Empire Union Elementary

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.

Modesto, California - 6 schools

An equity score of 48/100 ranks Empire Union Elementary #821 of 1526 districts in California (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $17,501 per pupil, Empire Union Elementary ranks #909 of 1880 California districts by per-pupil spending (California districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,875
Total Enrollment
6
Schools
$17,501
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Empire Union Elementary operates 6 public schools serving 2,875 students, placing it among the smallest districts in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 5 elementary, 1 middle 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 Stanislaus County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $17,501 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 1880 California districts by per-pupil spending. See how California compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 30.3% local, 58.5% state, and 11.2% 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 48/100, ranked #821 of 1526 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 465.7:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 62.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 70.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% White, 5.1% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Christine Sipherd Elementary, with a diversity index of 59.9/100.

Its largest campus is Norman N. Glick Middle, enrolling 602 students (22% of the district's total enrollment).

Norman N. Glick Middle accounts for 20.9% of all Empire Union Elementary student enrollment

That concentration means Empire Union Elementary-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: middle. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Empire Union Elementary reports 66.9% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share sits between 62.5% and 75%, above a simple majority but below the highest descriptive band used here. 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

Empire Union Elementary student-counselor ratio is 466:1 — 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

Empire Union Elementary chronic absenteeism rate is 62.3% — 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?

11.2%
Federal
58.5%
State
30.3%
Local

Funding Equity

48
Equity Score
821 / 1526
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 6 schools in Empire Union Elementary.

White 15.6%
Hispanic or Latino 70.6%
African American 3.5%
Asian 5.1%
Multiracial 3.7%
Other 1.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 46.0/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Empire Union Elementary's schools, about the same as the California average of 46.0.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Christine Sipherd Elementary 59.9
  2. 2 Bernard L. Hughes Elementary 56.4
  3. 3 Norman N. Glick Middle 48.9
  4. 4 Alice N. Stroud Elementary 43.6
  5. 5 Capistrano Elementary 40.2

Programs & Resources

465.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
62.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Empire Union Elementary

School Enrollment
Norman N. Glick Middle
602
Christine Sipherd Elementary
505
Capistrano Elementary
469
Bernard L. Hughes Elementary
455
Empire Elementary
384
Alice N. Stroud Elementary
379

How Empire Union Elementary Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The California districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Vaughn Next Century Learning Center District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Loomis Union Elementary Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Rim of the World Unified Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Calaveras Unified Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Assurance Learning Academy District Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded

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

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 Empire Union Elementary

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 Empire Union Elementary?

Empire Union Elementary has 6 schools, including 1 middle, 5 elementary. Total enrollment is 2,875 students.

How much does Empire Union Elementary spend per student?

Empire Union Elementary spends $17,501 per student. The district has an equity score of 48/100, ranking #821 in California.

What is the demographic composition of Empire Union Elementary?

Empire Union Elementary students are 70.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% White, 5.1% Asian, 3.5% African American, averaged across 6 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Empire Union Elementary?

Empire Union Elementary has an equity score of 48/100, ranking #821 out of 1526 districts in California.