Darnall Charter District

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, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

San Diego, California - 1 schools

An equity score of 47/100 ranks Darnall Charter District #851 of 1517 districts in California (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $15,662 per pupil, Darnall Charter District ranks #819 of 1862 California districts by per-pupil spending (California districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

467
Total Enrollment
1
Schools
$15,662
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Darnall Charter District operates 1 public schools serving 467 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 San Diego County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,662 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 1862 California districts by per-pupil spending. See how California compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 50.8% local, 25.5% state, and 23.8% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 47/100, ranked #851 of 1517 in California against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 294.7:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 60.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 80.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.6% African American, 5.7% Asian across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Darnall Charter, enrolling 442 students (100% of the district's total enrollment).

Darnall Charter accounts for 94.6% of all Darnall Charter District student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Darnall Charter District a distant remainder — means Darnall Charter District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: elementary. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

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

Darnall Charter District has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 71.9% 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). Eligibility here is approaching the 75% concentration-grant threshold; it does not yet unlock the extra funding tier but sits meaningfully above the baseline 50% majority mark. 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

Darnall Charter District student-counselor ratio is 295:1 — 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 Darnall Charter District is typically wider than the Darnall Charter District-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Darnall Charter District chronic absenteeism rate is 60.0% — 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 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

23.8%
Federal
25.5%
State
50.8%
Local

Funding Equity

47
Equity Score
851 / 1517
State Rank
50
State Average

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

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 1 schools in Darnall Charter District.

White 1.1%
Hispanic or Latino 80.8%
African American 8.6%
Asian 5.7%
Multiracial 2.7%
Other 1.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

294.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
60.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Darnall Charter District

School Enrollment
Darnall Charter
Charter
442

How Darnall Charter District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The California districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Innovations Academy District Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Alliance Dr. Olga Mohan High District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Dimensions Collaborative District Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Alpha: Blanca Alvarado District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Gold Oak Union Elementary Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Darnall Charter District'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 · $21,940/pupil
Compare vs Darnall Charter District →
San Diego Unified
93,893 students · 175 schools · $18,665/pupil
Compare vs Darnall Charter District →
Fresno Unified
69,668 students · 101 schools · $18,783/pupil
Compare vs Darnall Charter District →
Long Beach Unified
65,554 students · 84 schools · $16,028/pupil
Compare vs Darnall Charter District →
Elk Grove Unified
62,061 students · 67 schools · $14,134/pupil
Compare vs Darnall Charter District →

Compare Darnall Charter District

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 Darnall Charter District?

Darnall Charter District has 1 school, including 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 467 students.

How much does Darnall Charter District spend per student?

Darnall Charter District spends $15,662 per student. The district has an equity score of 47/100, ranking #851 in California.

What is the demographic composition of Darnall Charter District?

Darnall Charter District students are 80.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.6% African American, 5.7% Asian, 1.1% White, averaged across 1 school. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Darnall Charter District?

Darnall Charter District has an equity score of 47/100, ranking #851 out of 1517 districts in California.