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.
Orange, California - 40 schools
An equity score of 30/100 ranks Orange Unified #1232 of 1517 districts in California (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $14,036 per pupil, Orange Unified ranks #1200 of 1862 California districts by per-pupil spending (California districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
Orange Unified operates 40 public schools serving 24,764 students, placing it in the mid-size range in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 27 elementary, 5 high, 4 middle, 4 combined schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Orange County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,036 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 1862 California districts by per-pupil spending. See how California compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 53.9% local, 35.0% state, and 11.0% 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 30/100, ranked #1232 of 1517 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 5 of 40 schools offering Advanced Placement (103 AP courses district-wide), a 445.3:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 30.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 61.1% Hispanic or Latino, 20.2% White, 10.5% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Running Springs Academy, with a diversity index of 73.4/100.
Its largest campus is Canyon High, enrolling 2,183 students (9% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Ousd Community Day, at 4 students, a 546x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
Orange Unified school enrollment ranges from 4 students (lowest) to 2,183 students (highest), a spread of 2,179 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. 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 NCES Common Core of Data
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 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection
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
This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.
Average demographic composition across 40 schools in Orange Unified.
Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.
Average Simpson diversity index across Orange Unified's schools, about the same as the California average of 46.0.
Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.
The California districts closest to this one in total enrollment.
| District | Enrollment | Spending | Funding Mix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manteca Unified | Similar size | Similar spending | Less locally funded |
| Glendale Unified | Similar size | Higher spending | Less locally funded |
| Rialto Unified | Similar size | Similar spending | Less locally funded |
| Twin Rivers Unified | Similar size | Higher spending | Less locally funded |
| San Jose Unified | Similar size | Similar spending | More locally funded |
Comparisons are relative to Orange Unified's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.
Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.
See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.
Compare vs Los Angeles Unified →Orange Unified has 40 schools, including 5 high, 4 middle, 27 elementary, 4 combined. Total enrollment is 24,764 students.
Orange Unified spends $14,036 per student. The district has an equity score of 30/100, ranking #1232 in California.
Orange Unified students are 61.1% Hispanic or Latino, 20.2% White, 10.5% Asian, 1.1% African American, averaged across 40 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
Orange Unified has an equity score of 30/100, ranking #1232 out of 1517 districts in California.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.