Escalon Unified

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.

Escalon, California - 7 schools

An equity score of 36/100 ranks Escalon Unified #1099 of 1526 districts in California (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,561 per pupil, Escalon Unified ranks #1625 of 1880 California districts by per-pupil spending (California districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,669
Total Enrollment
7
Schools
$13,561
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Escalon Unified operates 7 public schools serving 2,669 students, placing it among the smallest districts in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 elementary, 2 high, 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 San Joaquin County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,561 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 28.0% local, 60.9% 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 36/100, ranked #1099 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.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 7 schools offering Advanced Placement (11 AP courses district-wide), a 362.7:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 18.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 61.5% Hispanic or Latino, 34.2% White, 1.5% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Dent Elementary, with a diversity index of 56.9/100.

Its largest campus is Escalon High, enrolling 815 students (30% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Vista High (Continuation), at 21 students, a 39x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Enrollment across the district's NCES-reporting campuses grew 2% between 2022-23 and 2023-24 (2,669 to 2,723 students), while the student-teacher ratio tightened by 0.7 students per teacher, per the NCES Common Core of Data annual universe files.

Of the district's $44,399,000 in reported FY2023 expenditures, 59.9% went to instruction, 28.8% to support services, and 6.6% to capital outlay, a fairly typical instruction/support/capital split for a public school district. Figures come from the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey's function-level breakdown, not the aggregate per-pupil figure above.

Escalon High accounts for 30.5% of all Escalon Unified student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Escalon Unified-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: high. 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

Escalon Unified school enrollment varies 39× across entities

Escalon Unified school enrollment ranges from 21 students (lowest) to 815 students (highest), a spread of 794 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

Escalon Unified student-counselor ratio is 363:1 — 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

Escalon Unified chronic absenteeism rate is 18.6% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

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 Variation between sub-units within Escalon Unified is typically wider than the Escalon Unified-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

11.2%
Federal
60.9%
State
28.0%
Local

Funding Equity

36
Equity Score
1099 / 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 7 schools in Escalon Unified.

White 34.2%
Hispanic or Latino 61.5%
African American 0.6%
Asian 1.5%
Multiracial 1.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 45.8/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Escalon Unified's schools, about the same as the California average of 46.0.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Dent Elementary 56.9
  2. 2 Escalon High 55.0
  3. 3 El Portal Middle 54.4
  4. 4 Van Allen Elementary 51.8
  5. 5 Farmington Elementary 46.1

Programs & Resources

1 / 7
Schools with AP
11 AP courses total
362.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
18.6%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Escalon Unified

School Enrollment
Escalon High
815
Dent Elementary
671
El Portal Middle
587
Van Allen Elementary
325
Collegeville Elementary
162
Farmington Elementary
95
Vista High (Continuation)
21

How Escalon Unified Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The California districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
San Rafael City High Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Exeter Unified Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Fairfax Elementary Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Lamont Elementary Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
San Carlos Elementary Similar size Higher spending More locally funded

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

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 Escalon Unified

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 Escalon Unified?

Escalon Unified has 7 schools, including 2 high, 4 elementary, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 2,669 students.

How much does Escalon Unified spend per student?

Escalon Unified spends $13,561 per student. The district has an equity score of 36/100, ranking #1099 in California.

What is the demographic composition of Escalon Unified?

Escalon Unified students are 61.5% Hispanic or Latino, 34.2% White, 1.5% Asian, 0.6% African American, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Escalon Unified?

Escalon Unified has an equity score of 36/100, ranking #1099 out of 1526 districts in California.