Enrollment
716
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Chico, CA
Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High
Federal NCES profile for Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 060837007945
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 52
📋 Attendance 41
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% of California schools.
- #1 of 3
- middle schools in Chico · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.4:1
- small classes for California
- 41.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High has class sizes smaller than 70% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Chico, CA.
School address
District: Chico Unified · California
NCES ID 060837007945 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
41.0%
vs 55.5% California avg
-26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High
Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High is a mid-sized middle school in Chico, California, enrolling 716 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 19.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 41.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 716 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.
Among 1,281 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #58, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (27%) (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 239 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.7% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 14 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Chico's middle schools, it stands alongside Bidwell Junior High (1,012 students): Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19.4:1 vs 24.7:1).
Chico Unified also operates Pleasant Valley High (1,978 students) and Chico High (1,804 students) alongside Marsh (Harry M.) Junior 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 Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High compares
Marsh (Harry M.) Junior 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 | 19.4:1 | ▼ 10% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 41.0% | ▼ 26% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 716 | top 22% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.4:1
Leaner classes than 18% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
716
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
41.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% 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
19.4:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 30% in California - lower ratio than 70% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
23.7%
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
$15,280
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 239 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
33
in-school suspensions + 27 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 14 expulsions.
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
White 51.4%
Hispanic or Latino 26.5%
Two or More 11.5%
Asian 6.7%
African American 2.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 51.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.7, Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chico Unified, which includes Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High.
$15,280
Per student
-7%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.8%
State 51.0%
Federal 13.3%
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 Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Valley High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chico High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bidwell Junior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chico Junior High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shasta Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,978
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,804
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,012
- Students per teacher
- 24.7:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 861
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 621
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar middle schools in Chico
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~716 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High's federal record.
- Compare Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High against another school. Compare schools
- Chico 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 Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High
How many students attend Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High?
Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High has 716 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Chico, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High?
The student-teacher ratio at Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High is 19.4:1, which is 10% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 24% 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 Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High?
41.0% of students at Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High?
The largest demographic group at Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High is White at 51.4% of enrollment, in Chico, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High?
Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High rank among middle schools in Chico?
By Resource Investment Index, Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Chico, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Chico on the city page.
Is Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High a good school?
Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% 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 Chico Unified?
Besides Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High, Chico Unified also operates Pleasant Valley High (1,978 students), Chico High (1,804 students), and Bidwell Junior High (1,012 students). See the Chico 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.