Enrollment
513
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Sacramento, CA
Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle
Federal NCES profile for Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 55/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 060003612523Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 11
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 49
📋 Attendance 91
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #1 of 18
- middle schools in Sacramento · Resource Index
- 55
- Resource Index · Higher
- 22.3:1
- students per teacher
- 30.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle ranks #1 of 18 middle schools in Sacramento, CA.
School address
District: Natomas Unified · California
NCES ID 060003612523 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
-45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle
Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle is a mid-sized charter middle school in Sacramento, California, enrolling 513 students.
At 22.3:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 30.4% of students eligible for free meals.
With 513 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 95% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 1,329 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #11, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Asian (52%) and Hispanic or Latino (22%) (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 257 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance holds up well here: only 3.5% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Sacramento's middle schools, it stands alongside Sutter Middle (1,181 students): Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (22.3:1 vs 27.5:1).
Natomas Unified also operates Inderkum High (2,194 students) and Westlake Charter (1,493 students) alongside Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep 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 Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle compares
Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep 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 | 22.3:1 | ▲ 4% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.4% | ▼ 45% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 513 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.3:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
513
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% 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
22.3:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 56% in California - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
3.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$13,690
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 257 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.5 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
Asian 52.4%
Hispanic or Latino 22.0%
White 9.4%
Two or More 8.6%
African American 6.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Asian at 52.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.7, Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Natomas Unified, which includes Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle.
$13,690
Per student
-17%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.1%
State 60.5%
Federal 9.4%
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 Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inderkum High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Westlake Charter | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Natomas High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Heron | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Paso Verde | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,194
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,493
- Students per teacher
- 26.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,157
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 977
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 897
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar middle schools in Sacramento
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Sutter Middle
Standard public school
1,181 students 27.5:1 students per teacher
T. R. Smedberg Middle
Standard public school
1,065 students 23.7:1 students per teacher
Arden Middle
Standard public school
1,010 students 27.3:1 students per teacher
Samuel Jackman Middle
Standard public school
909 students 21.1:1 students per teacher
James Rutter Middle
Standard public school
871 students 19.8:1 students per teacher
California Middle
Standard public school
782 students 19.1:1 students per teacher
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 (~513 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle's federal record.
- Compare Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Natomas 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 Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle
How many students attend Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle?
Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle has 513 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Sacramento, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle is 22.3:1, which is 4% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 42% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle?
30.4% of students at Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle?
The largest demographic group at Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle is Asian at 52.4% of enrollment, in Sacramento, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle?
Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 55/100 (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 Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle rank among middle schools in Sacramento?
By Resource Investment Index, Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle ranks #1 of 18 middle schools in Sacramento, 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 Sacramento on the city page.
Is Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle a good school?
Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Natomas Unified?
Besides Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle, Natomas Unified also operates Inderkum High (2,194 students), Westlake Charter (1,493 students), and Natomas High (1,157 students). See the Natomas 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.