Enrollment
118
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Arcata, CA
Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy
Federal NCES profile for Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 060194211934Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 92% of California schools.
- #4 of 12
- public schools in Arcata · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.1:1
- small classes for California
- 18.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy has class sizes smaller than 92% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy ranks #4 of 12 public schools in Arcata, CA.
School address
NCES ID 060194211934 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
9.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-39% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
18.2%
vs 55.5% California avg
-67% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy
Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy is a lower-poverty, small charter combined-grade school in Arcata, California, enrolling 118 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 13.1:1, Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy is leaner than roughly 92% of California schools and 39% under the state's 21.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 18.2% free-meal eligibility runs 67% below the California average.
Enrollment of 118 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 95 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #34.
Its student body is led by White (69%) and Two or More (17%) (diversity index 49/100).
The surrounding Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy District spends $12,485 per pupil, 24% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Arcata's public schools, it stands alongside Laurel Tree Charter (197 students): Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.1:1 vs 14.1:1).
Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy District is a single-school charter district, so Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts 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 Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy compares
Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts 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 | 13.1:1 | ▼ 39% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 18.2% | ▼ 67% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 118 | top 88% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.1:1
Leaner classes than 66% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
118
Bigger than 12% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
18.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 67% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.1:1
students per teacher
- 39% below state mean
Top 8% in California - lower ratio than 92% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Funding equity
$12,485
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
Counselors0.0 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
White 69.2%
Two or More 17.1%
Hispanic or Latino 6.0%
Asian 3.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.7%
Largest group: White at 69.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.6, Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts 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 Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy District, which includes Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy.
$12,485
Per student
-24%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.9%
State 57.2%
Federal 8.9%
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 Arcata
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~118 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy's federal record.
- Compare Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts 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 Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy
How many students attend Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy?
Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy has 118 students enrolled. It is a public school in Arcata, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy is 13.1:1, which is 39% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 17% 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 Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy?
18.2% of students at Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy?
The largest demographic group at Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy is White at 69.2% of enrollment, in Arcata, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy?
Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy rank among public schools in Arcata?
By Resource Investment Index, Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy ranks #4 of 12 public schools in Arcata, 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 Arcata on the city page.
Is Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy a good school?
Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 92% 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 Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy District?
None; Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy District is a single-school charter district, and Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy is its only campus.
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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.