Enrollment
235
California · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · San Francisco, CA
Independence High
Federal NCES profile for Independence High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 063441007840
👥 S:T ratio 41
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Independence High earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 90% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #11 of 21
- high schools in San Francisco · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 14.7:1
- small classes for California
- 48.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Independence High has class sizes smaller than 90% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Independence High ranks #11 of 21 high schools in San Francisco, CA.
School address
District: San Francisco Unified · California
NCES ID 063441007840 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-32% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
-12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Independence High compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Independence High
Independence High is a mid-sized high school in San Francisco, California, enrolling 235 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 14.7:1, Independence High is leaner than roughly 90% of California schools and 32% under the state's 21.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 48.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 235 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 562 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #155.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (32%) and White (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 78/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 72.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding San Francisco Unified spends $23,654 per pupil, 43% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among San Francisco's high schools, it stands alongside Five Keys Independence Hs (Sf Sheriff's) (3,447 students): Independence High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.7:1 vs 61.6:1).
San Francisco Unified also operates Lowell High (2,571 students) and Lincoln (Abraham) High (2,074 students) alongside Independence 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 Independence High compares
Independence 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 | 14.7:1 | ▼ 32% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.8% | ▼ 12% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 235 | top 80% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
235
Bigger than 23% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% 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
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 32% below state mean
Top 10% in California - lower ratio than 90% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
72.8%
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
$23,654
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.7 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 32.2%
White 22.3%
African American 17.2%
Two or More 16.7%
Asian 9.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 32.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 77.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 77.9, Independence High is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for San Francisco Unified, which includes Independence High.
$23,654
Per student
+43%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+43%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 56.8%
State 31.2%
Federal 12.0%
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 High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowell High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lincoln (Abraham) High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Washington (George) High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Galileo High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Balboa High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Independence High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,571
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,074
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 2,068
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,750
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,238
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar high schools in San Francisco
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Five Keys Independence Hs (Sf Sheriff's)
Standard public school
3,447 students 61.6:1 students per teacher
Lowell High
Standard public school
2,571 students 23.4:1 students per teacher
Lincoln (Abraham) High
Standard public school
2,074 students 23.8:1 students per teacher
Washington (George) High
Standard public school
2,068 students 24:1 students per teacher
Galileo High
Standard public school
1,750 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Balboa High
Standard public school
1,238 students 21.3:1 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 (~235 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Independence High's federal record.
- Compare Independence High against another school. Compare schools
- San Francisco 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 High
How many students attend Independence High?
Independence High has 235 students enrolled. It is a high school in San Francisco, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Independence High?
The student-teacher ratio at Independence High is 14.7:1, which is 32% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 6% 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 High?
48.8% of students at Independence High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Independence High?
The largest demographic group at Independence High is Hispanic or Latino at 32.2% of enrollment, in San Francisco, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 77.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Independence High?
Independence High has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Independence High rank among high schools in San Francisco?
By Resource Investment Index, Independence High ranks #11 of 21 high schools in San Francisco, 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 Francisco on the city page.
Is Independence High a good school?
Independence High earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 90% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 San Francisco Unified?
Besides Independence High, San Francisco Unified also operates Lowell High (2,571 students), Lincoln (Abraham) High (2,074 students), and Washington (George) High (2,068 students). See the San Francisco 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.