Enrollment
166
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lodi, CA
Independence
Federal NCES profile for Independence, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 62/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 062223008320
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 67
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Independence earns 62/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of California schools.
- #1 of 4
- schools in Lodi · Resource Index
- 62
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.8:1
- small classes for California
- 59.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Independence has class sizes smaller than 93% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Independence ranks #1 of 4 schools in Lodi, CA.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-40% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
+7% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Independence compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Independence
Independence is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Lodi, California, enrolling 166 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 12.8:1, Independence is leaner than roughly 93% of California schools and 40% under the state's 21.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 59.4% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 166 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 98% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 427 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #18, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (53%) and White (18%) (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 166 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Among Lodi's public schools, it stands alongside Vista Oaks Charter (999 students): Independence is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.8:1 vs 28.5:1).
Lodi Unified also operates Tokay High (2,058 students) and Lodi High (1,952 students) alongside Independence.
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 Independence compares
Independence on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.8:1 | ▼ 40% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.4% | ▲ 7% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 166 | top 85% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.8:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
166
Bigger than 16% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 7% 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
12.8:1
students per teacher
- 40% below state mean
Top 7% in California - lower ratio than 93% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$15,195
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 166 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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
Hispanic or Latino 52.7%
White 18.2%
Asian 18.2%
African American 6.1%
Two or More 3.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 52.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.1, Independence is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 3
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lodi Unified, which includes Independence.
$15,195
Per student
-8%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.6%
State 64.1%
Federal 14.4%
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 Independence Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokay High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lodi High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bear Creek High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ronald E. Mcnair High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lodi Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Independence's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,058
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,952
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,925
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 1,644
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 893
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
Similar other schools in Lodi
3 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 (~166 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Independence's federal record.
- Compare Independence against another school. Compare schools
- Lodi 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 Independence
How many students attend Independence?
Independence has 166 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Lodi, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Independence?
The student-teacher ratio at Independence is 12.8:1, which is 40% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 18% 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 Independence?
59.4% of students at Independence are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Independence?
The largest demographic group at Independence is Hispanic or Latino at 52.7% of enrollment, in Lodi, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Independence?
Independence has a Resource Investment Index of 62/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Independence rank among schools in Lodi?
By Resource Investment Index, Independence ranks #1 of 4 schools in Lodi, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Lodi on the city page.
Is Independence a good school?
Independence earns 62/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% 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 Lodi Unified?
Besides Independence, Lodi Unified also operates Tokay High (2,058 students), Lodi High (1,952 students), and Bear Creek High (1,925 students). See the Lodi 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.