- Enrollment
- 2,693
- Students per teacher
- 32.4:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Irvine, CA
Northwood High
Federal NCES profile for Northwood High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 068450008251
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 25
📋 Attendance 76
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northwood High earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of California schools. It is also one of the largest schools in California.
- #4 of 8
- high schools in Irvine · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 27.7:1
- large classes for California
- 17.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Northwood High has class sizes larger than 92% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northwood High ranks #4 of 8 high schools in Irvine, CA.
School address
District: Irvine Unified · California
NCES ID 068450008251 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+59 students YoY
Northwood High held near 2,310 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+59 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 81.6 → 86.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+59 students YoY 068450008251 · Irvine, CA High · LARGE · TRAD
2,244 enr · 27.7:1 · 17.6% lunch · RII 33
Nearest enrollment peer: Portola High (2,693 students)
Northwood High held near 2,310 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+59 headcount). Teacher FTE added 81.6 → 86.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Northwood High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Portola High
Portola High
2,693 students
- University Hig
University High
2,307 students
- This school
Northwood High
2,244 students
- Woodbridge Hig
Woodbridge High
2,232 students
- Irvine High
Irvine High
1,964 students
- Sierra Vista M
Sierra Vista Middle
1,282 students
What this shows Northwood High reports 2,244 students on the CCD universe file.
How Northwood High compares
Northwood High held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 27.7:1 | ▲ 29% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 17.6% | ▼ 68% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,244 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
27.7:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,244
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
17.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 68% 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
27.7:1
students per teacher
- 29% above state mean
Top 92% in California - lower ratio than 8% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
9.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$14,373
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 374 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Student demographics
Asian 62.8%
White 17.4%
Two or More 8.9%
Hispanic or Latino 8.5%
African American 1.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Asian at 62.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.0, Northwood High is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 16
District finance for Irvine Unified reports $14,373 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Northwood High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portola High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| University High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Woodbridge High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Irvine High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sierra Vista Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northwood High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,307
- Students per teacher
- 28.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,232
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,964
- Students per teacher
- 25.8:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,282
- Students per teacher
- 31.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar high schools in Irvine
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Arnold O. Beckman High
Standard public school
2,776 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
Portola High
Standard public school
2,693 students 32.4:1 students per teacher
University High
Standard public school
2,307 students 28.5:1 students per teacher
Woodbridge High
Standard public school
2,232 students 24:1 students per teacher
Irvine High
Standard public school
1,964 students 25.8:1 students per teacher
Irvine Adult Transition Programs
Special-education school
117 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Nationwide high schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~2,244 students)
Frequently asked questions about Northwood High
How many students attend Northwood High?
Northwood High has 2,244 students enrolled. It is a high school in Irvine, CA. CCD year-over-year: 2,251 (2022-23) → 2,310 (2023-24), nearly flat (+59).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northwood High?
The student-teacher ratio at Northwood High is 27.7:1, which is 29% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 76% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Northwood High?
17.6% of students at Northwood High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northwood High?
The largest demographic group at Northwood High is Asian at 62.8% of enrollment, in Irvine, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northwood High?
Northwood High has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Northwood High rank among high schools in Irvine?
By Resource Investment Index, Northwood High ranks #4 of 8 high schools in Irvine, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Irvine on the city page.
What other schools are in Irvine Unified?
Besides Northwood High, Irvine Unified also operates Portola High (2,693 students), University High (2,307 students), and Woodbridge High (2,232 students). See the Irvine Unified district page for the complete list.