William C. Overfelt High

Located at 1835 Cunningham Ave., in San Jose, California, William C. Overfelt High is an expansive high school that educates 1,363 students (grades 9 through 12), run under East Side Union High. Compared to the state average of about 838 students per school, that is 63% bigger than typical.

East Side Union High comprises 16 schools with combined enrollment of 19,736 students; William C. Overfelt High is among them.

On the student-mix side, William C. Overfelt High shows that nearly all students (85%) are Hispanic; the rest is composed of 12% Asian. The wider county runs roughly 25% Hispanic, putting the school's mix noticeably more Hispanic than the area baseline.

On the resource side, Staff filings list 68 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 20.1:1 students per teacher. The state averages around 18.2:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. Around 63% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. By comparison, Santa Clara County runs at roughly 37%, so the school's eligibility rate is meaningfully above the surrounding baseline.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, William C. Overfelt High falls in the UNDERPERFORMING tier of the BeatsExpectations residual. Given its student profile, a typical campus would land near 42.2%; this one comes in at 20.7%, -21.4 points off the demographic line.

Across the wider county, census data for Santa Clara County shows median household earnings sit near $164,281, roughly 57% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 4% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Santa Clara County's 412 public schools (combined enrollment of about 230,059 students), William C. Overfelt High is one campus in the mix.

Apollo High is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.0 miles from this campus. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Among the 4 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), William C. Overfelt High ranks 2nd on composite proficiency, behind the local average of 21.1%.

Geographically, the school is in a downtown area.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count edged down 10%: 1,511 students in 2018 compared to 1,363 in 2025. The Hispanic share of enrollment increased from 78% to 85% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio pulled in from 21.4:1 in 2018 to 20.1:1 today.

On this page, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.