Ceres Unified
Public school district · Stanislaus County · California · NCES district ID 0608130
Ceres Unified spent $18,030 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, more than 64% of the other California districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 (median $16,855). Its 23 schools enrolled 13,665 students in 2024-25; 75.3% of its revenue came from the state. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $19,511 per student, up 8.2% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year). Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 91% (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 Ceres Unified in enrollment (13,494 to 14,208 students) and Ceres Unified itself.
Where the money came from
$319,548,000 in revenue: 75.3% state, 14.4% local and 10.3% federal. Total spending including $9,684,000 of capital outlay was $266,276,000, or $19,165 per student; the figure above leaves capital out.
- State$240,545,000 75%
- Local$46,065,000 14%
- Federal$32,938,000 10%
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
13,867 students in 2022-23, 13,844 students in 2023-24, 13,665 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 | 13,867 | 604.8 | 22.9 |
| 2023-24 | 13,844 | 601.1 | 23.0 |
| 2024-25 | 13,665 | 588.8 | 23.2 |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25; sums over the schools reporting each year.
$75,483,000 in teacher salaries in fiscal year 2022-23, $5,433 per student
Ceres Unified booked $75,483,000 of teacher salaries in its 2022-23 finance report and counted 605 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 $124,800 of salary spending per teacher. That is more than 87 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 | $66,480,000 | 88.1% |
| Special education | $5,397,000 | 7.1% |
| Vocational | $1,762,000 | 2.3% |
| Other programs | $1,844,000 | 2.4% |
Teacher salaries per student, fiscal years 2018-19 to 2022-23
The district's teacher salary bill divided by its fall enrollment each year: $4,083 in 2018-19, $4,078 in 2019-20, $4,334 in 2020-21, $4,881 in 2021-22, $5,433 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 Ceres Unified scored proficient or above: 32% 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 | 32% | 45% | 6,334 |
| Math | 17% | 34% | 6,327 |
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
91% of the 1,114 students in Ceres 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 | 91% | 86.2% |
| Students in the class | 1,114 | 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.
14 elementary schools, 7,344 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucas Elementary | 668 | 26.7 | 65.1% | Not reported |
| Caswell Elementary | 653 | 25.6 | 80.7% | Not reported |
| Virginia Parks Elementary | 643 | 24.6 | 73.1% | Not reported |
| Sinclear Elementary | 581 | 23.2 | 73.3% | Not reported |
| Samuel Vaughn Elementary | 570 | 23.8 | 68.6% | Not reported |
| M. Robert Adkison Elementary | 531 | 25.3 | 78.9% | Not reported |
| Walter White Elementary | 526 | 21.9 | 86.3% | Not reported |
| Carroll Fowler Elementary | 522 | 24.9 | 81.6% | Not reported |
| La Rosa Elementary | 516 | 23.6 | 76.0% | Not reported |
| Patricia Kay Beaver Elementary | 503 | 22.9 | 60.2% | Not reported |
| Don Pedro Elementary | 439 | 23.7 | 86.1% | Not reported |
| Whitmore Charter School of Art & Technology | 435 | 19.6 | 45.5% | Not reported |
The other 2 elementary schools
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joel J. Hidahl Elementary | 393 | 24.6 | 77.9% | Not reported |
| Westport Elementary | 364 | 24.3 | 87.9% | 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.
3 middle schools, 1,924 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cesar Chavez Junior High | 685 | 21.9 | 77.2% | Not reported |
| Mae Hensley Junior High | 636 | 23.1 | 86.6% | Not reported |
| Blaker-Kinser Junior High | 603 | 21.4 | 82.8% | 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.
4 high schools, 4,262 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Valley High | 2,317 | 23.4 | 80.2% | Not reported |
| Ceres High | 1,660 | 22.6 | 79.8% | Not reported |
| Argus High (Continuation) | 189 | 18.6 | 87.8% | Not reported |
| Whitmore Charter High | 96 | 19.4 | 50.0% | 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.
2 other schools, 135 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Endeavor Alternative | 98 | 19.6 | 88.8% | Not reported |
| Ceres Special Education | 37 | 18.5 | 59.5% | 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 Ceres Unified
- Website: ceres.k12.ca.us
- Phone: (209) 556-1500
- Office: 2503 Lawrence St., Ceres, CA 95307
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 Ceres Unified
- California districts by spending per studentCeres Unified ranks 233 of 646 California districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 on current spending per student in fiscal year 2022-23 ($18,030).#233 of 646
- Every school district in CaliforniaCeres Unified is the number 107 by size of 1,991 California districts, with 13,894 students in fall 2022 (F-33).#107 of 1,991
- Santa Clara UnifiedThe next larger California district: 13,919 students in fall 2022, $27,214 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$27,214
- Pleasanton UnifiedThe next smaller California district: 13,876 students in fall 2022, $16,170 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$16,170
- Compare Ceres Unified with Santa Clara UnifiedEnrollment, spending, revenue sources and schools, side by side.
- Central Valley High, its largest high school2,317 students in 2024-25, 23.4 per teacher.2,317
- Teacher salary spending across CaliforniaCeres Unified spent $124,800 in salaries per full-time teacher in fiscal year 2022-23 (state median $99,744); spending, not a salary.$124,800
- 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 Ceres Unified
How many schools and students are in Ceres Unified?
23 schools were open in 2024-25 (14 elementary, 3 middle, 4 high, 2 other), enrolling 13,665 students, according to the NCES Common Core of Data.How much does Ceres Unified spend per student?
$18,030 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 $19,511 per student, up 8.2% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year).Where does Ceres Unified's money come from?
$319,548,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2022-23: 75.3% state, 14.4% local and 10.3% federal (NCES F-33).How many children in Ceres Unified live in poverty?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,512 of the 12,371 children aged 5 to 17 living within the district's boundaries in 2024, 20.3%, 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 Ceres Unified spend on teacher salaries?
$75,483,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), or $5,433 per student. Divided by the 605 full-time teachers in the NCES Common Core of Data for 2022-23 that is $124,800 per teacher, more than 87 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 Ceres Unified do on state tests?
In 2021-22, the students tested in Ceres Unified scored proficient or above: 32% 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 Ceres Unified?
91% of the 1,114 students in Ceres 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 Ceres Unified's NCES district ID?
0608130. 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