Enrollment
118
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Helendale, CA
Independence Charter Academy
Federal NCES profile for Independence Charter Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 061686013836Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Independence Charter Academy earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 84% of California schools.
- #1 of 4
- public schools in Helendale · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.9:1
- small classes for California
- 66.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Independence Charter Academy has class sizes smaller than 84% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Independence Charter Academy ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Helendale, CA.
School address
District: Helendale Elementary · California
NCES ID 061686013836 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
7.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.9:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
+20% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Independence Charter Academy compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Independence Charter Academy
Independence Charter Academy is a higher-need, small charter combined-grade school in Helendale, California, enrolling 118 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 16.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 66.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 118 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 328 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #159.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (53%) and White (31%) (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 236 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Among Helendale's public schools, it stands alongside Academy of Careers and Exploration (285 students): Independence Charter Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.9:1 vs 20.4:1).
Helendale Elementary also operates Helendale Elementary (541 students) and Academy of Careers and Exploration (285 students) alongside Independence Charter Academy.
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 Charter Academy compares
Independence Charter Academy on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.9:1 | ▼ 21% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.4% | ▲ 20% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 118 | top 88% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.9:1
Leaner classes than 31% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
118
Bigger than 12% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% 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
16.9:1
students per teacher
- 21% below state mean
Top 16% in California - lower ratio than 84% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Funding equity
$13,560
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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 53.4%
White 30.5%
African American 7.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.4%
Two or More 3.4%
Asian 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 53.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.4, Independence Charter Academy is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 1
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Helendale Elementary, which includes Independence Charter Academy.
$13,560
Per student
-18%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.3%
State 72.1%
Federal 7.6%
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 Charter Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helendale Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Academy of Careers and Exploration | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Riverview Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Independence Charter Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 541
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 285
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 141
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar other schools in Helendale
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 (~118 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Independence Charter Academy's federal record.
- Compare Independence Charter Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Helendale Elementary'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 Charter Academy
How many students attend Independence Charter Academy?
Independence Charter Academy has 118 students enrolled. It is a public school in Helendale, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Independence Charter Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Independence Charter Academy is 16.9:1, which is 21% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 8% higher 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 Charter Academy?
66.4% of students at Independence Charter Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Independence Charter Academy?
The largest demographic group at Independence Charter Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 53.4% of enrollment, in Helendale, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Independence Charter Academy?
Independence Charter Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical 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 Charter Academy rank among public schools in Helendale?
By Resource Investment Index, Independence Charter Academy ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Helendale, 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 Helendale on the city page.
Is Independence Charter Academy a good school?
Independence Charter Academy earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 84% 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 Helendale Elementary?
Besides Independence Charter Academy, Helendale Elementary also operates Helendale Elementary (541 students), Academy of Careers and Exploration (285 students), and Riverview Middle (141 students). See the Helendale Elementary 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.