Central Unified

Fresno, California — 24 schools

15,742
Total Enrollment
24
Schools
$16,938
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Central Unified operates 24 public schools serving 15,742 students, placing it in the mid-size range in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 14 elementary, 4 high, 3 middle, 3 other schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 15,956 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Fresno County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $16,938 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 22.2% local, 65.7% state, and 12.0% 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 $72,047 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 53/100, ranked #688 of 1547 in California against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 4 of 24 schools offering Advanced Placement (31 AP courses district-wide), a 476.3:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 46.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 62.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 11.4% White across the district's schools.

Central Unified school enrollment varies 210× across entities

Central Unified school enrollment ranges from 10 students (lowest) to 2,095 students (highest), a spread of 2,085 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.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Central Unified has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 71.8% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Central Unified student-counselor ratio is 476:1 — 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.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Central Unified chronic absenteeism rate is 46.8% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

12.0%
Federal
65.7%
State
22.2%
Local

Funding Equity

53
Equity Score
688 / 1547
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Fresno County county, where this district is located.

$1,347
Studio/mo
$1,355
1 BR/mo
$1,664
2 BR/mo
$2,314
3 BR/mo
$2,660
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$72,047
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 24 schools in Central Unified.

White 11.4%
Hispanic or Latino 62.8%
African American 6.2%
Asian 15.8%
Multiracial 3.1%
Other 0.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

4 / 24
Schools with AP
31 AP courses total
476.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
46.8%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Central Unified

School Enrollment
Justin Garza High
2,095
Central East High
1,741
Harvest Elementary
1,010
Glacier Point Middle
947
Rio Vista Middle
851
Central Elementary
762
Herndon-Barstow Elementary
754
El Capitan Middle
738
William Saroyan Elementary
697
River Bluff Elementary
694
John Steinbeck Elementary
689
Mckinley Elementary
671
Norman Liddell Elementary
628
Central High
625
Hanh Phan Tilley Elementary
622
Teague Elementary
551
Roosevelt Elementary
489
Madison Elementary
487
Central Unified Alternative/Opportunity
260
Houghton-Kearney Elementary
199
Biola-Pershing Elementary
198
Central Online Home
137
Pershing Continuation High
101
Pathway Community Day
10

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 · $25,877/pupil
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San Diego Unified
93,893 students · 175 schools · $26,901/pupil
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Fresno Unified
69,668 students · 101 schools · $20,737/pupil
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Long Beach Unified
65,554 students · 84 schools · $19,558/pupil
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Elk Grove Unified
62,061 students · 67 schools · $16,975/pupil
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Compare Central Unified

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Central Unified?

Central Unified has 24 schools, including 4 high, 14 elementary, 3 middle, 3 other. Total enrollment is 15,742 students.

How much does Central Unified spend per student?

Central Unified spends $16,938 per student. The district has an equity score of 53/100, ranking #688 in California.

What is the average teacher salary in Central Unified?

The average teacher salary in Central Unified is $72,047 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Central Unified?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Fresno County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Central Unified?

Central Unified students are 62.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 11.4% White, 6.2% African American, averaged across 24 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Central Unified?

Central Unified has an equity score of 53/100, ranking #688 out of 1547 districts in California. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

Coverage

50 states + DC

Full national footprint

Update cadence

Quarterly

Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

Source agency

Federal

Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation

Page reliability score 94.0%
Industry baseline

Composite score weighing source authority, update freshness, and methodological transparency. 1.0 = full federal-source coverage with documented methodology and recent update.