- Enrollment
- 2,215
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Watsonville, CA
Pajaro Valley High
Federal NCES profile for Pajaro Valley High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 062949011462
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 14
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pajaro Valley High earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #4 of 4
- high schools in Watsonville · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.9:1
- students per teacher
- 78.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Pajaro Valley High has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pajaro Valley High ranks #4 of 4 high schools in Watsonville, CA.
School address
District: Pajaro Valley Unified · California
NCES ID 062949011462 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-61 students YoY
Pajaro Valley High held near 1,428 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-61 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 65.3 → 65.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-61 students YoY 062949011462 · Watsonville, CA High · MID · TRAD
1,293 enr · 19.9:1 · 78.5% lunch · RII 26
Nearest enrollment peer: Watsonville High (2,215 students)
Pajaro Valley High held near 1,428 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-61 headcount). Teacher FTE added 65.3 → 65.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Pajaro Valley High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Watsonville Hi
Watsonville High
2,215 students
- This school
Pajaro Valley High
1,293 students
- Aptos High
Aptos High
1,274 students
- Alianza Charte 626
Alianza Charter
626 students
- Rolling Hills 588
Rolling Hills Middle
588 students
- Aptos Junior H 587
Aptos Junior High
587 students
What this shows Pajaro Valley High reports 1,293 students on the CCD universe file.
How Pajaro Valley High compares
Pajaro Valley 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 | 19.9:1 | ▼ 7% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 78.5% | ▲ 41% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,293 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.9:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,293
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
78.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% 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
19.9:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 34% in California - lower ratio than 66% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
49.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$20,320
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $18,665
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 431 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 104 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 96.9%
White 1.8%
Asian 0.9%
Two or More 0.3%
African American 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 96.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 6.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 6.1, Pajaro Valley High is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 7
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Pajaro Valley Unified reports $20,320 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Pajaro Valley High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watsonville High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Aptos High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Alianza Charter | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rolling Hills Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Aptos Junior High | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pajaro Valley High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,274
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 626
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 588
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 587
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar high schools in Watsonville
3 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
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 (~1,293 students)
Frequently asked questions about Pajaro Valley High
How many students attend Pajaro Valley High?
Pajaro Valley High has 1,293 students enrolled. It is a high school in Watsonville, CA. CCD year-over-year: 1,489 (2022-23) → 1,428 (2023-24), nearly flat (-61).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pajaro Valley High?
The student-teacher ratio at Pajaro Valley High is 19.9:1, which is 7% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 27% higher 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 Pajaro Valley High?
78.5% of students at Pajaro Valley High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pajaro Valley High?
The largest demographic group at Pajaro Valley High is Hispanic or Latino at 96.9% of enrollment, in Watsonville, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pajaro Valley High?
Pajaro Valley High has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (lower 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 Pajaro Valley High rank among high schools in Watsonville?
By Resource Investment Index, Pajaro Valley High ranks #4 of 4 high schools in Watsonville, 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 Watsonville on the city page.
What other schools are in Pajaro Valley Unified?
Besides Pajaro Valley High, Pajaro Valley Unified also operates Watsonville High (2,215 students), Aptos High (1,274 students), and Alianza Charter (626 students). See the Pajaro Valley Unified district page for the complete list.