- Enrollment
- 3,143
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Santa Maria, CA
Pioneer Valley High
Federal NCES profile for Pioneer Valley High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 063567011438
👥 S:T ratio 7
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 38
📋 Attendance 44
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pioneer Valley High earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also one of the largest schools in California.
- #2 of 4
- high schools in Santa Maria · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 23.3:1
- students per teacher
- 70.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Pioneer Valley High has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pioneer Valley High ranks #2 of 4 high schools in Santa Maria, CA.
School address
District: Santa Maria Joint Union High · California
NCES ID 063567011438 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-108 students YoY
Pioneer Valley High held near 3,112 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-108 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 132.5 → 140.4 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-108 students YoY 063567011438 · Santa Maria, CA High · LARGE · TRAD
3,080 enr · 23.3:1 · 70.4% lunch · RII 30
Nearest enrollment peer: Santa Maria High (3,143 students)
Pioneer Valley High held near 3,112 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-108 headcount). Teacher FTE added 132.5 → 140.4 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Pioneer Valley High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Santa Maria Hi
Santa Maria High
3,143 students
- This school
Pioneer Valley High
3,080 students
- Ernest Righett
Ernest Righetti High
2,416 students
- Delta High 291
Delta High
291 students
What this shows Pioneer Valley High reports 3,080 students on the CCD universe file.
How Pioneer Valley High compares
Pioneer 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 | 23.3:1 | ▲ 8% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 70.4% | ▲ 27% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 3,080 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.3:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
3,080
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
70.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% 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
23.3:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 65% in California - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
22.3%
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
$17,168
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors10.0 FTE
Per 308 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 78 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 7 expulsions.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 94.0%
Asian 2.8%
White 2.3%
African American 0.4%
Two or More 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 94.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 11.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 11.5, Pioneer Valley High is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 11
District finance for Santa Maria Joint Union High reports $17,168 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Pioneer Valley High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ernest Righetti High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Delta High | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pioneer Valley High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,416
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 291
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Similar high schools in Santa Maria
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 (~3,080 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.3:1)
Frequently asked questions about Pioneer Valley High
How many students attend Pioneer Valley High?
Pioneer Valley High has 3,080 students enrolled. It is a high school in Santa Maria, CA. CCD year-over-year: 3,220 (2022-23) → 3,112 (2023-24), nearly flat (-108).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pioneer Valley High?
The student-teacher ratio at Pioneer Valley High is 23.3:1, which is 8% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 48% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Pioneer Valley High?
70.4% of students at Pioneer Valley High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pioneer Valley High?
The largest demographic group at Pioneer Valley High is Hispanic or Latino at 94.0% of enrollment, in Santa Maria, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pioneer Valley High?
Pioneer Valley High has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (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 Pioneer Valley High rank among high schools in Santa Maria?
By Resource Investment Index, Pioneer Valley High ranks #2 of 4 high schools in Santa Maria, 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 Santa Maria on the city page.
What other schools are in Santa Maria Joint Union High?
Besides Pioneer Valley High, Santa Maria Joint Union High also operates Santa Maria High (3,143 students), Ernest Righetti High (2,416 students), and Delta High (291 students). See the Santa Maria Joint Union High district page for the complete list.