Enrollment
1,734
California · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Torrance, CA
South High
Federal NCES profile for South High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 063942006573
👥 S:T ratio 18
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 67
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South High earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also one of the largest schools in California.
- #2 of 5
- high schools in Torrance · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 20.4:1
- students per teacher
- 15.0%
- free-lunch eligible
South High has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South High ranks #2 of 5 high schools in Torrance, CA.
School address
District: Torrance Unified · California
NCES ID 063942006573 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
85.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
15.0%
vs 55.5% California avg
-73% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South High compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at South High
South High is a lower-poverty, large high school in Torrance, California, enrolling 1,734 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 20.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 15.0% free-meal eligibility runs 73% below the California average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in California, bigger than 95% of state schools at 1,734 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 235 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #20, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Asian (38%) and White (27%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 21 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 348 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
13.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Torrance Unified spends $13,194 per pupil, 20% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Torrance's high schools, it stands alongside Torrance High (1,879 students): South High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (20.4:1 vs 22.1:1).
Torrance Unified also operates Torrance High (1,879 students) and North High (1,812 students) alongside South High.
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 South High compares
South High on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.4:1 | ▼ 5% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 15.0% | ▼ 73% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,734 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.4:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,734
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
15.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 73% 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
20.4:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 38% in California - lower ratio than 62% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
13.4%
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
$13,194
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
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 347 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 24 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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
Asian 38.0%
White 26.5%
Hispanic or Latino 23.5%
Two or More 9.5%
African American 1.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Asian at 38.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.1, South High is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 21
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Torrance Unified, which includes South High.
$13,194
Per student
-20%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.0%
State 52.3%
Federal 9.8%
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 South High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Torrance High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Victor Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hickory Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,879
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,812
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,775
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 965
- Students per teacher
- 24.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 847
- Students per teacher
- 27.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar high schools in Torrance
4 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Torrance High
Standard public school
1,879 students 22.1:1 students per teacher
North High
Standard public school
1,812 students 23.5:1 students per teacher
West High
Standard public school
1,775 students 24.3:1 students per teacher
Shery (Kurt T.) High (Continuation)
Alternative education program
119 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~1,734 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South High's federal record.
- Compare South High against another school. Compare schools
- Torrance 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 South High
How many students attend South High?
South High has 1,734 students enrolled. It is a high school in Torrance, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South High?
The student-teacher ratio at South High is 20.4:1, which is 5% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 30% 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 South High?
15.0% of students at South High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South High?
The largest demographic group at South High is Asian at 38.0% of enrollment, in Torrance, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South High?
South High has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does South High rank among high schools in Torrance?
By Resource Investment Index, South High ranks #2 of 5 high schools in Torrance, 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 Torrance on the city page.
Is South High a good school?
South High earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also one of the largest 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 Torrance Unified?
Besides South High, Torrance Unified also operates Torrance High (1,879 students), North High (1,812 students), and West High (1,775 students). See the Torrance 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.