Madera Unified operates 28 public schools serving 20,151 students, placing it in the mid-size range in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 18 elementary, 5 high, 3 middle, 2 other schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 19,922 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Madera County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $17,180 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 13.4% local, 70.9% state, and 15.7% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $71,812 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 71/100, ranked #230 of 1547 in California against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 3 of 28 schools offering Advanced Placement (23 AP courses district-wide), a 445.6:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 55.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 91.3% Hispanic or Latino, 4.0% White, 1.3% African American across the district's schools.
Madera Unified school enrollment varies 134× across entities
Madera Unified school enrollment ranges from 15 students (lowest) to 2,017 students (highest), a spread of 2,002 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.
Madera Unified has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 81.1% 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). Areas above 75% eligibility — including this one — receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. 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.
Madera Unified student-counselor ratio is 446:1 — 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.
Madera Unified chronic absenteeism rate is 55.6% — 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.
Madera Unified has 28 schools, including 5 high, 3 middle, 18 elementary, 2 other. Total enrollment is 20,151 students.
How much does Madera Unified spend per student?
Madera Unified spends $17,180 per student. The district has an equity score of 71/100, ranking #230 in California.
What is the average teacher salary in Madera Unified?
The average teacher salary in Madera Unified is $71,812 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near Madera Unified?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Madera County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of Madera Unified?
Madera Unified students are 91.3% Hispanic or Latino, 4.0% White, 1.3% African American, 1.1% Asian, averaged across 28 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Madera Unified?
Madera Unified has an equity score of 71/100, ranking #230 out of 1547 districts in California. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.