Enrollment
233
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Union City, CA
Decoto School for Independent Study
Federal NCES profile for Decoto School for Independent Study, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 062691013202
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Decoto School for Independent Study earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #2 of 11
- public schools in Union City · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.5:1
- small classes for California
- 43.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Decoto School for Independent Study has class sizes smaller than 88% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Decoto School for Independent Study ranks #2 of 11 public schools in Union City, CA.
School address
District: New Haven Unified · California
NCES ID 062691013202 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
15.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.5:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-28% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
43.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
-21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Decoto School for Independent Study compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Decoto School for Independent Study
Decoto School for Independent Study is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Union City, California, enrolling 233 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 15.5:1, Decoto School for Independent Study is leaner than roughly 88% of California schools and 28% under the state's 21.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 43.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 233 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 521 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #113.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (44%) and Asian (32%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 233 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Among Union City's public schools, it stands alongside Connecting Waters Charter - East Bay (540 students): Decoto School for Independent Study is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.5:1 vs 12.3:1).
New Haven Unified also operates James Logan High (3,096 students) and Itliong-Vera Cruz (1,097 students) alongside Decoto School for Independent Study.
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 Decoto School for Independent Study compares
Decoto School for Independent Study on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.5:1 | ▼ 28% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 43.7% | ▼ 21% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 233 | top 80% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.5:1
Leaner classes than 42% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
233
Bigger than 23% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
43.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% 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
15.5:1
students per teacher
- 28% below state mean
Top 12% in California - lower ratio than 88% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Funding equity
$14,577
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 233 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 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 43.5%
Asian 31.5%
White 9.1%
African American 6.5%
Two or More 5.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 3.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 43.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.5, Decoto School for Independent Study is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for New Haven Unified, which includes Decoto School for Independent Study.
$14,577
Per student
-12%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 43.0%
State 48.8%
Federal 8.2%
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 Decoto School for Independent Study Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Logan High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Itliong-Vera Cruz | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cesar Chavez Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Guy Jr. Emanuele Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Searles Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Decoto School for Independent Study's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,096
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,097
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 990
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 746
- Students per teacher
- 28.7:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
- Enrollment
- 712
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
Similar other schools in Union City
1 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 (~233 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Decoto School for Independent Study's federal record.
- Compare Decoto School for Independent Study against another school. Compare schools
- New Haven 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 Decoto School for Independent Study
How many students attend Decoto School for Independent Study?
Decoto School for Independent Study has 233 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Union City, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Decoto School for Independent Study?
The student-teacher ratio at Decoto School for Independent Study is 15.5:1, which is 28% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 1% 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 Decoto School for Independent Study?
43.7% of students at Decoto School for Independent Study are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Decoto School for Independent Study?
The largest demographic group at Decoto School for Independent Study is Hispanic or Latino at 43.5% of enrollment, in Union City, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Decoto School for Independent Study?
Decoto School for Independent Study has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical 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 Decoto School for Independent Study rank among public schools in Union City?
By Resource Investment Index, Decoto School for Independent Study ranks #2 of 11 public schools in Union City, 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 Union City on the city page.
Is Decoto School for Independent Study a good school?
Decoto School for Independent Study earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 New Haven Unified?
Besides Decoto School for Independent Study, New Haven Unified also operates James Logan High (3,096 students), Itliong-Vera Cruz (1,097 students), and Cesar Chavez Middle (990 students). See the New Haven 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.