Enrollment
34
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Chico, CA
Center for Alternative Learning
Federal NCES profile for Center for Alternative Learning, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 060837012830
👥 S:T ratio 55
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 86
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Center for Alternative Learning earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 94% of California schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in California.
- #1 of 7
- schools in Chico · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.3:1
- small classes for California
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Center for Alternative Learning has class sizes smaller than 94% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Center for Alternative Learning ranks #1 of 7 schools in Chico, CA.
School address
District: Chico Unified · California
NCES ID 060837012830 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
3.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-47% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 55.5% California avg
+80% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Center for Alternative Learning compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Center for Alternative Learning
Center for Alternative Learning is a high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Chico, California, enrolling 34 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.3:1, Center for Alternative Learning is leaner than roughly 94% of California schools and 47% under the state's 21.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 100.0% of students qualify for free meals, 80% above the California average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 95% of California schools, with 34 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 96% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Against 46 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #20.
Its student body is led by White (38%) and Hispanic or Latino (32%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 68 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Discipline events run high: 21 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 34 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Chico's public schools, it stands alongside Core Butte Charter (916 students): Center for Alternative Learning is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.3:1 vs 18:1).
Chico Unified also operates Pleasant Valley High (1,978 students) and Chico High (1,804 students) alongside Center for Alternative Learning.
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 Center for Alternative Learning compares
Center for Alternative Learning on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.3:1 | ▼ 47% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 80% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 34 | top 95% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.3:1
Leaner classes than 81% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
34
Bigger than 4% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 80% above the California average of 55.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.3:1
students per teacher
- 47% below state mean
Top 6% in California - lower ratio than 94% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 19 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 61.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 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 38.2%
Hispanic or Latino 32.4%
Two or More 14.7%
African American 8.8%
Asian 2.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.9%
Largest group: White at 38.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.8, Center for Alternative Learning is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chico Unified, which includes Center for Alternative Learning.
$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 Center for Alternative Learning Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Valley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chico High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bidwell Junior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chico Junior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Center for Alternative Learning'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
- 1,012
- Students per teacher
- 24.7:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 861
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 716
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar other schools in Chico
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Core Butte Charter
Standard public school
916 students 18:1 students per teacher
Oak Bridge Academy
Alternative education program
188 students 26.9:1 students per teacher
Pivot Charter School North Valley Ii
Standard public school
105 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Oakdale
Alternative education program
92 students 46:1 students per teacher
Academy for Change
Alternative education program
31 students 31:1 students per teacher
Butte County Community
Alternative education program
20 students 6.7:1 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 (~34 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Center for Alternative Learning's federal record.
- Compare Center for Alternative Learning 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 Center for Alternative Learning
How many students attend Center for Alternative Learning?
Center for Alternative Learning has 34 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Chico, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Center for Alternative Learning?
The student-teacher ratio at Center for Alternative Learning is 11.3:1, which is 47% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 28% 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 Center for Alternative Learning?
100.0% of students at Center for Alternative Learning are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Center for Alternative Learning?
The largest demographic group at Center for Alternative Learning is White at 38.2% of enrollment, in Chico, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Center for Alternative Learning?
Center for Alternative Learning has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (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 Center for Alternative Learning rank among schools in Chico?
By Resource Investment Index, Center for Alternative Learning ranks #1 of 7 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 schools in Chico on the city page.
Is Center for Alternative Learning a good school?
Center for Alternative Learning earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 94% 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 Chico Unified?
Besides Center for Alternative Learning, Chico Unified also operates Pleasant Valley High (1,978 students), Chico High (1,804 students), and Bidwell Junior High (1,012 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.