- Enrollment
- 1,293
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Watsonville, CA
Watsonville High
Federal NCES profile for Watsonville High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 062949004555
👥 S:T ratio 13
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 26
📋 Attendance 23
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Watsonville High earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also one of the largest schools in California.
- #3 of 4
- high schools in Watsonville · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.7:1
- students per teacher
- 80.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Watsonville High has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Watsonville High ranks #3 of 4 high schools in Watsonville, CA.
School address
District: Pajaro Valley Unified · California
NCES ID 062949004555 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+9 students YoY
Watsonville High held near 2,253 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+9 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 102.8 → 96.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+9 students YoY 062949004555 · Watsonville, CA High · LARGE · TRAD
2,215 enr · 21.7:1 · 80.1% lunch · RII 33
Nearest enrollment peer: Pajaro Valley High (1,293 students)
Watsonville High held near 2,253 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+9 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 102.8 → 96.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Watsonville High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- This school
Watsonville High
2,215 students
- Pajaro Valley
Pajaro Valley High
1,293 students
- Aptos High
Aptos High
1,274 students
- Alianza Charte 626
Alianza Charter
626 students
- Rolling Hills 588
Rolling Hills Middle
588 students
- Aptos Junior H 587
Aptos Junior High
587 students
What this shows Watsonville High reports 2,215 students on the CCD universe file.
How Watsonville High compares
Watsonville High 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 | 21.7:1 | ▲ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 80.1% | ▲ 44% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,215 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.7:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,215
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
80.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 44% 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
21.7:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 50% in California - lower ratio than 50% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
31.0%
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
$20,320
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $18,665
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 369 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
17
in-school suspensions + 51 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 expulsions.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 96.5%
White 2.3%
Asian 0.7%
African American 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Two or More 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 96.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 6.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 6.8, Watsonville High is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 10
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Pajaro Valley Unified reports $20,320 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Watsonville High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pajaro Valley High | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Aptos High | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Alianza Charter | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rolling Hills Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Aptos Junior High | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Watsonville High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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
- Enrollment
- 587
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar high schools in Watsonville
3 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Nationwide high 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 (~2,215 students)
Frequently asked questions about Watsonville High
How many students attend Watsonville High?
Watsonville High has 2,215 students enrolled. It is a high school in Watsonville, CA. CCD year-over-year: 2,244 (2022-23) → 2,253 (2023-24), nearly flat (+9).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Watsonville High?
The student-teacher ratio at Watsonville High is 21.7:1, which is 1% 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 Watsonville High?
80.1% of students at Watsonville High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Watsonville High?
The largest demographic group at Watsonville High is Hispanic or Latino at 96.5% of enrollment, in Watsonville, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Watsonville High?
Watsonville High has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 Watsonville High rank among high schools in Watsonville?
By Resource Investment Index, Watsonville High ranks #3 of 4 high 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 high schools in Watsonville on the city page.
What other schools are in Pajaro Valley Unified?
Besides Watsonville High, Pajaro Valley Unified also operates Pajaro Valley High (1,293 students), Aptos High (1,274 students), and Alianza Charter (626 students). See the Pajaro Valley Unified district page for the complete list.