ark Independent Studies?
Ark Independent Studies has 56 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Santa Cruz, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ark Independent Studies?
The student-teacher ratio at Ark Independent Studies is 28:1, which is 30% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 78% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ark Independent Studies?
42.6% of students at Ark Independent Studies are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ark Independent Studies?
The largest demographic group at Ark Independent Studies is Hispanic or Latino at 50.0% of enrollment, in Santa Cruz, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ark Independent Studies?
Ark Independent Studies has a Resource Investment Index of 10/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Ark Independent Studies rank among schools in Santa Cruz?
By Resource Investment Index, Ark Independent Studies ranks #6 of 6 schools in Santa Cruz, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Santa Cruz on the city page.
Is Ark Independent Studies a good school?
Ark Independent Studies earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of California schools. 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 Santa Cruz City High?
Besides Ark Independent Studies, Santa Cruz City High also operates Santa Cruz High (1,093 students), Soquel High (1,074 students), and Harbor High (1,013 students). See the Santa Cruz City High 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.