Elementary school (grades K-5) · Willows, CA

Walden Academy

Federal NCES profile for Walden Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.

2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060242012983Charter school
0/100100/10043/100
👥 S:T ratio
39
🌟 Gifted program
30
📋 Attendance
60
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →

The verdict

Walden Academy earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 89% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.

#2 of 6
public schools in Willows · Resource Index
43
Resource Index · Typical
15.2:1
small classes for California
54.7%
free-lunch eligible

Walden Academy has class sizes smaller than 89% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.

By Resource Investment Index, Walden Academy ranks #2 of 6 public schools in Willows, CA.

CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24

-6 students YoY

Walden Academy held near 186 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-6 headcount).

Teacher FTE held 11.0 → 11.0 across the same CCD years.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).

Steady CCD campus

-6 students YoY 060242012983 · Willows, CA Elementary · SMALL · CHARTER

167 enr · 15.2:1 · 54.7% lunch · RII 43

Nearest enrollment peer: Alice Terry Elementary School (167 students)

Walden Academy held near 186 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-6 headcount). Teacher FTE held 11.0 → 11.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →

How Walden Academy compares

Walden Academy held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.

Metric This school vs California California avg U.S. avg
Students per teacher 15.2:1 ▼ 29% 21.5:1 15.7:1
Free-lunch eligible 54.7% ▼ 1% 55.5% 51.7%
Enrollment 167 top 85% - -

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25

15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
167
Bigger than 16% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.

Equity indicators methodology

Economic need
54.7%
free-lunch eligible - 1% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.2:1
students per teacher - 29% below state mean
Top 11% in California - lower ratio than 89% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
16.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,839
per pupil, district-wide - below California avg of $18,665
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.

Student demographics

White 40.1%
Hispanic or Latino 38.3%
Two or More 17.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.4%
Asian 1.8%

Largest group: White at 40.1% of enrollment.

Student-body diversity index 66.1/100

Simpson diversity index - at 66.1, Walden Academy is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.

Programs

District finance for Walden Academy District reports $12,839 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.

Similar elementary schools in Willows

1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.

Nationwide elementary 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.

Frequently asked questions about Walden Academy

How many students attend Walden Academy?

Walden Academy has 167 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Willows, CA. CCD year-over-year: 192 (2022-23) → 186 (2023-24), nearly flat (-6).

What is the student-teacher ratio at Walden Academy?

The student-teacher ratio at Walden Academy is 15.2:1, which is 29% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 3% 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 Walden Academy?

54.7% of students at Walden Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.

What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Walden Academy?

The largest demographic group at Walden Academy is White at 40.1% of enrollment, in Willows, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.1/100.

What is the Resource Investment Index for Walden Academy?

Walden Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).

How does Walden Academy rank among public schools in Willows?

By Resource Investment Index, Walden Academy ranks #2 of 6 public schools in Willows, 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 Willows on the city page.

What other schools are in Walden Academy District?

None; Walden Academy District is a single-school charter district, and Walden Academy is its only campus.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) CCD + Public School Universe (2024-25), CRDC (2021-22), F-33 District Finance Survey (FY 2022-23) · 2024-25 Data as of the 2024-25 school year. Coverage from U.S. Department of Education NCES Common Core of Data. Varies by entity type; administrative districts and certain charter networks may report only a subset of fields.

All federal data sources used on this page

Full source list and how we compute each figure: methodology page.

View saved