Enrollment
261
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Antioch, CA
Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy
Federal NCES profile for Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 59/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060285014525
👥 S:T ratio 60
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 48
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 96% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #1 of 17
- elementary schools in Antioch · Resource Index
- 59
- Resource Index · Higher
- 10:1
- small classes for California
- 66.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy has class sizes smaller than 96% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy ranks #1 of 17 elementary schools in Antioch, CA.
School address
District: Antioch Unified · California
NCES ID 060285014525 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-53% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
+20% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy
Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Antioch, California, enrolling 261 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10:1, Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy is leaner than roughly 96% of California schools and 53% under the state's 21.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 66.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 261 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 97% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 881 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #14, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (36%) and African American (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 76/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 261 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Among Antioch's elementary schools, it stands alongside Muir (John) Elementary (660 students): Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10:1 vs 22.8:1).
Antioch Unified also operates Deer Valley High (1,812 students) and Antioch High (1,776 students) alongside Thomas Gaines Virtual 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 Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy compares
Thomas Gaines Virtual 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 | 10:1 | ▼ 53% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.6% | ▲ 20% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 261 | top 78% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10:1
Leaner classes than 89% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
261
Bigger than 27% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% 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
10:1
students per teacher
- 53% below state mean
Top 4% in California - lower ratio than 96% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$15,485
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 261 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
20
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 35.6%
African American 29.1%
White 10.3%
Asian 10.0%
Two or More 7.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 5.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 35.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 75.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 75.9, Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Antioch Unified, which includes Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy.
$15,485
Per student
-6%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.6%
State 60.0%
Federal 11.4%
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 Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer Valley High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Antioch High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Park Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dallas Ranch Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Orchard Park | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,812
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,776
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 1,055
- Students per teacher
- 25.7:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 795
- Students per teacher
- 25.6:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 751
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
Similar elementary schools in Antioch
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Muir (John) Elementary
Standard public school
660 students 22.8:1 students per teacher
Rocketship Delta Prep
Standard public school
540 students 31.8:1 students per teacher
Marsh Elementary
Standard public school
522 students 20.9:1 students per teacher
Lone Tree Elementary
Standard public school
518 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
Mission Elementary
Standard public school
512 students 21.3:1 students per teacher
Diablo Vista Elementary
Standard public school
496 students 21.6:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~261 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy's federal record.
- Compare Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Antioch 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 Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy
How many students attend Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy?
Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy has 261 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Antioch, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy is 10:1, which is 53% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 36% lower 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 Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy?
66.6% of students at Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy?
The largest demographic group at Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 35.6% of enrollment, in Antioch, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 75.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy?
Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 59/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy rank among elementary schools in Antioch?
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy ranks #1 of 17 elementary schools in Antioch, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Antioch on the city page.
Is Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy a good school?
Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 96% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Antioch Unified?
Besides Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy, Antioch Unified also operates Deer Valley High (1,812 students), Antioch High (1,776 students), and Park Middle (1,055 students). See the Antioch 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.