Enrollment
27
California · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Colusa, CA
Colusa Alternative High (Continuation)
Federal NCES profile for Colusa Alternative High (Continuation), including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 060957008128
👥 S:T ratio 0
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 82
📋 Attendance 26
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Colusa Alternative High (Continuation) earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of California schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in California.
- #2 of 5
- public schools in Colusa · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 27:1
- large classes for California
- 79.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Colusa Alternative High (Continuation) has class sizes larger than 89% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Colusa Alternative High (Continuation) ranks #2 of 5 public schools in Colusa, CA.
School address
District: Colusa Unified · California
NCES ID 060957008128 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
1.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
27:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
79.2%
vs 55.5% California avg
+43% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Colusa Alternative High (Continuation) compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Colusa Alternative High (Continuation)
Colusa Alternative High (Continuation) is a high-poverty, small high school in Colusa, California, enrolling 27 students.
Class loads run heavy: 27:1 is larger than about 89% of California schools and 26% 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 79.2% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 96% of California schools, with 27 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 130 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #83.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (78%) and White (19%) (diversity index 36/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 90 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Colusa Unified spends $12,834 per pupil, 22% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 7 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 27 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Colusa's high schools, it stands alongside Colusa High (431 students): Colusa Alternative High (Continuation) is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (27:1 vs 20.5:1).
Colusa Unified also operates George T. Egling Middle (553 students) and Colusa High (431 students) alongside Colusa Alternative High (Continuation).
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 Colusa Alternative High (Continuation) compares
Colusa Alternative High (Continuation) on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 27:1 | ▲ 26% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 79.2% | ▲ 43% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 27 | top 96% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
27:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
27
Bigger than 3% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
79.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 43% 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
27:1
students per teacher
- 26% above state mean
Top 89% in California - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
29.6%
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
$12,834
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
Counselors0.3 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.9 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 77.8%
White 18.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 77.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 35.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 35.9, Colusa Alternative High (Continuation) is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Colusa Unified, which includes Colusa Alternative High (Continuation).
$12,834
Per student
-22%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.1%
State 67.5%
Federal 7.5%
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 Colusa Alternative High (Continuation) Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| George T. Egling Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Colusa High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| James M. Burchfield Primary | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Colusa Alternative Home | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Colusa Alternative High (Continuation)'s own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 553
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 431
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 430
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 29
- Students per teacher
- 29:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar high schools in Colusa
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
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 (~27 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~27:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Colusa Alternative High (Continuation)'s federal record.
- Compare Colusa Alternative High (Continuation) against another school. Compare schools
- Colusa 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 Colusa Alternative High (Continuation)
How many students attend Colusa Alternative High (Continuation)?
Colusa Alternative High (Continuation) has 27 students enrolled. It is a high school in Colusa, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Colusa Alternative High (Continuation)?
The student-teacher ratio at Colusa Alternative High (Continuation) is 27:1, which is 26% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 72% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Colusa Alternative High (Continuation)?
79.2% of students at Colusa Alternative High (Continuation) are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Colusa Alternative High (Continuation)?
The largest demographic group at Colusa Alternative High (Continuation) is Hispanic or Latino at 77.8% of enrollment, in Colusa, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Colusa Alternative High (Continuation)?
Colusa Alternative High (Continuation) has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Colusa Alternative High (Continuation) rank among public schools in Colusa?
By Resource Investment Index, Colusa Alternative High (Continuation) ranks #2 of 5 public schools in Colusa, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Colusa on the city page.
Is Colusa Alternative High (Continuation) a good school?
Colusa Alternative High (Continuation) earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% 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 Colusa Unified?
Besides Colusa Alternative High (Continuation), Colusa Unified also operates George T. Egling Middle (553 students), Colusa High (431 students), and James M. Burchfield Primary (430 students). See the Colusa 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.