Enrollment
1,983
California · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · La Palma, CA
John F. Kennedy High
Federal NCES profile for John F. Kennedy High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 060263000177
👥 S:T ratio 16
📚 AP courses 65
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 49
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John F. Kennedy High earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also one of the largest schools in California.
- #5 of 5
- public schools in La Palma · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.1:1
- students per teacher
- 44.1%
- free-lunch eligible
John F. Kennedy High has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John F. Kennedy High ranks #5 of 5 public schools in La Palma, CA.
School address
District: Anaheim Union High · California
NCES ID 060263000177 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
94.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
44.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
-21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John F. Kennedy High compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at John F. Kennedy High
John F. Kennedy High is a large high school in La Palma, California, enrolling 1,983 students.
At 21.1:1, 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 44.1% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in California, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,983 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 295 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #33.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (45%) and Asian (31%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 13 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 331 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.4% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Anaheim Union High also operates Cypress High (2,685 students) and Anaheim High (2,667 students) alongside John F. Kennedy 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 John F. Kennedy High compares
John F. Kennedy 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 | 21.1:1 | ▼ 2% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.1% | ▼ 21% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,983 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.1:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,983
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
44.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% 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
21.1:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 44% in California - lower ratio than 56% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
20.4%
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
$16,725
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 331 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 63 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.2 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 45.1%
Asian 31.4%
White 13.8%
Two or More 5.0%
African American 3.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 45.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.5, John F. Kennedy High is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 13
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Anaheim Union High, which includes John F. Kennedy High.
$16,725
Per student
+1%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.7%
State 57.5%
Federal 12.8%
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 John F. Kennedy High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cypress High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Anaheim High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Katella High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Magnolia High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Loara High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John F. Kennedy High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,685
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,667
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,326
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,608
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,539
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
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 (~1,983 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John F. Kennedy High's federal record.
- Compare John F. Kennedy High against another school. Compare schools
- Anaheim 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 John F. Kennedy High
How many students attend John F. Kennedy High?
John F. Kennedy High has 1,983 students enrolled. It is a high school in La Palma, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John F. Kennedy High?
The student-teacher ratio at John F. Kennedy High is 21.1:1, 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 John F. Kennedy High?
44.1% of students at John F. Kennedy High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John F. Kennedy High?
The largest demographic group at John F. Kennedy High is Hispanic or Latino at 45.1% of enrollment, in La Palma, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John F. Kennedy High?
John F. Kennedy High has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 John F. Kennedy High rank among public schools in La Palma?
By Resource Investment Index, John F. Kennedy High ranks #5 of 5 public schools in La Palma, 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 La Palma on the city page.
Is John F. Kennedy High a good school?
John F. Kennedy High earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also one of the largest schools in California. 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 Anaheim Union High?
Besides John F. Kennedy High, Anaheim Union High also operates Cypress High (2,685 students), Anaheim High (2,667 students), and Katella High (2,326 students). See the Anaheim 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.