- Enrollment
- 1,943
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Atwater, CA
Atwater High
Federal NCES profile for Atwater High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 062466003699
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Atwater High earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also one of the largest schools in California.
- #13 of 13
- public schools in Atwater · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.1:1
- students per teacher
- 65.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Atwater High has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Atwater High ranks #13 of 13 public schools in Atwater, CA.
School address
District: Merced Union High · California
NCES ID 062466003699 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-44 students YoY
Atwater High held near 2,051 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-44 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 96.2 → 99.2 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-44 students YoY 062466003699 · Atwater, CA High · LARGE · TRAD
2,029 enr · 21.1:1 · 65.1% lunch · RII 21
Nearest enrollment peer: Merced High (1,943 students)
Atwater High held near 2,051 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-44 headcount). Teacher FTE added 96.2 → 99.2 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Atwater High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- This school
Atwater High
2,029 students
- Merced High
Merced High
1,943 students
- Golden Valley
Golden Valley High
1,917 students
- El Capitan Hig
El Capitan High
1,793 students
- Buhach Colony
Buhach Colony High
1,704 students
- Livingston Hig
Livingston High
1,169 students
What this shows Atwater High reports 2,029 students on the CCD universe file.
How Atwater High compares
Atwater High held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.1:1 | ▼ 2% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 65.1% | ▲ 17% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,029 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.1:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,029
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
65.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% 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
21.1:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 44% in California - lower ratio than 56% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
40.6%
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
$16,578
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 507 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 72 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 11 expulsions.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 81.5%
White 12.4%
Asian 2.7%
Two or More 1.6%
African American 1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 81.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 31.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 31.9, Atwater High is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 10
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Merced Union High reports $16,578 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Atwater High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merced High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Golden Valley High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| El Capitan High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Buhach Colony High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Livingston High | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Atwater High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,917
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 1,793
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,704
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,169
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar high schools in Atwater
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Nationwide high schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~2,029 students)
Frequently asked questions about Atwater High
How many students attend Atwater High?
Atwater High has 2,029 students enrolled. It is a high school in Atwater, CA. CCD year-over-year: 2,095 (2022-23) → 2,051 (2023-24), nearly flat (-44).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Atwater High?
The student-teacher ratio at Atwater High is 21.1:1, which is 2% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 34% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Atwater High?
65.1% of students at Atwater High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Atwater High?
The largest demographic group at Atwater High is Hispanic or Latino at 81.5% of enrollment, in Atwater, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Atwater High?
Atwater High has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Atwater High rank among public schools in Atwater?
By Resource Investment Index, Atwater High ranks #13 of 13 public schools in Atwater, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Atwater on the city page.
What other schools are in Merced Union High?
Besides Atwater High, Merced Union High also operates Merced High (1,943 students), Golden Valley High (1,917 students), and El Capitan High (1,793 students). See the Merced Union High district page for the complete list.