Enrollment
415
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Watsonville, CA
Watsonville Charter School of the Arts
Federal NCES profile for Watsonville Charter School of the Arts, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062949010413Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 13
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 25
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Watsonville Charter School of the Arts earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #2 of 16
- elementary schools in Watsonville · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.8:1
- students per teacher
- 53.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Watsonville Charter School of the Arts has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Watsonville Charter School of the Arts ranks #2 of 16 elementary schools in Watsonville, CA.
School address
District: Pajaro Valley Unified · California
NCES ID 062949010413 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
-3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Watsonville Charter School of the Arts compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Watsonville Charter School of the Arts
Watsonville Charter School of the Arts is a higher-need, mid-sized charter elementary school in Watsonville, California, enrolling 415 students.
At 21.8:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 53.8% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 415 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,447 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #278.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (72%) and White (24%) (diversity index 43/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Watsonville's elementary schools, it stands alongside Alianza Charter (626 students): Watsonville Charter School of the Arts is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.8:1 vs 22.4:1).
Pajaro Valley Unified also operates Watsonville High (2,215 students) and Pajaro Valley High (1,293 students) alongside Watsonville Charter School of the Arts.
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 Watsonville Charter School of the Arts compares
Watsonville Charter School of the Arts on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.8:1 | ▲ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.8% | ▼ 3% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 415 | top 58% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.8:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
415
Bigger than 50% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% 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
21.8:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 51% in California - lower ratio than 49% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
30.1%
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
$17,011
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.7 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 71.7%
White 23.7%
Two or More 3.6%
African American 0.2%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 71.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 42.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 42.8, Watsonville Charter School of the Arts is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pajaro Valley Unified, which includes Watsonville Charter School of the Arts.
$17,011
Per student
+3%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.6%
State 56.5%
Federal 12.9%
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 Watsonville Charter School of the Arts Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watsonville High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pajaro Valley High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Aptos High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Alianza Charter | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rolling Hills Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Watsonville Charter School of the Arts's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,215
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,293
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,274
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 626
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 588
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
Similar elementary schools in Watsonville
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Alianza Charter
Standard public school
626 students 22.4:1 students per teacher
Bradley Elementary
Standard public school
520 students 23.6:1 students per teacher
Calabasas Elementary
Standard public school
512 students 20.5:1 students per teacher
Mintie White Elementary
Standard public school
493 students 20.5:1 students per teacher
Watsonville Prep
Standard public school
488 students 37.5:1 students per teacher
H. a. Hyde Elementary
Standard public school
476 students 19:1 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 (~415 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Watsonville Charter School of the Arts's federal record.
- Compare Watsonville Charter School of the Arts against another school. Compare schools
- Pajaro Valley 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 Watsonville Charter School of the Arts
How many students attend Watsonville Charter School of the Arts?
Watsonville Charter School of the Arts has 415 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Watsonville, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Watsonville Charter School of the Arts?
The student-teacher ratio at Watsonville Charter School of the Arts is 21.8:1, which is 1% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 39% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Watsonville Charter School of the Arts?
53.8% of students at Watsonville Charter School of the Arts are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Watsonville Charter School of the Arts?
The largest demographic group at Watsonville Charter School of the Arts is Hispanic or Latino at 71.7% of enrollment, in Watsonville, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Watsonville Charter School of the Arts?
Watsonville Charter School of the Arts has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Watsonville Charter School of the Arts rank among elementary schools in Watsonville?
By Resource Investment Index, Watsonville Charter School of the Arts ranks #2 of 16 elementary schools in Watsonville, 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 Watsonville on the city page.
Is Watsonville Charter School of the Arts a good school?
Watsonville Charter School of the Arts earns 36/100 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 Pajaro Valley Unified?
Besides Watsonville Charter School of the Arts, Pajaro Valley Unified also operates Watsonville High (2,215 students), Pajaro Valley High (1,293 students), and Aptos High (1,274 students). See the Pajaro Valley 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.