Data Center: K-12

June 2, 2011

California school district spending and test scores

Despite years of efforts to equalize spending in California schools, some districts receive thousands of dollars more per student than others. And although some districts spent much more than the average, the bigger expenditure didn't assure higher scores on the state's Academic Performance Index, which is based on student test scores and other academic measures. Download a spreadsheet of spending per student and Academic Performance Index data for all school districts here.

10 highest-spending districts

Districts with 500 or more students average daily attendance
District $ spent per
student		 Location
Taft Union High $21,932 Kern County
Shoreline Unified $17,791 Marin County
Saint Helena Unified $17,671 Napa County
Carmel Unified $17,451 Monterey County
Portola Valley Elementary $16,981 San Mateo County
Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified $15,244 Humboldt County
Tamalpais Union High $15,100 Marin County
Rancho Santa Fe Elementary $14,287 San Diego County
San Pasqual Valley Unified $14,028 Imperial County
Coast Unified $13,775 San Luis Obispo County

10 lowest-spending districts

Districts with 500 or more students average daily attendance
District $ spent per
student		 Location
Norris Elementary $6,112 Kern County
Lammersville Elementary $6,170 San Joaquin County
Rosedale Union Elementary $6,176 Kern County
Hickman Community Charter $6,192 Stanislaus County
Solvang Elementary $6,206 Santa Barbara County
Dixon Unified $6,287 Solano County
Spreckels Union Elementary $6,322 Monterey County
Mccabe Union Elementary $6,330 Imperial County
Central Elementary $6,388 San Bernardino County
Ripon Unified $6,394 San Joaquin County

Find your child's school district

Choose from California's largest districts

• Los Angeles Unified
• San Diego Unified
• Long Beach Unified
• Fresno Unified
• Elk Grove Unified
• Santa Ana Unified
• Corona-Norco Unified
• Capistrano Unified
• San Francisco Unified
• San Bernardino City Unified
• Garden Grove Unified
• Sacramento City Unified
• Riverside Unified
• Sweetwater Union High
• San Juan Unified

Or choose a county

• Alameda County
• Alpine County
• Amador County
• Butte County
• Calaveras County
• Colusa County
• Contra Costa County
• Del Norte County
• El Dorado County
• Fresno County
• Glenn County
• Humboldt County
• Imperial County
• Inyo County
• Kern County
• Kings County
• Lake County
• Lassen County
• Los Angeles County
• Madera County
• Marin County
• Mariposa County
• Mendocino County
• Merced County
• Modoc County
• Mono County
• Monterey County
• Napa County
• Nevada County
• Orange County
• Placer County
• Plumas County
• Riverside County
• Sacramento County
• San Benito County
• San Bernardino County
• San Diego County
• San Francisco County
• San Joaquin County
• San Luis Obispo County
• San Mateo County
• Santa Barbara County
• Santa Clara County
• Santa Cruz County
• Shasta County
• Sierra County
• Siskiyou County
• Solano County
• Sonoma County
• Stanislaus County
• Sutter County
• Tehama County
• Trinity County
• Tulare County
• Tuolumne County
• Ventura County
• Yolo County
• Yuba County
Interactive by Agustin Armendariz and Michael Corey. Reporting by Louis Freedberg and Stephen K. Doig.

Source: California Department of Education
Filed under: K-12