Enrollment
260
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Fresno, CA
Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity
Federal NCES profile for Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 060797009345
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 48
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of California schools.
- #16 of 21
- schools in Fresno · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 28.9:1
- large classes for California
- 76.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity has class sizes larger than 94% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity ranks #16 of 21 schools in Fresno, CA.
School address
District: Central Unified · California
NCES ID 060797009345 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
9.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
28.9:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+34% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
76.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
+38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity
Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Fresno, California, enrolling 260 students.
Class loads run heavy: 28.9:1 is larger than about 94% of California schools and 34% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 76.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 260 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 933 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #467.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (70%) and White (14%) (diversity index 49/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 260 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 71.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Fresno's public schools, it stands alongside Yosemite Valley Charter (3,065 students): Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (28.9:1 vs 36.5:1).
Central Unified also operates Justin Garza High (2,095 students) and Central East High (1,741 students) alongside Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity.
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 Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity compares
Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 28.9:1 | ▲ 34% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 76.6% | ▲ 38% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 260 | top 78% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
28.9:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
260
Bigger than 27% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
76.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% 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
28.9:1
students per teacher
- 34% above state mean
Top 94% in California - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
71.2%
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
$14,150
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 260 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 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
Hispanic or Latino 69.6%
White 13.5%
Asian 8.1%
African American 7.7%
Two or More 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 69.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.5, Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Central Unified, which includes Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity.
$14,150
Per student
-14%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.2%
State 65.7%
Federal 12.0%
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 Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Garza High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Central East High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Harvest Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Glacier Point Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rio Vista Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,095
- Students per teacher
- 29.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,741
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 1,010
- Students per teacher
- 29.7:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 947
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 851
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar other schools in Fresno
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Yosemite Valley Charter
Standard public school
3,065 students 36.5:1 students per teacher
Crescent View West Public Charter
Standard public school
1,703 students 30.4:1 students per teacher
Crescent View South Ii
Standard public school
1,260 students 28.6:1 students per teacher
J. E. Young Academic Center
Alternative education program
976 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Fresno County Special Education
Special-education school
597 students 8.4:1 students per teacher
Big Picture Educational Academy
Standard public school
520 students 18.6:1 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 (~260 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~28.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity's federal record.
- Compare Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity against another school. Compare schools
- Central 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 Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity
How many students attend Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity?
Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity has 260 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Fresno, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity is 28.9:1, which is 34% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 84% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity?
76.6% of students at Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity?
The largest demographic group at Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity is Hispanic or Latino at 69.6% of enrollment, in Fresno, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity?
Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (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 Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity rank among schools in Fresno?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity ranks #16 of 21 schools in Fresno, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Fresno on the city page.
Is Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity a good school?
Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% 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 Central Unified?
Besides Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity, Central Unified also operates Justin Garza High (2,095 students), Central East High (1,741 students), and Harvest Elementary (1,010 students). See the Central 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.