Enrollment
236
California · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Fullerton, CA
La Sierra High (Alternative)
Federal NCES profile for La Sierra High (Alternative), including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 061476007723
👥 S:T ratio 57
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
La Sierra High (Alternative) earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 95% of California schools.
- #2 of 5
- high schools in Fullerton · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.7:1
- small classes for California
- 42.9%
- free-lunch eligible
La Sierra High (Alternative) has class sizes smaller than 95% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, La Sierra High (Alternative) ranks #2 of 5 high schools in Fullerton, CA.
School address
District: Fullerton Joint Union High · California
NCES ID 061476007723 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-50% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
-23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How La Sierra High (Alternative) compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at La Sierra High (Alternative)
La Sierra High (Alternative) is a mid-sized high school in Fullerton, California, enrolling 236 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10.7:1, La Sierra High (Alternative) is leaner than roughly 95% of California schools and 50% under the state's 21.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 42.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 236 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 522 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #49, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (76%) and White (12%) (diversity index 40/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 236 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Among Fullerton's high schools, it stands alongside Troy High (2,504 students): La Sierra High (Alternative) is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10.7:1 vs 23:1).
Fullerton Joint Union High also operates Troy High (2,504 students) and Sunny Hills High (2,337 students) alongside La Sierra High (Alternative).
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 La Sierra High (Alternative) compares
La Sierra High (Alternative) on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10.7:1 | ▼ 50% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.9% | ▼ 23% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 236 | top 80% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.7:1
Leaner classes than 85% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
236
Bigger than 24% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
42.9%
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
10.7:1
students per teacher
- 50% below state mean
Top 5% in California - lower ratio than 95% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$14,663
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 236 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 22 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.7 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 76.2%
White 11.9%
Asian 8.5%
Two or More 2.1%
African American 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 76.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 39.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 39.7, La Sierra High (Alternative) is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fullerton Joint Union High, which includes La Sierra High (Alternative).
$14,663
Per student
-11%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 50.4%
State 41.3%
Federal 8.3%
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 La Sierra High (Alternative) Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Troy High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sunny Hills High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| La Habra High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fullerton Union High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sonora High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to La Sierra High (Alternative)'s own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,504
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 2,337
- Students per teacher
- 26:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,881
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,880
- Students per teacher
- 25.1:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 1,779
- Students per teacher
- 24.7:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar high schools in Fullerton
4 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Troy High
Standard public school
2,504 students 23:1 students per teacher
Sunny Hills High
Standard public school
2,337 students 26:1 students per teacher
Fullerton Union High
Standard public school
1,880 students 25.1:1 students per teacher
La Vista High (Continuation)
Alternative education program
298 students 14.9:1 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 (~236 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on La Sierra High (Alternative)'s federal record.
- Compare La Sierra High (Alternative) against another school. Compare schools
- Fullerton Joint 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 La Sierra High (Alternative)
How many students attend La Sierra High (Alternative)?
La Sierra High (Alternative) has 236 students enrolled. It is a high school in Fullerton, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at La Sierra High (Alternative)?
The student-teacher ratio at La Sierra High (Alternative) is 10.7:1, which is 50% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 32% lower 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 La Sierra High (Alternative)?
42.9% of students at La Sierra High (Alternative) are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of La Sierra High (Alternative)?
The largest demographic group at La Sierra High (Alternative) is Hispanic or Latino at 76.2% of enrollment, in Fullerton, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for La Sierra High (Alternative)?
La Sierra High (Alternative) has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does La Sierra High (Alternative) rank among high schools in Fullerton?
By Resource Investment Index, La Sierra High (Alternative) ranks #2 of 5 high schools in Fullerton, 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 Fullerton on the city page.
Is La Sierra High (Alternative) a good school?
La Sierra High (Alternative) earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 95% 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 Fullerton Joint Union High?
Besides La Sierra High (Alternative), Fullerton Joint Union High also operates Troy High (2,504 students), Sunny Hills High (2,337 students), and La Habra High (1,881 students). See the Fullerton Joint 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.