Enrollment
271
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Ojai, CA
Matilija Middle
Federal NCES profile for Matilija Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 062827004376
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 84
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Matilija Middle earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 91% of California schools.
- #2 of 9
- public schools in Ojai · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.6:1
- small classes for California
- 39.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Matilija Middle has class sizes smaller than 91% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Matilija Middle ranks #2 of 9 public schools in Ojai, CA.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.6:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-37% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.0%
vs 55.5% California avg
-30% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Matilija Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Matilija Middle
Matilija Middle is a mid-sized middle school in Ojai, California, enrolling 271 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 13.6:1, Matilija Middle is leaner than roughly 91% of California schools and 37% 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 39.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 271 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 92% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 621 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #32, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (43%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 80 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 50.9% 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.
Ojai Unified also operates Nordhoff High (576 students) and Mira Monte Elementary (523 students) alongside Matilija Middle.
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 Matilija Middle compares
Matilija Middle on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.6:1 | ▼ 37% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.0% | ▼ 30% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 271 | top 77% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.6:1
Leaner classes than 61% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
271
Bigger than 28% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 30% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.6:1
students per teacher
- 37% below state mean
Top 9% in California - lower ratio than 91% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
50.9%
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
$15,229
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
Counselors3.4 FTE
Per 80 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
12
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.1 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
White 50.6%
Hispanic or Latino 42.8%
Two or More 5.2%
African American 0.7%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 50.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.8, Matilija Middle is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Ojai Unified, which includes Matilija Middle.
$15,229
Per student
-8%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 59.7%
State 27.7%
Federal 12.5%
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 Matilija Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nordhoff High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mira Monte Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Topa Topa Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Summit | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| San Antonio Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Matilija Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 576
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 523
- Students per teacher
- 43.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 347
- Students per teacher
- 34.7:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 183
- Students per teacher
- 36.6:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 134
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
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 (~271 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Matilija Middle's federal record.
- Compare Matilija Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Ojai 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 Matilija Middle
How many students attend Matilija Middle?
Matilija Middle has 271 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Ojai, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Matilija Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Matilija Middle is 13.6:1, which is 37% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 13% 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 Matilija Middle?
39.0% of students at Matilija Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Matilija Middle?
The largest demographic group at Matilija Middle is White at 50.6% of enrollment, in Ojai, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Matilija Middle?
Matilija Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher 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 Matilija Middle rank among public schools in Ojai?
By Resource Investment Index, Matilija Middle ranks #2 of 9 public schools in Ojai, 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 Ojai on the city page.
Is Matilija Middle a good school?
Matilija Middle earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 91% 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 Ojai Unified?
Besides Matilija Middle, Ojai Unified also operates Nordhoff High (576 students), Mira Monte Elementary (523 students), and Topa Topa Elementary (347 students). See the Ojai 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.