Enrollment
683
California · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · San Jose, CA
Kathleen Macdonald High
Federal NCES profile for Kathleen Macdonald High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 0/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 063543014618
👥 S:T ratio 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Kathleen Macdonald High earns 0/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #42 of 42
- high schools in San Jose · Resource Index
- 0
- Resource Index · Lower
- 48.8:1
- large classes for California
- 40.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Kathleen Macdonald High has class sizes larger than 99% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Kathleen Macdonald High ranks #42 of 42 high schools in San Jose, CA.
School address
District: Santa Clara Unified · California
NCES ID 063543014618 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
48.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+127% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
40.2%
vs 55.5% California avg
-28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Kathleen Macdonald High compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Kathleen Macdonald High
Kathleen Macdonald High is a mid-sized high school in San Jose, California, enrolling 683 students.
Class loads run heavy: 48.8:1 is larger than about 99% of California schools and 127% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 40.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 683 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 100% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 1,330 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,328, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (46%) and Asian (32%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
The surrounding Santa Clara Unified spends $24,038 per pupil, 46% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among San Jose's high schools, it stands alongside Evergreen Valley High (2,703 students): Kathleen Macdonald High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (48.8:1 vs 23.7:1).
Santa Clara Unified also operates Santa Clara High (1,663 students) and Adrian Wilcox High (1,614 students) alongside Kathleen Macdonald 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 Kathleen Macdonald High compares
Kathleen Macdonald 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 | 48.8:1 | ▲ 127% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.2% | ▼ 28% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 683 | top 25% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
48.8:1
Leaner classes than 0% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
683
Bigger than 79% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
40.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% 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
48.8:1
students per teacher
- 127% above state mean
Top 99% in California - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Funding equity
$24,038
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.
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 46.0%
Asian 32.0%
White 12.5%
Two or More 5.3%
African American 2.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 46.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.7, Kathleen Macdonald High is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Santa Clara Unified, which includes Kathleen Macdonald High.
$24,038
Per student
+46%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+45%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 81.9%
State 13.2%
Federal 4.9%
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 Kathleen Macdonald High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Adrian Wilcox High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Juan Cabrillo Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Marian a. Peterson Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Buchser Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Kathleen Macdonald High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,663
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,614
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 796
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 759
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 711
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
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 (~683 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~48.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Kathleen Macdonald High's federal record.
- Compare Kathleen Macdonald High against another school. Compare schools
- Santa Clara 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 Kathleen Macdonald High
How many students attend Kathleen Macdonald High?
Kathleen Macdonald High has 683 students enrolled. It is a high school in San Jose, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Kathleen Macdonald High?
The student-teacher ratio at Kathleen Macdonald High is 48.8:1, which is 127% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 211% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Kathleen Macdonald High?
40.2% of students at Kathleen Macdonald High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Kathleen Macdonald High?
The largest demographic group at Kathleen Macdonald High is Hispanic or Latino at 46.0% of enrollment, in San Jose, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Kathleen Macdonald High?
Kathleen Macdonald High has a Resource Investment Index of 0/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 1 factor: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Kathleen Macdonald High rank among high schools in San Jose?
By Resource Investment Index, Kathleen Macdonald High ranks #42 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 Kathleen Macdonald High a good school?
Kathleen Macdonald High earns 0/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% 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 Santa Clara Unified?
Besides Kathleen Macdonald High, Santa Clara Unified also operates Santa Clara High (1,663 students), Adrian Wilcox High (1,614 students), and Juan Cabrillo Middle (796 students). See the Santa Clara 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.