Banning Unified

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Banning, California - 9 schools

An equity score of 70/100 ranks Banning Unified #272 of 1526 districts in California (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $18,612 per pupil, Banning Unified ranks #708 of 1880 California districts by per-pupil spending (California districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

4,376
Total Enrollment
9
Schools
$18,612
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Banning Unified operates 9 public schools serving 4,376 students, placing it among the smaller districts in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 5 elementary, 2 high, 1 middle, 1 combined schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Riverside County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $18,612 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 1880 California districts by per-pupil spending. See how California compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 20.7% local, 58.1% state, and 21.1% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 70/100, ranked #272 of 1526 in California against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 9 schools offering Advanced Placement (8 AP courses district-wide), a 316.4:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 55.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 74.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% White, 7.0% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Banning Independent Study, with a diversity index of 48.6/100.

Its largest campus is Banning High, enrolling 1,145 students (27% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is New Horizon High, at 68 students, a 17x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Banning High accounts for 26.2% of all Banning Unified student enrollment

That concentration means Banning Unified-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: high. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Banning Unified school enrollment varies 17× across entities

Banning Unified school enrollment ranges from 68 students (lowest) to 1,145 students (highest), a spread of 1,077 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Banning Unified reports 78.2% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share is at least 75%, indicating a high concentration of measured economic need. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Banning Unified student-counselor ratio is 316:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Banning Unified is typically wider than the Banning Unified-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Banning Unified chronic absenteeism rate is 55.2% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

21.1%
Federal
58.1%
State
20.7%
Local

Funding Equity

70
Equity Score
272 / 1526
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 9 schools in Banning Unified.

White 9.2%
Hispanic or Latino 74.3%
African American 7.0%
Asian 3.7%
Multiracial 3.1%
Other 2.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 42.6/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Banning Unified's schools, below the California average of 46.0.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Banning Independent Study 48.6
  2. 2 Hoffer Elementary 47.9
  3. 3 New Horizon High 46.0
  4. 4 Banning High 44.9
  5. 5 Hemmerling Elementary 43.2

Programs & Resources

1 / 9
Schools with AP
8 AP courses total
316.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
55.2%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Banning Unified

School Enrollment
Banning High
1,145
Nicolet Middle
966
Central Elementary
782
Hemmerling Elementary
468
Hoffer Elementary
367
Cabazon Elementary
268
Florida Street Discovery Center
86
Banning Independent Study
84
New Horizon High
68

How Banning Unified Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The California districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Benicia Unified Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Santa Cruz City High Similar size No spending data No revenue-mix data
La Habra City Elementary Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
National Elementary Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Mountain View-Los Altos Union High Similar size Higher spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Banning Unified's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in California

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Los Angeles Unified
427,795 students · 785 schools · $22,606/pupil
Compare vs Banning Unified →
San Diego Unified
93,893 students · 175 schools · $20,783/pupil
Compare vs Banning Unified →
Fresno Unified
69,668 students · 101 schools · $20,909/pupil
Compare vs Banning Unified →
Long Beach Unified
65,554 students · 84 schools · $18,419/pupil
Compare vs Banning Unified →
Elk Grove Unified
62,061 students · 67 schools · $15,921/pupil
Compare vs Banning Unified →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Banning Unified

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Los Angeles Unified →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Banning Unified?

Banning Unified has 9 schools, including 2 high, 1 middle, 5 elementary, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 4,376 students.

How much does Banning Unified spend per student?

Banning Unified spends $18,612 per student. The district has an equity score of 70/100, ranking #272 in California.

What is the demographic composition of Banning Unified?

Banning Unified students are 74.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% White, 7.0% African American, 3.7% Asian, averaged across 9 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Banning Unified?

Banning Unified has an equity score of 70/100, ranking #272 out of 1526 districts in California.