Capistrano Unified operates 59 public schools serving 41,855 students, placing it among the larger districts in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 37 elementary, 13 middle, 8 high, 1 other schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 40,281 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Orange County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,039 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 61.2% local, 31.0% state, and 7.7% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $84,149 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 28/100, ranked #1349 of 1547 in California against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 7 of 59 schools offering Advanced Placement (119 AP courses district-wide), a 526.7:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 27.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 49.5% White, 28.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian across the district's schools.
Capistrano Unified school enrollment varies 228× across entities
Capistrano Unified school enrollment ranges from 12 students (lowest) to 2,740 students (highest), a spread of 2,728 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity — the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Capistrano Unified student-counselor ratio is 527:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)
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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.
Capistrano Unified chronic absenteeism rate is 27.8% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism
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 Variation between sub-units within Capistrano Unified is typically wider than the Capistrano Unified-aggregate figure suggests.
Capistrano Unified has 59 schools, including 8 high, 13 middle, 37 elementary, 1 other. Total enrollment is 41,855 students.
How much does Capistrano Unified spend per student?
Capistrano Unified spends $15,039 per student. The district has an equity score of 28/100, ranking #1349 in California.
What is the average teacher salary in Capistrano Unified?
The average teacher salary in Capistrano Unified is $84,149 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near Capistrano Unified?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Orange County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of Capistrano Unified?
Capistrano Unified students are 49.5% White, 28.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 0.7% African American, averaged across 59 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Capistrano Unified?
Capistrano Unified has an equity score of 28/100, ranking #1349 out of 1547 districts in California. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.