Enrollment
1,012
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Chico, CA
Bidwell Junior High
Federal NCES profile for Bidwell Junior High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 060837000812
👥 S:T ratio 1
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bidwell Junior High earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of California schools.
- #3 of 3
- middle schools in Chico · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.7:1
- large classes for California
- 43.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Bidwell Junior High has class sizes larger than 77% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bidwell Junior High ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Chico, CA.
School address
District: Chico Unified · California
NCES ID 060837000812 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
43.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
-22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bidwell Junior High compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bidwell Junior High
Bidwell Junior High is a large middle school in Chico, California, enrolling 1,012 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.7:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 43.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 1,012 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 781 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #575, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (56%) and Hispanic or Latino (29%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 506 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 7 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Chico's middle schools, it stands alongside Chico Junior High (861 students): Bidwell Junior High is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (24.7:1 vs 22.7:1).
Chico Unified also operates Pleasant Valley High (1,978 students) and Chico High (1,804 students) alongside Bidwell Junior 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 Bidwell Junior High compares
Bidwell Junior High on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 24.7:1 | ▲ 15% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 43.1% | ▼ 22% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,012 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.7:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,012
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
43.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 22% 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
24.7:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 77% in California - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
32.6%
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
$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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 506 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
13
in-school suspensions + 34 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 7 expulsions.
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 55.6%
Hispanic or Latino 28.9%
Two or More 7.9%
Asian 4.8%
African American 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
Largest group: White at 55.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.9, Bidwell Junior High is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chico Unified, which includes Bidwell Junior High.
$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 Bidwell Junior High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Valley High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chico High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Chico Junior High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Shasta Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bidwell Junior High'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
- 861
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 716
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 621
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar middle schools in Chico
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~1,012 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bidwell Junior High's federal record.
- Compare Bidwell Junior High 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 Bidwell Junior High
How many students attend Bidwell Junior High?
Bidwell Junior High has 1,012 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Chico, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bidwell Junior High?
The student-teacher ratio at Bidwell Junior High is 24.7:1, which is 15% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 57% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bidwell Junior High?
43.1% of students at Bidwell Junior High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bidwell Junior High?
The largest demographic group at Bidwell Junior High is White at 55.6% of enrollment, in Chico, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bidwell Junior High?
Bidwell Junior High has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Bidwell Junior High rank among middle schools in Chico?
By Resource Investment Index, Bidwell Junior High ranks #3 of 3 middle 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 middle schools in Chico on the city page.
Is Bidwell Junior High a good school?
Bidwell Junior High earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% 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 Chico Unified?
Besides Bidwell Junior High, Chico Unified also operates Pleasant Valley High (1,978 students), Chico High (1,804 students), and Chico Junior High (861 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.