High school (grades 9-12) · San Diego, CA

High Tech High Mesa

Federal NCES profile for High Tech High Mesa, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.

2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 060234114220Charter school
0/100100/10026/100
👥 S:T ratio
13
🌟 Gifted program
30
🎓 Counselors
13
📋 Attendance
47
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →

The verdict

High Tech High Mesa earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.

#27 of 41
high schools in San Diego · Resource Index
26
Resource Index · Lower
21.8:1
students per teacher
28.8%
free-lunch eligible

High Tech High Mesa has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.

By Resource Investment Index, High Tech High Mesa ranks #27 of 41 high schools in San Diego, CA.

CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24

-3 students YoY

High Tech High Mesa held near 431 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-3 headcount).

Teacher FTE added 20.0 → 21.0 across the same CCD years.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).

Steady CCD campus

-3 students YoY 060234114220 · San Diego, CA High · SMALL · CHARTER

435 enr · 21.8:1 · 28.8% lunch · RII 26

Nearest enrollment peer: Pagosa Springs High School (435 students)

High Tech High Mesa held near 431 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-3 headcount). Teacher FTE added 20.0 → 21.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →

How High Tech High Mesa compares

High Tech High Mesa 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 21.8:1 ▲ 1% 21.5:1 15.7:1
Free-lunch eligible 28.8% ▼ 48% 55.5% 51.7%
Enrollment 435 top 55% - -

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25

21.8:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
435
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.

Equity indicators methodology

Economic need
28.8%
free-lunch eligible - 48% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
21.8:1
students per teacher - 1% above state mean
Top 51% in California - lower ratio than 49% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
21.4%
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
$12,157
per pupil, district-wide - below California avg of $18,665
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 435 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.

Student demographics

Hispanic or Latino 38.9%
White 37.9%
Asian 14.7%
African American 3.7%
Two or More 3.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%

Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 38.9% of enrollment.

Student-body diversity index 68.1/100

Simpson diversity index - at 68.1, High Tech High Mesa is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.

Programs

AP program Not offered

District finance for High Tech High Mesa District reports $12,157 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.

Similar high schools in San Diego

6 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.

Frequently asked questions about High Tech High Mesa

How many students attend High Tech High Mesa?

High Tech High Mesa has 435 students enrolled. It is a high school in San Diego, CA. CCD year-over-year: 434 (2022-23) → 431 (2023-24), nearly flat (-3).

What is the student-teacher ratio at High Tech High Mesa?

The student-teacher ratio at High Tech High Mesa is 21.8:1, which is 1% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 39% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.

What percentage of students receive free lunch at High Tech High Mesa?

28.8% of students at High Tech High Mesa are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.

What is the racial and ethnic makeup of High Tech High Mesa?

The largest demographic group at High Tech High Mesa is Hispanic or Latino at 38.9% of enrollment, in San Diego, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.1/100.

What is the Resource Investment Index for High Tech High Mesa?

High Tech High Mesa has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (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 High Tech High Mesa rank among high schools in San Diego?

By Resource Investment Index, High Tech High Mesa ranks #27 of 41 high schools in San Diego, 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 San Diego on the city page.

What other schools are in High Tech High Mesa District?

None; High Tech High Mesa District is a single-school charter district, and High Tech High Mesa is its only campus.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) CCD + Public School Universe (2024-25), CRDC (2021-22), F-33 District Finance Survey (FY 2022-23) · 2024-25 Data as of the 2024-25 school year. Coverage from U.S. Department of Education NCES Common Core of Data. Varies by entity type; administrative districts and certain charter networks may report only a subset of fields.

All federal data sources used on this page

Full source list and how we compute each figure: methodology page.

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