Enrollment
2,261
California · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Whittier, CA
California High
Federal NCES profile for California High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 064248006950
👥 S:T ratio 16
📚 AP courses 95
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 43
📋 Attendance 26
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
California High earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also one of the largest schools in California.
- #3 of 6
- high schools in Whittier · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.9:1
- students per teacher
- 62.7%
- free-lunch eligible
California High has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, California High ranks #3 of 6 high schools in Whittier, CA.
School address
District: Whittier Union High · California
NCES ID 064248006950 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
108.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.9:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
62.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
+13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How California High compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at California High
California High is a higher-need, large high school in Whittier, California, enrolling 2,261 students.
At 20.9:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 62.7% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in California, bigger than 98% of state schools at 2,261 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 284 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #169.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (93% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 14/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 19 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 283 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Whittier's high schools, it stands alongside La Serna High (2,372 students): California High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (20.9:1 vs 25.5:1).
Whittier Union High also operates La Serna High (2,372 students) and Santa Fe High (1,865 students) alongside California 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 California High compares
California 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 | 20.9:1 | ▼ 3% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 62.7% | ▲ 13% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,261 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.9:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,261
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
62.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% 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
20.9:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 42% in California - lower ratio than 58% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
29.7%
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
$18,738
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors8.0 FTE
Per 283 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 135 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 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
Hispanic or Latino 92.6%
White 4.3%
Asian 1.9%
African American 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Two or More 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 92.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 14.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 14.0, California High is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 19
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Whittier Union High, which includes California High.
$18,738
Per student
+14%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.5%
State 61.9%
Federal 10.5%
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 California High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Serna High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Santa Fe High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Whittier High | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pioneer High | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Frontier High (Continuation) | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to California High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,372
- Students per teacher
- 25.5:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,865
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,652
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,000
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 364
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar high schools in Whittier
5 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
La Serna High
Standard public school
2,372 students 25.5:1 students per teacher
Whittier High
Standard public school
1,652 students 20.4:1 students per teacher
Pioneer High
Standard public school
1,000 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Frontier High (Continuation)
Alternative education program
364 students 13.5:1 students per teacher
Sierra Vista High (Alternative)
Alternative education program
284 students 21.8:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~2,261 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on California High's federal record.
- Compare California High against another school. Compare schools
- Whittier Union 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 California High
How many students attend California High?
California High has 2,261 students enrolled. It is a high school in Whittier, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at California High?
The student-teacher ratio at California High is 20.9:1, which is 3% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 33% 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 California High?
62.7% of students at California High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of California High?
The largest demographic group at California High is Hispanic or Latino at 92.6% of enrollment, in Whittier, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for California High?
California High has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 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 California High rank among high schools in Whittier?
By Resource Investment Index, California High ranks #3 of 6 high schools in Whittier, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Whittier on the city page.
Is California High a good school?
California High earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also one of the largest 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 Whittier Union High?
Besides California High, Whittier Union High also operates La Serna High (2,372 students), Santa Fe High (1,865 students), and Whittier High (1,652 students). See the Whittier Union 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.