Pajaro Valley Unified
Public school district · Santa Cruz County · California · NCES district ID 0629490
Pajaro Valley Unified spent $20,320 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, more than 84% of the other California districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 (median $16,855). Its 33 schools enrolled 16,482 students in 2024-25; 61.4% of its revenue came from the state. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $22,477 per student, up 10.6% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year). Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 89% (California: 86.2%).
NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 · Census Bureau school finances 2023-24 · NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · method
Spending per student among California districts of similar size
Current spending per student excludes construction and debt. The 9 districts closest to Pajaro Valley Unified in enrollment (16,703 to 18,354 students) and Pajaro Valley Unified itself.
Where the money came from
$457,021,000 in revenue: 61.4% state, 25.9% local and 12.7% federal. Total spending including $20,265,000 of capital outlay was $386,014,000, or $22,119 per student; the figure above leaves capital out.
- State$280,419,000 61%
- Local$118,507,000 26%
- Federal$58,095,000 13%
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures for elementary and secondary education divided by fall membership; the state median covers 646 districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022. Revenue by source (TOTALREV, TFEDREV, TSTREV, TLOCREV).
Enrollment fell from 2022-23 to 2024-25
17,376 students in 2022-23, 16,921 students in 2023-24, 16,482 students in 2024-25, counted across the schools that reported each year.
Teachers and students per teacher
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 17,376 | 825.9 | 21.0 |
| 2023-24 | 16,921 | 800.7 | 21.1 |
| 2024-25 | 16,482 | 776.4 | 21.2 |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25; sums over the schools reporting each year.
$86,029,000 in teacher salaries in fiscal year 2022-23, $4,929 per student
Pajaro Valley Unified booked $86,029,000 of teacher salaries in its 2022-23 finance report and counted 832 full-time teachers in its Common Core of Data district staff file for 2022-23 (the school files behind the staffing figures on this page count teachers separately, so the two can differ), or $103,416 of salary spending per teacher. That is more than 57 in 100 California districts with a figure (state median $99,744, 1,149 districts). It is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, so the result can differ widely from the average salary the district publishes (its salary schedule gives pay); benefits are left out, and states book salaries differently, so compare districts within one state. For pay, the National Education Association put the average California teacher salary at $87,275 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).
| Program | Teacher salaries | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Regular programs | $72,050,000 | 83.8% |
| Special education | $9,893,000 | 11.5% |
| Vocational | $2,078,000 | 2.4% |
| Other programs | $2,008,000 | 2.3% |
Teacher salaries per student, fiscal years 2018-19 to 2022-23
The district's teacher salary bill divided by its fall enrollment each year: $3,762 in 2018-19, $3,779 in 2019-20, $3,810 in 2020-21, $4,212 in 2021-22, $4,929 in 2022-23.
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal years 2019 to 2023: teacher salaries in regular, special, vocational and other programs (Z35 to Z38) and fall membership (V33); NCES Common Core of Data LEA staff file 2022-23, teachers (full-time equivalent).
State test results, 2021-22
In 2021-22, the students tested in Pajaro Valley Unified scored proficient or above: 25% in reading and 17% in math, against 45% in reading and 34% in math across California. Each state writes its own test and sets its own proficiency bar, so compare these within California, not across states. Where a state published results by grade only, the grades tested are combined, weighted by the students tested in each.
| Subject | This district | California | Students tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading and language arts | 25% | 45% | 8,016 |
| Math | 17% | 34% | 8,041 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2021-22, all students, from ED Data Express (the Data Rescue Project archive; ED has no 2022-23 result for this district): ED shows district results as ranges (for example 20-24%) to protect small groups.
Graduation rate, class of 2023
89% of the 1,292 students in Pajaro Valley Unified's class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 86.2% across California. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out, and counts those who earned a regular diploma by 2023. Every state computes it the same way under federal law, though each sets its own diploma requirements.
| This district | California | |
|---|---|---|
| Four-year graduation rate | 89% | 86.2% |
| Students in the class | 1,292 | 495,492 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates 2022-23, all students, from ED Data Express: ED shows district rates as ranges (for example 90-94%) and leaves out small classes.
19 elementary schools, 8,247 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alianza Charter | 626 | 22.3 | 63.1% | Not reported |
| Bradley Elementary | 520 | 21.0 | 45.0% | Not reported |
| Calabasas Elementary | 512 | 22.1 | 86.9% | Not reported |
| Mintie White Elementary | 493 | 22.4 | 85.0% | Not reported |
| Valencia Elementary | 487 | 20.3 | 30.4% | Not reported |
| Freedom Elementary | 479 | 24.6 | 78.3% | Not reported |
| H. A. Hyde Elementary | 476 | 21.0 | 80.0% | Not reported |
| Hall District Elementary | 470 | 21.7 | 85.1% | Not reported |
| T. S. MacQuiddy Elementary | 438 | 22.0 | 86.5% | Not reported |
| Amesti Elementary | 431 | 18.3 | 83.3% | Not reported |
| Landmark Elementary | 419 | 18.4 | 79.2% | Not reported |
| Watsonville Charter School of the Arts | 415 | 22.8 | 44.1% | Not reported |
The other 7 elementary schools
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radcliff Elementary | 409 | 20.4 | 89.0% | Not reported |
| Rio del Mar Elementary | 393 | 20.5 | 16.5% | Not reported |
| Ohlone Elementary | 391 | 20.8 | 89.8% | Not reported |
| Starlight Elementary | 383 | 21.4 | 81.5% | Not reported |
| Ann Soldo Elementary | 377 | 19.5 | 81.7% | Not reported |
| Mar Vista Elementary | 270 | 17.9 | 40.0% | Not reported |
| Linscott Charter | 258 | 28.7 | 41.9% | Not reported |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
6 middle schools, 3,037 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rolling Hills Middle | 588 | 21.1 | 83.3% | Not reported |
| Aptos Junior High | 587 | 22.0 | 41.1% | Not reported |
| Cesar E. Chavez Middle | 548 | 20.3 | 77.2% | Not reported |
| E. A. Hall Middle | 491 | 21.8 | 87.2% | Not reported |
| Lakeview Middle | 425 | 22.4 | 73.6% | Not reported |
| Pajaro Middle | 398 | 21.6 | 92.0% | Not reported |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
6 high schools, 5,023 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watsonville High | 2,215 | 23.5 | 79.9% | Not reported |
| Pajaro Valley High | 1,293 | 21.6 | 74.0% | Not reported |
| Aptos High | 1,274 | 22.0 | 36.5% | Not reported |
| Renaissance High Continuation | 112 | 7.2 | 84.8% | Not reported |
| Diamond Technology Institute | 87 | 17.1 | 55.2% | Not reported |
| New School Community Day | 42 | 10.5 | 88.1% | Not reported |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
2 other schools, 175 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Coast Charter | 132 | 21.6 | 61.4% | Not reported |
| PVUSD Virtual Academy | 43 | 15.9 | 79.1% | Not reported |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
Contact Pajaro Valley Unified
- Website: pvusd.net
- Phone: (831) 786-2100
- Office: 294 Green Valley Rd., Watsonville, CA 95076
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, local education agency directory 2024-25. Enrollment, boundaries and school assignment are the district's to confirm.
What to look at next about Pajaro Valley Unified
- California districts by spending per studentPajaro Valley Unified ranks 104 of 646 California districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 on current spending per student in fiscal year 2022-23 ($20,320).#104 of 646
- Every school district in CaliforniaPajaro Valley Unified is the number 74 by size of 1,991 California districts, with 17,452 students in fall 2022 (F-33).#74 of 1,991
- Palmdale ElementaryThe next larger California district: 17,788 students in fall 2022, $17,861 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$17,861
- Compton UnifiedThe next smaller California district: 17,437 students in fall 2022, $20,276 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$20,276
- Compare Pajaro Valley Unified with Palmdale ElementaryEnrollment, spending, revenue sources and schools, side by side.
- Watsonville High, its largest high school2,215 students in 2024-25, 23.5 per teacher.2,215
- Teacher salary spending across CaliforniaPajaro Valley Unified spent $103,416 in salaries per full-time teacher in fiscal year 2022-23 (state median $99,744); spending, not a salary.$103,416
- Find the school district for an addressA home's district decides which public schools it can enroll in.
Source: NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 (spending per student and fall 2022 membership; ranks among the state's districts that reported them); NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (schools).
Questions about Pajaro Valley Unified
How many schools and students are in Pajaro Valley Unified?
33 schools were open in 2024-25 (19 elementary, 6 middle, 6 high, 2 other), enrolling 16,482 students, according to the NCES Common Core of Data.How much does Pajaro Valley Unified spend per student?
$20,320 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), which leaves out construction and debt; the California median for districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 is $16,855 and the U.S. figure is $16,260. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $22,477 per student, up 10.6% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year).Where does Pajaro Valley Unified's money come from?
$457,021,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2022-23: 61.4% state, 25.9% local and 12.7% federal (NCES F-33).How many children in Pajaro Valley Unified live in poverty?
The Census Bureau estimates that 3,424 of the 18,657 children aged 5 to 17 living within the district's boundaries in 2024, 18.4%, were in families in poverty (Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). It is a model-based estimate for everyone living in the district, not a count of its students; the free-meal shares in the school tables are counts of enrolled students.How much does Pajaro Valley Unified spend on teacher salaries?
$86,029,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), or $4,929 per student. Divided by the 832 full-time teachers in the NCES Common Core of Data for 2022-23 that is $103,416 per teacher, more than 57 in 100 California districts (state median $99,744). That is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, and the result can differ widely from the average salary a district publishes. The district's salary schedule gives pay. For pay, the National Education Association put the average California teacher salary at $87,275 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).How do students in Pajaro Valley Unified do on state tests?
In 2021-22, the students tested in Pajaro Valley Unified scored proficient or above: 25% in reading and 17% in math, against 45% in reading and 34% in math across California. California's own test sets what proficient means, so results compare within the state, not across states. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22.What is the graduation rate in Pajaro Valley Unified?
89% of the 1,292 students in Pajaro Valley Unified's class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 86.2% across California. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23.What is Pajaro Valley Unified's NCES district ID?
0629490. Each of its schools' 12-digit NCES IDs begins with these seven digits.
Reading these figures: how to choose a school district, what Title I means and what an absenteeism rate means. They are for information and are not a substitute for the school's or district's own records.
Sources
Every federal file behind this record
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25: directory, membership, staff and lunch files. nces.ed.gov
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2021-22 school characteristics: Title I status. nces.ed.gov
- Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021-22: AP courses, gifted programs, counselors, discipline. civilrightsdata.ed.gov
- EDFacts, 2022-23: chronic absenteeism. ed.gov
- EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23: the class of 2023 for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22: reading and math proficiency for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- NCES Digest of Education Statistics, table 211.60 (2021-22): the state's average teacher salary, from the National Education Association. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024: children aged 5 to 17 and those in families in poverty, by school district. census.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2023-24: per pupil current spending for 2023-24 and 2022-23. census.gov
- NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, fiscal year 2022-23: district spending and revenue. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau geocoder and TIGER school districts: the district boundary used by the district finder. census.gov
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances Per pupil current spending by school system · FY 2023-24
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey Revenue and expenditures by district · FY 2022-23
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership, staff and lunch files · 2024-25