La Honda-Pescadero 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, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Pescadero, California - 3 schools

An equity score of 72/100 ranks La Honda-Pescadero Unified #230 of 1517 districts in California (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $27,081 per pupil, La Honda-Pescadero Unified ranks #86 of 1862 California districts by per-pupil spending (California districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

258
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$27,081
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

La Honda-Pescadero Unified operates 3 public schools serving 258 students, placing it among the smallest districts in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 elementary, 1 high 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 Mateo County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $27,081 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the top 187 of 1862 California districts by per-pupil spending. See how California compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 72.3% local, 20.0% state, and 7.7% 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 72/100, ranked #230 of 1517 in California against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (1 AP courses district-wide), a 81:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 37.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 60.1% Hispanic or Latino, 37.6% White, 1.6% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is La Honda Elementary, with a diversity index of 42.3/100.

Its largest campus is Pescadero Elementary and Middle, enrolling 126 students (46% of the district's total enrollment).

Pescadero Elementary and Middle accounts for 46.3% of all La Honda-Pescadero Unified student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of La Honda-Pescadero Unified a distant remainder — means La Honda-Pescadero Unified-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

La Honda-Pescadero Unified student-counselor ratio is 81:1 — well below typical (typically associated with unusually small scale or exceptionally high per-unit investment)

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 Values this far below typical often correlate with unusually small scale or population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se — worth checking whether the underlying denominator is itself an outlier.

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

La Honda-Pescadero Unified chronic absenteeism rate is 37.4% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

7.7%
Federal
20.0%
State
72.3%
Local

Funding Equity

72
Equity Score
230 / 1517
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in La Honda-Pescadero Unified.

White 37.6%
Hispanic or Latino 60.1%
Asian 1.6%
Multiracial 0.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 36.8/100

Average Simpson diversity index across La Honda-Pescadero Unified's schools, below the California average of 46.0.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 La Honda Elementary 42.3
  2. 2 Pescadero High 34.5
  3. 3 Pescadero Elementary and Middle 33.6

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
1 AP courses total
81:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
37.4%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in La Honda-Pescadero Unified

School Enrollment
Pescadero Elementary and Middle
126
Pescadero High
81
La Honda Elementary
65

How La Honda-Pescadero Unified Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The California districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Leonardo Da Vinci Health Sciences Charter District Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
King-Chavez Community High District Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Downtown Charter Academy District Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Grossmont Secondary District Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Dr. Lewis Dolphin Stallworth Sr. Charter District Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded

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

La Honda-Pescadero Unified has 3 schools, including 2 elementary, 1 high. Total enrollment is 258 students.

How much does La Honda-Pescadero Unified spend per student?

La Honda-Pescadero Unified spends $27,081 per student. The district has an equity score of 72/100, ranking #230 in California.

What is the demographic composition of La Honda-Pescadero Unified?

La Honda-Pescadero Unified students are 60.1% Hispanic or Latino, 37.6% White, 1.6% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for La Honda-Pescadero Unified?

La Honda-Pescadero Unified has an equity score of 72/100, ranking #230 out of 1517 districts in California.