Enrollment
25
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Madera, CA
Centennial Independent Study
Federal NCES profile for Centennial Independent Study, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 060006811949
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 75
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Centennial Independent Study earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of California schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in California.
- #4 of 10
- schools in Madera · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.5:1
- small classes for California
- 73.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Centennial Independent Study has class sizes smaller than 93% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Centennial Independent Study ranks #4 of 10 schools in Madera, CA.
School address
District: Golden Valley Unified · California
NCES ID 060006811949 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
2.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.5:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-42% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
73.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
+33% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Centennial Independent Study compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Centennial Independent Study
Centennial Independent Study is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Madera, California, enrolling 25 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 12.5:1, Centennial Independent Study is leaner than roughly 93% of California schools and 42% under the state's 21.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 73.7% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 96% of California schools, with 25 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 94% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Against 135 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #47.
Its student body is led by White (44%) and Hispanic or Latino (40%) (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 125 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
The surrounding Golden Valley Unified spends $12,451 per pupil, 25% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Madera's public schools, it stands alongside Gould Educational Center (351 students): Centennial Independent Study is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.5:1 vs 8:1).
Golden Valley Unified also operates Liberty High (748 students) and Stone Creek Elementary (672 students) alongside Centennial Independent Study.
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 Centennial Independent Study compares
Centennial Independent Study on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.5:1 | ▼ 42% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 73.7% | ▲ 33% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 25 | top 96% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.5:1
Leaner classes than 71% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
25
Bigger than 3% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
73.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 33% 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
12.5:1
students per teacher
- 42% below state mean
Top 7% in California - lower ratio than 93% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$12,451
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.2 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.0 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
White 44.0%
Hispanic or Latino 40.0%
African American 8.0%
Asian 4.0%
Two or More 4.0%
Largest group: White at 44.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.7, Centennial Independent Study is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Golden Valley Unified, which includes Centennial Independent Study.
$12,451
Per student
-25%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.5%
State 49.2%
Federal 8.4%
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 Centennial Independent Study Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Stone Creek Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Webster Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ranchos Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sierra View Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Centennial Independent Study's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 748
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 672
- Students per teacher
- 42:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 634
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 452
- Students per teacher
- 30.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 365
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar other schools in Madera
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Gould Educational Center
Special-education school
351 students 8:1 students per teacher
Duane E. Furman Independent Study
Alternative education program
348 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Pioneer Technical Center
Alternative education program
207 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Madera County Independent Academy
Alternative education program
61 students 30.5:1 students per teacher
Freedom Home
Alternative education program
53 students 53:1 students per teacher
Ripperdan Community Day
Alternative education program
49 students 9.8:1 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 (~25 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Centennial Independent Study's federal record.
- Compare Centennial Independent Study against another school. Compare schools
- Golden Valley 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 Centennial Independent Study
How many students attend Centennial Independent Study?
Centennial Independent Study has 25 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Madera, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Centennial Independent Study?
The student-teacher ratio at Centennial Independent Study is 12.5:1, which is 42% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 20% lower 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 Centennial Independent Study?
73.7% of students at Centennial Independent Study are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Centennial Independent Study?
The largest demographic group at Centennial Independent Study is White at 44.0% of enrollment, in Madera, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Centennial Independent Study?
Centennial Independent Study has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Centennial Independent Study rank among schools in Madera?
By Resource Investment Index, Centennial Independent Study ranks #4 of 10 schools in Madera, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Madera on the city page.
Is Centennial Independent Study a good school?
Centennial Independent Study earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of California schools. It is also one of the smallest 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 Golden Valley Unified?
Besides Centennial Independent Study, Golden Valley Unified also operates Liberty High (748 students), Stone Creek Elementary (672 students), and Webster Elementary (634 students). See the Golden Valley 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.