- Enrollment
- 3,143
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Santa Maria, CA
Ernest Righetti High
Federal NCES profile for Ernest Righetti High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 063567006083
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 46
📋 Attendance 24
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ernest Righetti High earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also one of the largest schools in California.
- #3 of 4
- high schools in Santa Maria · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.6:1
- students per teacher
- 53.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Ernest Righetti High has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ernest Righetti High ranks #3 of 4 high schools in Santa Maria, CA.
School address
District: Santa Maria Joint Union High · California
NCES ID 063567006083 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-70 students YoY
Ernest Righetti High held near 2,424 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-70 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 112.5 → 120.4 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-70 students YoY 063567006083 · Santa Maria, CA High · LARGE · TRAD
2,416 enr · 21.6:1 · 53.8% lunch · RII 29
Nearest enrollment peer: Santa Maria High (3,143 students)
Ernest Righetti High held near 2,424 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-70 headcount). Teacher FTE added 112.5 → 120.4 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Ernest Righetti High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Santa Maria Hi
Santa Maria High
3,143 students
- Pioneer Valley
Pioneer Valley High
3,080 students
- This school
Ernest Righetti High
2,416 students
- Delta High 291
Delta High
291 students
What this shows Ernest Righetti High reports 2,416 students on the CCD universe file.
How Ernest Righetti High compares
Ernest Righetti High held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.6:1 | ▲ 0% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.8% | ▼ 3% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,416 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.6:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,416
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
53.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% 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
21.6:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 49% in California - lower ratio than 51% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
30.3%
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
$17,168
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors9.0 FTE
Per 268 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 132 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 75.4%
White 17.6%
Asian 3.2%
Two or More 1.4%
African American 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 75.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 39.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 39.9, Ernest Righetti High is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 15
District finance for Santa Maria Joint Union High reports $17,168 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Ernest Righetti High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pioneer Valley High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Delta High | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ernest Righetti High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,080
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 291
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Similar high schools in Santa Maria
3 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Nationwide high schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~2,416 students)
Frequently asked questions about Ernest Righetti High
How many students attend Ernest Righetti High?
Ernest Righetti High has 2,416 students enrolled. It is a high school in Santa Maria, CA. CCD year-over-year: 2,494 (2022-23) → 2,424 (2023-24), nearly flat (-70).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ernest Righetti High?
The student-teacher ratio at Ernest Righetti High is 21.6:1, which is 0% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 38% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ernest Righetti High?
53.8% of students at Ernest Righetti High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ernest Righetti High?
The largest demographic group at Ernest Righetti High is Hispanic or Latino at 75.4% of enrollment, in Santa Maria, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ernest Righetti High?
Ernest Righetti High has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Ernest Righetti High rank among high schools in Santa Maria?
By Resource Investment Index, Ernest Righetti High ranks #3 of 4 high schools in Santa Maria, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Santa Maria on the city page.
What other schools are in Santa Maria Joint Union High?
Besides Ernest Righetti High, Santa Maria Joint Union High also operates Santa Maria High (3,143 students), Pioneer Valley High (3,080 students), and Delta High (291 students). See the Santa Maria Joint Union High district page for the complete list.