Bishop Independent Study

Bishop Independent Study is a high school of very small scale in Big Pine, California, overseen by Bishop Unified, instructing 13 students in grades 9 through 12. That puts it 98% leaner than the typical public school in California, which averages around 838 students.

Within Bishop Unified, which oversees 9 schools and 1,910 students, Bishop Independent Study is one campus in the system.

Demographically, Bishop Independent Study logs that the most-represented group is White (38%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups. Beyond that, the school logs 38% Native American, 23% Hispanic. By comparison, Inyo County as a whole is about 62% White, so the school skews considerably less White than its surroundings.

On the income-and-resources front, Staff filings list 0 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 72.2:1 students per teacher. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 18.2:1, putting Bishop Independent Study higher than the state norm the norm. Around 69% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. By comparison, Inyo County runs at roughly 57%, so the school's eligibility rate is meaningfully above the surrounding baseline.

In the broader community, Inyo County reports that median household earnings sit near $73,991, about 32% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 8%. Across Inyo County's 23 public schools (combined enrollment of about 2,539 students), Bishop Independent Study is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Palisade Glacier High (Continuation), roughly 0.0 miles away. 3 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

Geographically, the school is in a countryside area. Instruction is delivered virtually rather than at a physical campus, and enrollment crosses district lines.

Trend over the last 7 years. Bishop Independent Study's enrollment has ticked down 43% since 2018, when it stood at 23 (now 13). White enrollment moved from 26% to 38% across the same window. Class-load math has loosened: from 38.3:1 in 2018 to 72.2:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, members of the Bishop Independent Study community share and discuss enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.