Enrollment
740
California · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Richmond, 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 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 063255005037
👥 S:T ratio 28
📚 AP courses 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 51
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John F. Kennedy High earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 79% of California schools.
- #3 of 6
- high schools in Richmond · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18:1
- small classes for California
- 62.9%
- free-lunch eligible
John F. Kennedy High has class sizes smaller than 79% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John F. Kennedy High ranks #3 of 6 high schools in Richmond, CA.
School address
District: West Contra Costa Unified · California
NCES ID 063255005037 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
62.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
+13% 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 higher-need, mid-sized high school in Richmond, California, enrolling 740 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 18:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 62.9% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 740 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,640 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #188.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (76%) and African American (15%) (diversity index 40/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 9 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 247 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 59.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Richmond's high schools, it stands alongside Richmond High (1,280 students): John F. Kennedy High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18:1 vs 18.8:1).
West Contra Costa Unified also operates El Cerrito High (1,460 students) and Richmond High (1,280 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 | 18:1 | ▼ 16% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 62.9% | ▲ 13% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 740 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
740
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
62.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% 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
18:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 21% in California - lower ratio than 79% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
59.7%
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
$17,537
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 247 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 82 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 75.6%
African American 14.7%
Asian 4.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.5%
Two or More 1.5%
White 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 75.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 40.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 40.4, John F. Kennedy High is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 9
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for West Contra Costa Unified, which includes John F. Kennedy High.
$17,537
Per student
+6%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.1%
State 46.9%
Federal 11.0%
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 John F. Kennedy High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Cerrito High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Richmond High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pinole Valley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| De Anza High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hercules High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher 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
- 1,460
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,280
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,245
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,047
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 767
- Students per teacher
- 27.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar high schools in Richmond
5 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Richmond High
Standard public school
1,280 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
De Anza High
Standard public school
1,047 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Leadership Public Schools: Richmond
Standard public school
546 students 27.3:1 students per teacher
John Henry High
Standard public school
333 students 22.2:1 students per teacher
Greenwood Academy
Alternative education program
200 students 14.3:1 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 (~740 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John F. Kennedy High's federal record.
- Compare John F. Kennedy High against another school. Compare schools
- West Contra Costa 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 John F. Kennedy High
How many students attend John F. Kennedy High?
John F. Kennedy High has 740 students enrolled. It is a high school in Richmond, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John F. Kennedy High?
The student-teacher ratio at John F. Kennedy High is 18:1, which is 16% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 15% 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?
62.9% 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 75.6% of enrollment, in Richmond, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John F. Kennedy High?
John F. Kennedy High has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 high schools in Richmond?
By Resource Investment Index, John F. Kennedy High ranks #3 of 6 high schools in Richmond, 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 Richmond on the city page.
Is John F. Kennedy High a good school?
John F. Kennedy High earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 79% 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 West Contra Costa Unified?
Besides John F. Kennedy High, West Contra Costa Unified also operates El Cerrito High (1,460 students), Richmond High (1,280 students), and Pinole Valley High (1,245 students). See the West Contra Costa 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.