Enrollment
2,059
California · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Visalia, CA
Golden West High
Federal NCES profile for Golden West 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 064116006792
👥 S:T ratio 10
📚 AP courses 60
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 14
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Golden West 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.
- #4 of 7
- high schools in Visalia · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.4:1
- students per teacher
- 62.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Golden West High has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Golden West High ranks #4 of 7 high schools in Visalia, CA.
School address
District: Visalia Unified · California
NCES ID 064116006792 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
92.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
62.5%
vs 55.5% California avg
+13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Golden West High compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Golden West High
Golden West High is a higher-need, large high school in Visalia, California, enrolling 2,059 students.
At 22.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 62.5% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in California, bigger than 97% of state schools at 2,059 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 310 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #255, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (77%) and White (13%) (diversity index 39/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 12 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 343 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 8 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Visalia's high schools, it stands alongside Redwood High (2,490 students): Golden West High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (22.4:1 vs 24.2:1).
Visalia Unified also operates Redwood High (2,490 students) and El Diamante High (1,890 students) alongside Golden West High.
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 Golden West High compares
Golden West High on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 22.4:1 | ▲ 4% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 62.5% | ▲ 13% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,059 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.4:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,059
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
62.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% 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
22.4:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 57% in California - lower ratio than 43% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
34.2%
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
$14,150
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
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 343 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 190 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 8 expulsions.
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 77.0%
White 12.6%
Asian 4.8%
Two or More 4.3%
African American 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 77.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 38.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 38.7, Golden West High is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 12
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Visalia Unified, which includes Golden West High.
$14,150
Per student
-14%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.1%
State 69.0%
Federal 12.9%
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.
How Golden West High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redwood High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| El Diamante High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mt. Whitney High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ridgeview Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Valley Oak Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Golden West High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,490
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 1,890
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 1,637
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 975
- Students per teacher
- 28.7:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 952
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 11/100
Similar high schools in Visalia
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Redwood High
Standard public school
2,490 students 24.2:1 students per teacher
El Diamante High
Standard public school
1,890 students 21.2:1 students per teacher
Mt. Whitney High
Standard public school
1,637 students 21:1 students per teacher
Sequoia High
Alternative education program
280 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
University Preparatory High
Standard public school
253 students 28.1:1 students per teacher
Visalia Technical Early College
Standard public school
216 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
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 (~2,059 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Golden West High's federal record.
- Compare Golden West High against another school. Compare schools
- Visalia 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 Golden West High
How many students attend Golden West High?
Golden West High has 2,059 students enrolled. It is a high school in Visalia, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Golden West High?
The student-teacher ratio at Golden West High is 22.4:1, which is 4% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 43% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Golden West High?
62.5% of students at Golden West High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Golden West High?
The largest demographic group at Golden West High is Hispanic or Latino at 77.0% of enrollment, in Visalia, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Golden West High?
Golden West High has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Golden West High rank among high schools in Visalia?
By Resource Investment Index, Golden West High ranks #4 of 7 high schools in Visalia, 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 Visalia on the city page.
Is Golden West High a good school?
Golden West 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. 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 Visalia Unified?
Besides Golden West High, Visalia Unified also operates Redwood High (2,490 students), El Diamante High (1,890 students), and Mt. Whitney High (1,637 students). See the Visalia 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.