Enrollment
2,192
California · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Modesto, CA
Thomas Downey High
Federal NCES profile for Thomas Downey High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 20/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 062515003753
👥 S:T ratio 2
📚 AP courses 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thomas Downey High earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of California schools. It is also one of the largest schools in California.
- #9 of 10
- high schools in Modesto · Resource Index
- 20
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.6:1
- large classes for California
- 69.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Thomas Downey High has class sizes larger than 76% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Downey High ranks #9 of 10 high schools in Modesto, CA.
School address
District: Modesto City High · California
NCES ID 062515003753 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
89.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.6:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
+26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thomas Downey High compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thomas Downey High
Thomas Downey High is a higher-need, large high school in Modesto, California, enrolling 2,192 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.6:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 69.9% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in California, bigger than 98% of state schools at 2,192 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 257 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #231, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (69%) and White (18%) (diversity index 48/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 6 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 2192 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 43.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Modesto's high schools, it stands alongside Joseph a. Gregori High (2,346 students): Thomas Downey High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (24.6:1 vs 25.5:1).
Modesto City High also operates Joseph a. Gregori High (2,346 students) and James C. Enochs High (2,304 students) alongside Thomas Downey 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 Thomas Downey High compares
Thomas Downey 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 | 24.6:1 | ▲ 14% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.9% | ▲ 26% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,192 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.6:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,192
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% 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
24.6:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 76% in California - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
43.3%
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.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 2192 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 156 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 69.1%
White 18.1%
Two or More 8.4%
Asian 2.1%
African American 1.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 69.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.2, Thomas Downey High is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 6
Gifted & talented Yes
How Thomas Downey High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph a. Gregori High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| James C. Enochs High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Modesto High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Grace M. Davis High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Peter Johansen High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thomas Downey High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,346
- Students per teacher
- 25.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 2,304
- Students per teacher
- 27.1:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 2,292
- Students per teacher
- 23.2:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 2,083
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 2,029
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar high schools in Modesto
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Joseph a. Gregori High
Standard public school
2,346 students 25.5:1 students per teacher
James C. Enochs High
Standard public school
2,304 students 27.1:1 students per teacher
Modesto High
Standard public school
2,292 students 23.2:1 students per teacher
Grace M. Davis High
Standard public school
2,083 students 24.2:1 students per teacher
Peter Johansen High
Standard public school
2,029 students 25:1 students per teacher
Fred C. Beyer High
Standard public school
1,609 students 23.7:1 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 (~2,192 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thomas Downey High's federal record.
- Compare Thomas Downey High against another school. Compare schools
- Modesto City High'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 Thomas Downey High
How many students attend Thomas Downey High?
Thomas Downey High has 2,192 students enrolled. It is a high school in Modesto, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thomas Downey High?
The student-teacher ratio at Thomas Downey High is 24.6:1, which is 14% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 57% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thomas Downey High?
69.9% of students at Thomas Downey High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thomas Downey High?
The largest demographic group at Thomas Downey High is Hispanic or Latino at 69.1% of enrollment, in Modesto, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thomas Downey High?
Thomas Downey High has a Resource Investment Index of 20/100 (lower 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 Thomas Downey High rank among high schools in Modesto?
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Downey High ranks #9 of 10 high schools in Modesto, 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 Modesto on the city page.
Is Thomas Downey High a good school?
Thomas Downey High earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of California schools. 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 Modesto City High?
Besides Thomas Downey High, Modesto City High also operates Joseph a. Gregori High (2,346 students), James C. Enochs High (2,304 students), and Modesto High (2,292 students). See the Modesto City High 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.