Enrollment
15
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Compton, CA
Compton Step
Federal NCES profile for Compton Step, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 060962014520
👥 S:T ratio 70
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Compton Step earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 98% of California schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in California.
- #3 of 4
- schools in Compton · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 7.5:1
- small classes for California
- 64.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Compton Step has class sizes smaller than 98% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Compton Step ranks #3 of 4 schools in Compton, CA.
School address
District: Compton Unified · California
NCES ID 060962014520 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
2.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
7.5:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-65% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
+17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Compton Step compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Compton Step
Compton Step is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Compton, California, enrolling 15 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 7.5:1, Compton Step is leaner than roughly 98% of California schools and 65% under the state's 21.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 64.7% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 98% of California schools, with 15 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 92 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #61.
Its student body is led by African American (47%) and Hispanic or Latino (33%) (diversity index 65/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 66.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 7 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 15 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Compton's public schools, it stands alongside Lifeline Education Charter (698 students): Compton Step is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (7.5:1 vs 22.5:1).
Compton Unified also operates Dominguez High (1,582 students) and Compton High (1,438 students) alongside Compton Step.
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 Compton Step compares
Compton Step on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 7.5:1 | ▼ 65% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.7% | ▲ 17% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 15 | top 98% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
7.5:1
Leaner classes than 96% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
15
Bigger than 2% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
64.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% 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
7.5:1
students per teacher
- 65% below state mean
Top 2% in California - lower ratio than 98% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
66.7%
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
$15,270
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
Counselors0.0 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: 46.7 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
African American 46.7%
Hispanic or Latino 33.3%
Two or More 13.3%
White 6.7%
Largest group: African American at 46.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.9, Compton Step is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Compton Unified, which includes Compton Step.
$15,270
Per student
-8%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 15.5%
State 70.8%
Federal 13.8%
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 Compton Step Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dominguez High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Compton High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Centennial High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Clinton William Jefferson | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kelly Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Compton Step's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,582
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,438
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 908
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 692
- Students per teacher
- 23.9:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 685
- Students per teacher
- 25.4:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar other schools in Compton
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~15 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Compton Step's federal record.
- Compare Compton Step against another school. Compare schools
- Compton 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 Compton Step
How many students attend Compton Step?
Compton Step has 15 students enrolled. It is a special-education school in Compton, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Compton Step?
The student-teacher ratio at Compton Step is 7.5:1, which is 65% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 52% 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 Compton Step?
64.7% of students at Compton Step are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Compton Step?
The largest demographic group at Compton Step is African American at 46.7% of enrollment, in Compton, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Compton Step?
Compton Step has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Compton Step rank among schools in Compton?
By Resource Investment Index, Compton Step ranks #3 of 4 schools in Compton, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Compton on the city page.
Is Compton Step a good school?
Compton Step earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 98% 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 Compton Unified?
Besides Compton Step, Compton Unified also operates Dominguez High (1,582 students), Compton High (1,438 students), and Centennial High (908 students). See the Compton 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.