Columbia Union

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.

Columbia, California - 1 schools

An equity score of 38/100 ranks Columbia Union #1063 of 1526 districts in California (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $14,989 per pupil, Columbia Union ranks #1390 of 1880 California districts by per-pupil spending (California districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

438
Total Enrollment
1
Schools
$14,989
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Columbia Union operates 1 public schools serving 438 students, placing it among the smallest districts in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 elementary schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Tuolumne County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,989 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 1880 California districts by per-pupil spending. See how California compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 35.2% local, 51.3% state, and 13.5% 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 38/100, ranked #1063 of 1526 in California against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 464:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 49.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 69.5% White, 20.5% Hispanic or Latino, 1.1% African American across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Columbia Elementary, enrolling 464 students (100% of the district's total enrollment).

Columbia Elementary accounts for 100.0% of all Columbia Union student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Columbia Union a distant remainder — means Columbia Union-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: elementary. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Because it contains a majority of the affected population, enrollment-weighted aggregates will sit closer to this entity's reported fields than to those of smaller peers; an unweighted entity count answers a different question.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Columbia Union reports 50.3% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share clears the 50% majority mark. 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

Columbia Union student-counselor ratio is 464:1 — 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

Columbia Union chronic absenteeism rate is 49.1% — 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?

13.5%
Federal
51.3%
State
35.2%
Local

Funding Equity

38
Equity Score
1063 / 1526
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 1 schools in Columbia Union.

White 69.5%
Hispanic or Latino 20.5%
African American 1.1%
Asian 0.9%
Multiracial 5.0%
Other 3.0%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

464:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
49.1%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Columbia Union

School Enrollment
Columbia Elementary
464

How Columbia Union Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The California districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Edward B. Cole Academy District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Rocketship Discovery Prep District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Downtown Value District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Golden Valley Charter District Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Credo High District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Columbia Union'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 Columbia Union →
San Diego Unified
93,893 students · 175 schools · $20,783/pupil
Compare vs Columbia Union →
Fresno Unified
69,668 students · 101 schools · $20,909/pupil
Compare vs Columbia Union →
Long Beach Unified
65,554 students · 84 schools · $18,419/pupil
Compare vs Columbia Union →
Elk Grove Unified
62,061 students · 67 schools · $15,921/pupil
Compare vs Columbia Union →

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 Columbia Union

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 Columbia Union?

Columbia Union has 1 school, including 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 438 students.

How much does Columbia Union spend per student?

Columbia Union spends $14,989 per student. The district has an equity score of 38/100, ranking #1063 in California.

What is the demographic composition of Columbia Union?

Columbia Union students are 69.5% White, 20.5% Hispanic or Latino, 1.1% African American, 0.9% Asian, averaged across 1 school. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Columbia Union?

Columbia Union has an equity score of 38/100, ranking #1063 out of 1526 districts in California.