Enrollment
835
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Phelan, CA
Pinon Mesa Middle
Federal NCES profile for Pinon Mesa Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 063697008987
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 17
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pinon Mesa Middle earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of California schools.
- #6 of 10
- public schools in Phelan · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.3:1
- large classes for California
- 56.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Pinon Mesa Middle has class sizes larger than 81% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pinon Mesa Middle ranks #6 of 10 public schools in Phelan, CA.
School address
District: Snowline Joint Unified · California
NCES ID 063697008987 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
56.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
+2% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Pinon Mesa Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Pinon Mesa Middle
Pinon Mesa Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Phelan, California, enrolling 835 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.3:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 56.7% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 835 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,207 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #539.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (60%) and White (28%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 418 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Snowline Joint Unified spends $12,967 per pupil, 21% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Phelan's middle schools, it stands alongside Quail Valley Middle (870 students): Pinon Mesa Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (25.3:1 vs 21.8:1).
Snowline Joint Unified also operates Serrano High (2,163 students) and Baldy Mesa Elementary (985 students) alongside Pinon Mesa 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 Pinon Mesa Middle compares
Pinon Mesa 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 | 25.3:1 | ▲ 18% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.7% | ▲ 2% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 835 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.3:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
835
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
56.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 2% 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
25.3:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 81% in California - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
32.6%
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
$12,967
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 418 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 83 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
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
Hispanic or Latino 60.1%
White 28.4%
Two or More 8.1%
Asian 1.8%
African American 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 60.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.1, Pinon Mesa Middle is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Snowline Joint Unified, which includes Pinon Mesa Middle.
$12,967
Per student
-21%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 14.8%
State 76.7%
Federal 8.5%
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 Pinon Mesa Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serrano High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Baldy Mesa Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Quail Valley Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Vista Verde Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Phelan Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pinon Mesa Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,163
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 985
- Students per teacher
- 25.9:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 870
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 774
- Students per teacher
- 26.7:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 743
- Students per teacher
- 27.5:1
- Resource Index
- 7/100
Similar middle schools in Phelan
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
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 (~835 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Pinon Mesa Middle's federal record.
- Compare Pinon Mesa Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Snowline Joint 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 Pinon Mesa Middle
How many students attend Pinon Mesa Middle?
Pinon Mesa Middle has 835 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Phelan, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pinon Mesa Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Pinon Mesa Middle is 25.3:1, which is 18% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 61% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Pinon Mesa Middle?
56.7% of students at Pinon Mesa Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pinon Mesa Middle?
The largest demographic group at Pinon Mesa Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 60.1% of enrollment, in Phelan, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pinon Mesa Middle?
Pinon Mesa Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (lower 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 Pinon Mesa Middle rank among public schools in Phelan?
By Resource Investment Index, Pinon Mesa Middle ranks #6 of 10 public schools in Phelan, 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 Phelan on the city page.
Is Pinon Mesa Middle a good school?
Pinon Mesa Middle earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% 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 Snowline Joint Unified?
Besides Pinon Mesa Middle, Snowline Joint Unified also operates Serrano High (2,163 students), Baldy Mesa Elementary (985 students), and Quail Valley Middle (870 students). See the Snowline Joint 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.