Enrollment
1,338
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Porterville, CA
Monarch River Academy
Federal NCES profile for Monarch River Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 060250814423Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 95
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Monarch River Academy earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of California schools.
- #3 of 5
- schools in Porterville · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 39.4:1
- large classes for California
- 38.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Monarch River Academy has class sizes larger than 99% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Monarch River Academy ranks #3 of 5 schools in Porterville, CA.
School address
District: Monarch River Academy District · California
NCES ID 060250814423 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
39.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+83% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
-31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Monarch River Academy compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Monarch River Academy
Monarch River Academy is a large charter combined-grade school in Porterville, California, enrolling 1,338 students.
Class loads run heavy: 39.4:1 is larger than about 99% of California schools and 83% 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 38.1% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in California, bigger than 93% of state schools at 1,338 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 507 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #254.
Its student body is led by White (47%) and Hispanic or Latino (38%) (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1338 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 2.0% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Monarch River Academy District spends $10,316 per pupil, 38% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Porterville's public schools, it stands alongside Summit Charter Academy (2,423 students): Monarch River Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (39.4:1 vs 23.3:1).
Monarch River Academy District is a single-school charter district, so Monarch River Academy operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 Monarch River Academy compares
Monarch River Academy on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 39.4:1 | ▲ 83% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.1% | ▼ 31% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,338 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
39.4:1
Leaner classes than 1% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,338
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% 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
39.4:1
students per teacher
- 83% 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.
Engagement
2.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$10,316
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 1338 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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
White 47.4%
Hispanic or Latino 38.4%
Two or More 9.8%
African American 1.9%
Asian 1.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 47.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.8, Monarch River Academy is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 2
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Monarch River Academy District, which includes Monarch River Academy.
$10,316
Per student
-38%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-38%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 7.1%
State 83.3%
Federal 9.6%
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.
Similar other schools in Porterville
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Summit Charter Academy
Standard public school
2,423 students 23.3:1 students per teacher
Butterfield Charter
Standard public school
504 students 33.6:1 students per teacher
Porterville Military Academy
Standard public school
255 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Vine Street Community Day
Alternative education program
14 students 14:1 students per teacher
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 (~1,338 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Monarch River Academy's federal record.
- Compare Monarch River Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Monarch River Academy District'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 Monarch River Academy
How many students attend Monarch River Academy?
Monarch River Academy has 1,338 students enrolled. It is a public school in Porterville, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Monarch River Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Monarch River Academy is 39.4:1, which is 83% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 151% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Monarch River Academy?
38.1% of students at Monarch River Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Monarch River Academy?
The largest demographic group at Monarch River Academy is White at 47.4% of enrollment, in Porterville, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Monarch River Academy?
Monarch River Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Monarch River Academy rank among schools in Porterville?
By Resource Investment Index, Monarch River Academy ranks #3 of 5 schools in Porterville, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Porterville on the city page.
Is Monarch River Academy a good school?
Monarch River Academy earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% 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 Monarch River Academy District?
None; Monarch River Academy District is a single-school charter district, and Monarch River Academy is its only campus.
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.