- Enrollment
- 3,890
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Signal Hill, CA
Jessie Nelson Academy
Federal NCES profile for Jessie Nelson Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 062250002708
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 19
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Jessie Nelson Academy earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of California schools.
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.2:1
- large classes for California
- 68.5%
- free-lunch eligible
- 832
- students enrolled
Jessie Nelson Academy has class sizes larger than 81% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Long Beach Unified · California
NCES ID 062250002708 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-16 students YoY
Jessie Nelson Academy held near 818 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-16 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 33.8 → 36.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-16 students YoY 062250002708 · Signal Hill, CA Middle · MID · TRAD
832 enr · 25.2:1 · 68.5% lunch · RII 22
Nearest enrollment peer: Polytechnic High (3,890 students)
Jessie Nelson Academy held near 818 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-16 headcount). Teacher FTE added 33.8 → 36.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Jessie Nelson Academy in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Polytechnic Hi
Polytechnic High
3,890 students
- Millikan High
Millikan High
3,408 students
- Wilson High
Wilson High
3,349 students
- Lakewood High
Lakewood High
2,305 students
- Jordan High
Jordan High
2,272 students
- This school 832
Jessie Nelson Academy
832 students
What this shows Jessie Nelson Academy reports 832 students on the CCD universe file.
How Jessie Nelson Academy compares
Jessie Nelson Academy 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 | 25.2:1 | ▲ 17% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.5% | ▲ 23% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 832 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.2:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
832
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
68.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% 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
25.2:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 81% in California - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
32.5%
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
$18,419
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 816 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 58 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 60.0%
Asian 21.8%
African American 12.6%
Two or More 3.0%
White 1.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 60.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.5, Jessie Nelson Academy is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Long Beach Unified reports $18,419 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Jessie Nelson Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polytechnic High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Millikan High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Wilson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lakewood High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Jordan High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Jessie Nelson Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,408
- Students per teacher
- 24.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 3,349
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 2,305
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 2,272
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Nationwide middle 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.
Similar enrollment (~832 students)
Frequently asked questions about Jessie Nelson Academy
How many students attend Jessie Nelson Academy?
Jessie Nelson Academy has 832 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Signal Hill, CA. CCD year-over-year: 834 (2022-23) → 818 (2023-24), nearly flat (-16).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Jessie Nelson Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Jessie Nelson Academy is 25.2:1, which is 17% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 61% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Jessie Nelson Academy?
68.5% of students at Jessie Nelson Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Jessie Nelson Academy?
The largest demographic group at Jessie Nelson Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 60.0% of enrollment, in Signal Hill, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Jessie Nelson Academy?
Jessie Nelson Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (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).
What other schools are in Long Beach Unified?
Besides Jessie Nelson Academy, Long Beach Unified also operates Polytechnic High (3,890 students), Millikan High (3,408 students), and Wilson High (3,349 students). See the Long Beach Unified district page for the complete list.