Linden 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.

Linden, California - 6 schools

An equity score of 44/100 ranks Linden Unified #907 of 1526 districts in California (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $17,141 per pupil, Linden Unified ranks #973 of 1880 California districts by per-pupil spending (California districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,277
Total Enrollment
6
Schools
$17,141
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Linden Unified operates 6 public schools serving 2,277 students, placing it among the smallest districts in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 elementary, 2 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 Joaquin County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $17,141 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 29.6% local, 58.6% state, and 11.8% 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 44/100, ranked #907 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.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 6 schools offering Advanced Placement (8 AP courses district-wide), a 247.7:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 17.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 68.7% Hispanic or Latino, 25.3% White, 1.5% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Waterloo Elementary, with a diversity index of 54.6/100.

Its largest campus is Linden High, enrolling 743 students (32% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Pride Continuation, at 27 students, a 28x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Linden High accounts for 31.8% of all Linden Unified student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Linden 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

Linden Unified school enrollment varies 28× across entities

Linden Unified school enrollment ranges from 27 students (lowest) to 743 students (highest), a spread of 716 students. That spread is wider than typical and predicts noticeable gaps in service quality between the highest and lowest areas. 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

Linden Unified reports 55.5% 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

Linden Unified student-counselor ratio is 248:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Linden Unified chronic absenteeism rate is 17.9% — 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 Linden Unified is typically wider than the Linden Unified-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

11.8%
Federal
58.6%
State
29.6%
Local

Funding Equity

44
Equity Score
907 / 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 Linden Unified.

White 25.3%
Hispanic or Latino 68.7%
Asian 1.5%
Multiracial 3.6%
Other 0.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 44.6/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Waterloo Elementary 54.6
  2. 2 Linden Elementary 54.4
  3. 3 Linden High 48.2
  4. 4 Waverly Elementary 47.9
  5. 5 Glenwood Elementary 37.4

Programs & Resources

1 / 6
Schools with AP
8 AP courses total
247.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
17.9%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Linden Unified

School Enrollment
Linden High
743
Waverly Elementary
438
Linden Elementary
414
Glenwood Elementary
378
Waterloo Elementary
339
Pride Continuation
27

How Linden Unified Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The California districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Palmdale Aerospace Academy District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Carmel Unified Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Dos Palos Oro Loma Joint Unified Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Orland Joint Unified Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
South Sutter Charter District Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded

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

Linden Unified has 6 schools, including 2 high, 4 elementary. Total enrollment is 2,277 students.

How much does Linden Unified spend per student?

Linden Unified spends $17,141 per student. The district has an equity score of 44/100, ranking #907 in California.

What is the demographic composition of Linden Unified?

Linden Unified students are 68.7% Hispanic or Latino, 25.3% White, 1.5% Asian, 0.1% African American, averaged across 6 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Linden Unified?

Linden Unified has an equity score of 44/100, ranking #907 out of 1526 districts in California.