Enrollment
541
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Red Bluff, CA
Vista Preparatory Academy
Federal NCES profile for Vista Preparatory Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 063198004922
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 46
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Vista Preparatory Academy earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #6 of 15
- public schools in Red Bluff · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.6:1
- students per teacher
- 74.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Vista Preparatory Academy has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Vista Preparatory Academy ranks #6 of 15 public schools in Red Bluff, CA.
School address
District: Red Bluff Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 063198004922 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.6:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
74.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
+34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Vista Preparatory Academy compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Vista Preparatory Academy
Vista Preparatory Academy is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Red Bluff, California, enrolling 541 students.
At 21.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 74.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 541 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 2,202 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #476.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (45%) and White (43%) (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 271 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 61.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 149 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 541 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 5 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Red Bluff's middle schools, it stands alongside Berrendos Middle (229 students): Vista Preparatory Academy is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.6:1 vs 17.6:1).
Red Bluff Union Elementary also operates William M. Metteer Elementary (458 students) and Jackson Heights Elementary (407 students) alongside Vista Preparatory 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 Vista Preparatory Academy compares
Vista Preparatory 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 | 21.6:1 | ▲ 0% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 74.3% | ▲ 34% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 541 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.6:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
541
Bigger than 67% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
74.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% 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
21.6:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 49% in California - lower ratio than 51% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
61.4%
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.
Funding equity
$15,728
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 271 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
29
in-school suspensions + 120 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 27.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 5 expulsions.
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 44.6%
White 43.0%
Two or More 3.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.3%
African American 2.4%
Asian 1.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 44.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.3, Vista Preparatory Academy is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Red Bluff Union Elementary, which includes Vista Preparatory Academy.
$15,728
Per student
-5%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 17.6%
State 67.1%
Federal 15.3%
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 Vista Preparatory Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| William M. Metteer Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jackson Heights Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bidwell Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Red Bluff Community Day | Smaller | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Vista Preparatory Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 458
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 407
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 387
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 16
- Students per teacher
- -
Similar middle schools in Red Bluff
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~541 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Vista Preparatory Academy's federal record.
- Compare Vista Preparatory Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Red Bluff Union Elementary'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 Vista Preparatory Academy
How many students attend Vista Preparatory Academy?
Vista Preparatory Academy has 541 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Red Bluff, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Vista Preparatory Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Vista Preparatory Academy is 21.6:1, which is 0% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 38% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Vista Preparatory Academy?
74.3% of students at Vista Preparatory Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Vista Preparatory Academy?
The largest demographic group at Vista Preparatory Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 44.6% of enrollment, in Red Bluff, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Vista Preparatory Academy?
Vista Preparatory Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Vista Preparatory Academy rank among public schools in Red Bluff?
By Resource Investment Index, Vista Preparatory Academy ranks #6 of 15 public schools in Red Bluff, 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 Red Bluff on the city page.
Is Vista Preparatory Academy a good school?
Vista Preparatory Academy earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Red Bluff Union Elementary?
Besides Vista Preparatory Academy, Red Bluff Union Elementary also operates William M. Metteer Elementary (458 students), Jackson Heights Elementary (407 students), and Bidwell Elementary (387 students). See the Red Bluff Union Elementary 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.