- Enrollment
- 1,643
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Palo Alto, CA
Palo Alto High
Federal NCES profile for Palo Alto High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 062961004596
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 54
📋 Attendance 65
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Palo Alto High earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of California schools. It is also one of the largest schools in California.
- #5 of 17
- public schools in Palo Alto · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16:1
- small classes for California
- 9.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Palo Alto High has class sizes smaller than 87% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Palo Alto High ranks #5 of 17 public schools in Palo Alto, CA.
School address
District: Palo Alto Unified · California
NCES ID 062961004596 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-60 students YoY
Palo Alto High held near 1,932 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-60 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 118.8 → 114.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-60 students YoY 062961004596 · Palo Alto, CA High · MID · TRAD
1,891 enr · 16:1 · 9.3% lunch · RII 46
Nearest enrollment peer: Henry M. Gunn High (1,643 students)
Palo Alto High held near 1,932 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-60 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 118.8 → 114.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Palo Alto High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- This school
Palo Alto High
1,891 students
- Henry M. Gunn
Henry M. Gunn High
1,643 students
- Jane Lathrop S
Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle
1,002 students
- Frank S. Green 732
Frank S. Greene Jr. Middle
732 students
- Ellen Fletcher 572
Ellen Fletcher Middle
572 students
- Ohlone Element 464
Ohlone Elementary
464 students
What this shows Palo Alto High reports 1,891 students on the CCD universe file.
How Palo Alto High compares
Palo Alto 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 | 16:1 | ▼ 26% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 9.3% | ▼ 83% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,891 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16:1
Leaner classes than 38% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,891
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
9.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 83% 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
16:1
students per teacher
- 26% below state mean
Top 13% in California - lower ratio than 87% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
13.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$28,442
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $18,665
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors8.2 FTE
Per 231 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 19 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Student demographics
Asian 37.5%
White 31.4%
Hispanic or Latino 15.2%
Two or More 12.3%
African American 2.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.5%
Largest group: Asian at 37.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.2, Palo Alto High is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 33
District finance for Palo Alto Unified reports $28,442 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Palo Alto High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry M. Gunn High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Frank S. Greene Jr. Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ellen Fletcher Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ohlone Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Palo Alto High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,002
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 732
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 572
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 464
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar high schools in Palo Alto
1 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 (~1,891 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16:1)
Frequently asked questions about Palo Alto High
How many students attend Palo Alto High?
Palo Alto High has 1,891 students enrolled. It is a high school in Palo Alto, CA. CCD year-over-year: 1,992 (2022-23) → 1,932 (2023-24), nearly flat (-60).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Palo Alto High?
The student-teacher ratio at Palo Alto High is 16:1, which is 26% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 2% 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 Palo Alto High?
9.3% of students at Palo Alto High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Palo Alto High?
The largest demographic group at Palo Alto High is Asian at 37.5% of enrollment, in Palo Alto, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Palo Alto High?
Palo Alto High has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Palo Alto High rank among public schools in Palo Alto?
By Resource Investment Index, Palo Alto High ranks #5 of 17 public schools in Palo Alto, 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 Palo Alto on the city page.
What other schools are in Palo Alto Unified?
Besides Palo Alto High, Palo Alto Unified also operates Henry M. Gunn High (1,643 students), Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle (1,002 students), and Frank S. Greene Jr. Middle (732 students). See the Palo Alto Unified district page for the complete list.