Enrollment
862
California · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · San Jose, CA
James Lick High
Federal NCES profile for James Lick High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 061182001303
👥 S:T ratio 16
📚 AP courses 70
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 57
📋 Attendance 17
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James Lick High earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #18 of 42
- high schools in San Jose · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21:1
- students per teacher
- 42.8%
- free-lunch eligible
James Lick High has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James Lick High ranks #18 of 42 high schools in San Jose, CA.
School address
District: East Side Union High · California
NCES ID 061182001303 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
-23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James Lick High compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at James Lick High
James Lick High is a large high school in San Jose, California, enrolling 862 students.
At 21:1, 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.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 42.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 862 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,027 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #435.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (84% of enrollment) (diversity index 28/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 14 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 216 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among San Jose's high schools, it stands alongside Evergreen Valley High (2,703 students): James Lick High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21:1 vs 23.7:1).
East Side Union High also operates Evergreen Valley High (2,703 students) and Independence High (2,289 students) alongside James Lick 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 James Lick High compares
James Lick 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 | 21:1 | ▼ 2% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.8% | ▼ 23% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 862 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
862
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
42.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% 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
21:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 43% in California - lower ratio than 57% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
33.2%
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
$15,152
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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 216 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 63 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.3 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 83.9%
Asian 10.3%
White 2.8%
African American 1.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Two or More 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 83.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 28.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 28.4, James Lick High is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 14
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for East Side Union High, which includes James Lick High.
$15,152
Per student
-8%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-9%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 48.5%
State 44.9%
Federal 6.6%
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 James Lick High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evergreen Valley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Independence High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Silver Creek High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Santa Teresa High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Piedmont Hills High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James Lick High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,703
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,289
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 2,139
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,134
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,918
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar high schools in San Jose
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Evergreen Valley High
Standard public school
2,703 students 23.7:1 students per teacher
Independence High
Standard public school
2,289 students 20.1:1 students per teacher
Silver Creek High
Standard public school
2,139 students 22.8:1 students per teacher
Santa Teresa High
Standard public school
2,134 students 22:1 students per teacher
Piedmont Hills High
Standard public school
1,918 students 22.8:1 students per teacher
Leigh High
Standard public school
1,884 students 25.8:1 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 (~862 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James Lick High's federal record.
- Compare James Lick High against another school. Compare schools
- East Side Union High'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 James Lick High
How many students attend James Lick High?
James Lick High has 862 students enrolled. It is a high school in San Jose, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James Lick High?
The student-teacher ratio at James Lick High is 21:1, which is 2% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 34% 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 James Lick High?
42.8% of students at James Lick High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James Lick High?
The largest demographic group at James Lick High is Hispanic or Latino at 83.9% of enrollment, in San Jose, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James Lick High?
James Lick High has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical 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 James Lick High rank among high schools in San Jose?
By Resource Investment Index, James Lick High ranks #18 of 42 high schools in San Jose, 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 Jose on the city page.
Is James Lick High a good school?
James Lick High earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 East Side Union High?
Besides James Lick High, East Side Union High also operates Evergreen Valley High (2,703 students), Independence High (2,289 students), and Silver Creek High (2,139 students). See the East Side Union High 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.