- Enrollment
- 3,175
- Students per teacher
- 27.9:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Palmdale, CA
William J. (Pete) Knight High
Federal NCES profile for William J. (Pete) Knight High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 060282011346
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 10
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
William J. (Pete) Knight High earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also one of the largest schools in California.
- #1 of 4
- high schools in Palmdale · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.9:1
- students per teacher
- 52.8%
- free-lunch eligible
William J. (Pete) Knight High has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, William J. (Pete) Knight High ranks #1 of 4 high schools in Palmdale, CA.
School address
District: Antelope Valley Union High · California
NCES ID 060282011346 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-273 students YoY
William J. (Pete) Knight High shrank from 2,793 students in 2022-23 to 2,520 in 2023-24 (-9.8%).
Teacher FTE lost 118.0 → 114.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-273 students YoY 060282011346 · Palmdale, CA High · LARGE · TRAD
2,349 enr · 19.9:1 · 52.8% lunch · RII 35
Nearest enrollment peer: Quartz Hill High (3,175 students)
William J. (Pete) Knight High shrank from 2,793 students in 2022-23 to 2,520 in 2023-24 (-9.8%). Teacher FTE lost 118.0 → 114.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
William J. (Pete) Knight High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Quartz Hill Hi
Quartz Hill High
3,175 students
- Highland High
Highland High
2,706 students
- Lancaster High
Lancaster High
2,688 students
- Eastside High
Eastside High
2,631 students
- This school
William J. (Pete) Knight High
2,349 students
- Palmdale High
Palmdale High
2,208 students
What this shows William J. (Pete) Knight High reports 2,349 students on the CCD universe file.
How William J. (Pete) Knight High compares
William J. (Pete) Knight High is a shrinking 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 | 19.9:1 | ▼ 7% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 52.8% | ▼ 5% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,349 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.9:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,349
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
52.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 5% 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
19.9:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 34% in California - lower ratio than 66% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
35.9%
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
$15,960
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors8.0 FTE
Per 294 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
125
in-school suspensions + 168 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 78.9%
African American 13.2%
White 3.2%
Two or More 2.8%
Asian 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 78.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 35.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 35.8, William J. (Pete) Knight High is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 20
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Antelope Valley Union High reports $15,960 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How William J. (Pete) Knight High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quartz Hill High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Highland High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lancaster High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eastside High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Palmdale High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to William J. (Pete) Knight High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,706
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 2,688
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 2,631
- Students per teacher
- 25.3:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 2,208
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar high schools in Palmdale
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 (~2,349 students)
Frequently asked questions about William J. (Pete) Knight High
How many students attend William J. (Pete) Knight High?
William J. (Pete) Knight High has 2,349 students enrolled. It is a high school in Palmdale, CA. CCD year-over-year: 2,793 (2022-23) → 2,520 (2023-24), down 273.
What is the student-teacher ratio at William J. (Pete) Knight High?
The student-teacher ratio at William J. (Pete) Knight High is 19.9:1, which is 7% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 27% higher 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 William J. (Pete) Knight High?
52.8% of students at William J. (Pete) Knight High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of William J. (Pete) Knight High?
The largest demographic group at William J. (Pete) Knight High is Hispanic or Latino at 78.9% of enrollment, in Palmdale, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for William J. (Pete) Knight High?
William J. (Pete) Knight High 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 William J. (Pete) Knight High rank among high schools in Palmdale?
By Resource Investment Index, William J. (Pete) Knight High ranks #1 of 4 high schools in Palmdale, 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 Palmdale on the city page.
What other schools are in Antelope Valley Union High?
Besides William J. (Pete) Knight High, Antelope Valley Union High also operates Quartz Hill High (3,175 students), Highland High (2,706 students), and Lancaster High (2,688 students). See the Antelope Valley Union High district page for the complete list.