Enrollment
916
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Chico, CA
Core Butte Charter
Federal NCES profile for Core Butte Charter, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 060184311953Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 81
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Core Butte Charter earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 79% of California schools.
- #3 of 7
- schools in Chico · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18:1
- small classes for California
- 40.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Core Butte Charter has class sizes smaller than 79% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Core Butte Charter ranks #3 of 7 schools in Chico, CA.
School address
District: Core Butte Charter District · California
NCES ID 060184311953 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
51.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
40.2%
vs 55.5% California avg
-28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Core Butte Charter compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Core Butte Charter
Core Butte Charter is a large charter combined-grade school in Chico, California, enrolling 916 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 18:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 40.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 916 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 944 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #56, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (71%) and Hispanic or Latino (18%) (diversity index 46/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1018 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.8% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Core Butte Charter District spends $12,416 per pupil, 25% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Chico's public schools, it stands alongside Oak Bridge Academy (188 students): Core Butte Charter is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18:1 vs 26.9:1).
Core Butte Charter District is a single-school charter district, so Core Butte Charter operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 Core Butte Charter compares
Core Butte Charter on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18:1 | ▼ 16% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.2% | ▼ 28% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 916 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
916
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
40.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 21% in California - lower ratio than 79% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
7.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$12,416
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
Counselors0.9 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 71.0%
Hispanic or Latino 17.8%
Two or More 8.3%
Asian 1.2%
African American 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 71.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.7, Core Butte Charter is about as mixed as the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Core Butte Charter District, which includes Core Butte Charter.
$12,416
Per student
-25%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 1.6%
State 89.5%
Federal 8.9%
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.
Similar other schools in Chico
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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
Center for Alternative Learning
Alternative education program
34 students 11.3:1 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 (~916 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Core Butte Charter's federal record.
- Compare Core Butte Charter against another school. Compare schools
- Core Butte Charter District'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 Core Butte Charter
How many students attend Core Butte Charter?
Core Butte Charter has 916 students enrolled. It is a public school in Chico, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Core Butte Charter?
The student-teacher ratio at Core Butte Charter is 18:1, which is 16% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 15% higher 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 Core Butte Charter?
40.2% of students at Core Butte Charter are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Core Butte Charter?
The largest demographic group at Core Butte Charter is White at 71.0% of enrollment, in Chico, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Core Butte Charter?
Core Butte Charter has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (typical 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 Core Butte Charter rank among schools in Chico?
By Resource Investment Index, Core Butte Charter ranks #3 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 Core Butte Charter a good school?
Core Butte Charter earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 79% 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 Core Butte Charter District?
None; Core Butte Charter District is a single-school charter district, and Core Butte Charter is its only campus.
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.