Enrollment
23
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Mcfarland, CA
Mcfarland Independent
Federal NCES profile for Mcfarland Independent, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 062423007779
👥 S:T ratio 8
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 91
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mcfarland Independent earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also one of the smallest schools in California.
- #1 of 7
- public schools in Mcfarland · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 23:1
- students per teacher
- 78.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Mcfarland Independent has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mcfarland Independent ranks #1 of 7 public schools in Mcfarland, CA.
School address
District: Mcfarland Unified · California
NCES ID 062423007779 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
1.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
78.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
+42% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mcfarland Independent compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mcfarland Independent
Mcfarland Independent is a high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Mcfarland, California, enrolling 23 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 23:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 78.6% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 96% of California schools, with 23 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 131 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #72.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (91% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 16/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 46 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Its district draws 18.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Mcfarland Unified also operates Mcfarland High School Early College (1,027 students) and Kern Avenue Elementary (700 students) alongside Mcfarland Independent.
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 Mcfarland Independent compares
Mcfarland Independent on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 23:1 | ▲ 7% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 78.6% | ▲ 42% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 23 | top 96% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
23
Bigger than 3% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
78.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% 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
23:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 62% in California - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Funding equity
$14,602
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 91.3%
African American 4.3%
Asian 4.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 91.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 16.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 16.3, Mcfarland Independent is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mcfarland Unified, which includes Mcfarland Independent.
$14,602
Per student
-12%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.1%
State 63.9%
Federal 18.0%
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 Mcfarland Independent Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mcfarland High School Early College | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kern Avenue Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Horizon Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mcfarland Junior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Browning Road Steam Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mcfarland Independent's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,027
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 700
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 542
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 494
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 453
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar other 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 (~23 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mcfarland Independent's federal record.
- Compare Mcfarland Independent against another school. Compare schools
- Mcfarland 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 Mcfarland Independent
How many students attend Mcfarland Independent?
Mcfarland Independent has 23 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Mcfarland, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mcfarland Independent?
The student-teacher ratio at Mcfarland Independent is 23:1, which is 7% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 46% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mcfarland Independent?
78.6% of students at Mcfarland Independent are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mcfarland Independent?
The largest demographic group at Mcfarland Independent is Hispanic or Latino at 91.3% of enrollment, in Mcfarland, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mcfarland Independent?
Mcfarland Independent has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Mcfarland Independent rank among public schools in Mcfarland?
By Resource Investment Index, Mcfarland Independent ranks #1 of 7 public schools in Mcfarland, 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 Mcfarland on the city page.
Is Mcfarland Independent a good school?
Mcfarland Independent earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also one of the smallest schools in California. 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 Mcfarland Unified?
Besides Mcfarland Independent, Mcfarland Unified also operates Mcfarland High School Early College (1,027 students), Kern Avenue Elementary (700 students), and Horizon Elementary (542 students). See the Mcfarland 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.