Enrollment
7
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lone Pine, CA
Sierra Alternative Learning Academy
Federal NCES profile for Sierra Alternative Learning Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 72/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 062244011943
👥 S:T ratio 72
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sierra Alternative Learning Academy earns 72/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 98% of California schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in California.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Lone Pine · Resource Index
- 72
- Resource Index · Higher
- 7:1
- small classes for California
- 7
- students enrolled
Sierra Alternative Learning Academy has class sizes smaller than 98% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sierra Alternative Learning Academy ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Lone Pine, CA.
School address
District: Lone Pine Unified · California
NCES ID 062244011943 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
1.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-67% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sierra Alternative Learning Academy compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sierra Alternative Learning Academy
Sierra Alternative Learning Academy is a small combined-grade school in Lone Pine, California, enrolling 7 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 7:1, Sierra Alternative Learning Academy is leaner than roughly 98% of California schools and 67% under the state's 21.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 99% of California schools, with 7 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 99% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
The surrounding Lone Pine Unified spends $20,052 per pupil, 21% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Lone Pine Unified also operates Lo-Inyo Elementary (197 students) and Lone Pine High (86 students) alongside Sierra Alternative Learning Academy.
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 Sierra Alternative Learning Academy compares
Sierra Alternative Learning Academy on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 7:1 | ▼ 67% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 7 | top 99% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
7:1
Leaner classes than 97% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
7
Bigger than 1% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
7:1
students per teacher
- 67% below state mean
Top 2% in California - lower ratio than 98% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$20,052
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
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.
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lone Pine Unified, which includes Sierra Alternative Learning Academy.
$20,052
Per student
+21%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 71.6%
State 17.4%
Federal 11.0%
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 Sierra Alternative Learning Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lo-Inyo Elementary | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lone Pine High | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sierra Alternative Learning Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 197
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 86
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other 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 (~7 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sierra Alternative Learning Academy's federal record.
- Compare Sierra Alternative Learning Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Lone Pine 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 Sierra Alternative Learning Academy
How many students attend Sierra Alternative Learning Academy?
Sierra Alternative Learning Academy has 7 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Lone Pine, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sierra Alternative Learning Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Sierra Alternative Learning Academy is 7:1, which is 67% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 55% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sierra Alternative Learning Academy?
Sierra Alternative Learning Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 72/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 1 factor: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Sierra Alternative Learning Academy rank among public schools in Lone Pine?
By Resource Investment Index, Sierra Alternative Learning Academy ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Lone Pine, 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 Lone Pine on the city page.
Is Sierra Alternative Learning Academy a good school?
Sierra Alternative Learning Academy earns 72/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 98% of California schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in California. 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 Lone Pine Unified?
Besides Sierra Alternative Learning Academy, Lone Pine Unified also operates Lo-Inyo Elementary (197 students) and Lone Pine High (86 students). See the Lone Pine 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.