- Enrollment
- 942
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Atwater, CA
Valley Atwater Community
Federal NCES profile for Valley Atwater Community, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 069102010961
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 51
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Valley Atwater Community earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of California schools.
- #6 of 13
- public schools in Atwater · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 40.7:1
- large classes for California
- 88.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Valley Atwater Community has class sizes larger than 99% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Valley Atwater Community ranks #6 of 13 public schools in Atwater, CA.
School address
District: Merced County Office of Education · California
NCES ID 069102010961 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+111 students YoY
Valley Atwater Community grew from 9 students in 2022-23 to 120 in 2023-24 (+1233.3%).
Teacher FTE added 3.2 → 7.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+111 students YoY 069102010961 · Atwater, CA Other · SMALL · TRAD
122 enr · 40.7:1 · 88.9% lunch · RII 35
Nearest enrollment peer: Merced County Special Education (942 students)
Valley Atwater Community grew from 9 students in 2022-23 to 120 in 2023-24 (+1233.3%). Teacher FTE added 3.2 → 7.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Valley Atwater Community in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Merced County
Merced County Special Education
942 students
- Merced Scholar 334
Merced Scholars Charter
334 students
- Valley Los Ban 160
Valley Los Banos Community
160 students
- Come Back Char 128
Come Back Charter
128 students
- This school 122
Valley Atwater Community
122 students
- Valley Merced 99
Valley Merced Community
99 students
What this shows Valley Atwater Community reports 122 students on the CCD universe file.
How Valley Atwater Community compares
Valley Atwater Community is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 40.7:1 | ▲ 89% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 88.9% | ▲ 60% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 122 | top 88% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
40.7:1
Leaner classes than 1% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
122
Bigger than 12% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
88.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 60% above the California average of 55.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
40.7:1
students per teacher
- 89% above state mean
Top 99% in California - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
17.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$65,270
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $18,665
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 82.0%
White 11.5%
Two or More 3.3%
African American 2.5%
Asian 0.8%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 82.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 31.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 31.3, Valley Atwater Community is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for Merced County Office of Education reports $65,270 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Valley Atwater Community Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merced County Special Education | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Merced Scholars Charter | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Valley Los Banos Community | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Come Back Charter | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Valley Merced Community | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Valley Atwater Community's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 334
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 160
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 128
- Students per teacher
- 42.7:1
- Resource Index
- 7/100
- Enrollment
- 99
- Students per teacher
- 11:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Nationwide other 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 (~122 students)
Frequently asked questions about Valley Atwater Community
How many students attend Valley Atwater Community?
Valley Atwater Community has 122 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Atwater, CA. CCD year-over-year: 9 (2022-23) → 120 (2023-24), up 111.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Valley Atwater Community?
The student-teacher ratio at Valley Atwater Community is 40.7:1, which is 89% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 159% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Valley Atwater Community?
88.9% of students at Valley Atwater Community are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Valley Atwater Community?
The largest demographic group at Valley Atwater Community is Hispanic or Latino at 82.0% of enrollment, in Atwater, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Valley Atwater Community?
Valley Atwater Community has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical 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 Valley Atwater Community rank among public schools in Atwater?
By Resource Investment Index, Valley Atwater Community ranks #6 of 13 public schools in Atwater, 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 Atwater on the city page.
What other schools are in Merced County Office of Education?
Besides Valley Atwater Community, Merced County Office of Education also operates Merced County Special Education (942 students), Merced Scholars Charter (334 students), and Valley Los Banos Community (160 students). See the Merced County Office of Education district page for the complete list.