Orange Unified
Public school district · Orange County · California · NCES district ID 0628650
Orange Unified spent $15,133 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, below the middle: 76% of the other California districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 spent more (median $16,855). Its 40 schools enrolled 23,790 students in 2024-25; 43.6% of its revenue came from the state. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $16,406 per student, up 8.4% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year). Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 93% (California: 86.2%).
NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 · Census Bureau school finances 2023-24 · NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · method
Spending per student among California districts of similar size
Current spending per student excludes construction and debt. The 9 districts closest to Orange Unified in enrollment (23,711 to 26,379 students) and Orange Unified itself.
Where the money came from
$529,784,000 in revenue: 43.6% state, 48.3% local and 8.1% federal. Total spending including $36,237,000 of capital outlay was $424,923,000, or $17,159 per student; the figure above leaves capital out.
- State$231,101,000 44%
- Local$256,007,000 48%
- Federal$42,676,000 8%
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures for elementary and secondary education divided by fall membership; the state median covers 646 districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022. Revenue by source (TOTALREV, TFEDREV, TSTREV, TLOCREV).
Enrollment fell from 2022-23 to 2024-25
24,740 students in 2022-23, 24,238 students in 2023-24, 23,790 students in 2024-25, counted across the schools that reported each year.
Teachers and students per teacher
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 24,740 | 990.9 | 25.0 |
| 2023-24 | 24,238 | 992.0 | 24.4 |
| 2024-25 | 23,790 | 989.9 | 24.0 |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25; sums over the schools reporting each year.
$114,730,000 in teacher salaries in fiscal year 2022-23, $4,633 per student
Orange Unified booked $114,730,000 of teacher salaries in its 2022-23 finance report and counted 991 full-time teachers in its Common Core of Data district staff file for 2022-23 (the school files behind the staffing figures on this page count teachers separately, so the two can differ), or $115,788 of salary spending per teacher. That is more than 76 in 100 California districts with a figure (state median $99,744, 1,149 districts). It is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, so the result can differ widely from the average salary the district publishes (its salary schedule gives pay); benefits are left out, and states book salaries differently, so compare districts within one state. For pay, the National Education Association put the average California teacher salary at $87,275 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).
| Program | Teacher salaries | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Regular programs | $91,017,000 | 79.3% |
| Special education | $19,624,000 | 17.1% |
| Vocational | $2,513,000 | 2.2% |
| Other programs | $1,576,000 | 1.4% |
Teacher salaries per student, fiscal years 2018-19 to 2022-23
The district's teacher salary bill divided by its fall enrollment each year: $3,953 in 2018-19, $3,941 in 2019-20, $4,270 in 2020-21, $4,255 in 2021-22, $4,633 in 2022-23.
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal years 2019 to 2023: teacher salaries in regular, special, vocational and other programs (Z35 to Z38) and fall membership (V33); NCES Common Core of Data LEA staff file 2022-23, teachers (full-time equivalent).
State test results, 2021-22
In 2021-22, the students tested in Orange Unified scored proficient or above: 55% in reading and 42% in math, against 45% in reading and 34% in math across California. Each state writes its own test and sets its own proficiency bar, so compare these within California, not across states. Where a state published results by grade only, the grades tested are combined, weighted by the students tested in each.
| Subject | This district | California | Students tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading and language arts | 55% | 45% | 10,382 |
| Math | 42% | 34% | 10,429 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2021-22, all students, from ED Data Express (the Data Rescue Project archive; ED has no 2022-23 result for this district): ED shows district results as ranges (for example 20-24%) to protect small groups.
Graduation rate, class of 2023
93% of the 2,196 students in Orange Unified's class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 86.2% across California. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out, and counts those who earned a regular diploma by 2023. Every state computes it the same way under federal law, though each sets its own diploma requirements.
| This district | California | |
|---|---|---|
| Four-year graduation rate | 93% | 86.2% |
| Students in the class | 2,196 | 495,492 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates 2022-23, all students, from ED Data Express: ED shows district rates as ranges (for example 90-94%) and leaves out small classes.
27 elementary schools, 12,796 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McPherson Magnet | 863 | 25.7 | 26.3% | Not reported |
| Crescent Elementary | 805 | 28.9 | 14.7% | Not reported |
| California iInspire Academy | 699 | 27.9 | 74.1% | Not reported |
| Lampson Elementary | 676 | 26.7 | 69.1% | Not reported |
| Running Springs Academy | 643 | 25.9 | 20.5% | Not reported |
| Villa Park Elementary | 604 | 29.3 | 19.7% | Not reported |
| Nohl Canyon Elementary | 524 | 27.7 | 12.6% | Not reported |
| Serrano Elementary | 524 | 24.8 | 27.3% | Not reported |
| Canyon Rim Elementary | 509 | 27.0 | 20.8% | Not reported |
| Fletcher Mandarin Language & GATE Academy | 493 | 21.7 | 33.7% | Not reported |
| Anaheim Hills Elementary | 476 | 28.2 | 10.9% | Not reported |
| Jordan Academy of Language and Computer Science | 430 | 24.2 | 64.4% | Not reported |
The other 15 elementary schools
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmyra Elementary | 429 | 22.1 | 61.8% | Not reported |
| Fairhaven Elementary | 421 | 22.9 | 73.6% | Not reported |
| Cambridge Elementary | 415 | 22.5 | 75.2% | Not reported |
| West Orange Elementary | 410 | 27.6 | 66.6% | Not reported |
| La Veta Elementary | 408 | 25.9 | 54.4% | Not reported |
| Panorama Elementary | 408 | 26.0 | 22.8% | Not reported |
| Imperial Elementary | 389 | 22.3 | 21.9% | Not reported |
| Taft Elementary | 387 | 26.3 | 78.3% | Not reported |
| Handy Elementary | 377 | 23.8 | 80.6% | Not reported |
| Sycamore Elementary | 357 | 22.5 | 73.7% | Not reported |
| Prospect Elementary | 332 | 23.0 | 66.6% | Not reported |
| Chapman Hills Elementary | 321 | 27.3 | 23.1% | Not reported |
| Olive Elementary | 319 | 21.4 | 58.6% | Not reported |
| Linda Vista Elementary | 289 | 23.5 | 27.3% | Not reported |
| Esplanade Elementary | 288 | 21.8 | 85.8% | Not reported |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
4 middle schools, 2,731 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Rancho Charter | 1,144 | 30.0 | 21.9% | Not reported |
| Cerro Villa Middle | 747 | 26.2 | 45.6% | Not reported |
| Portola Middle | 422 | 20.9 | 80.1% | Not reported |
| Yorba Middle | 418 | 18.2 | 77.5% | Not reported |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
6 high schools, 7,898 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon High | 2,183 | 25.7 | 20.5% | Not reported |
| Villa Park High | 2,023 | 24.6 | 41.4% | Not reported |
| El Modena High | 1,795 | 21.4 | 52.8% | Not reported |
| Orange High | 1,728 | 20.8 | 73.2% | Not reported |
| Richland Continuation High | 165 | 11.5 | 78.8% | Not reported |
| OUSD Community Day | 4 | 2.0 | 68.8% | Not reported |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
3 other schools, 365 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OUSD EDGE Virtual Academy | 229 | 15.9 | 39.7% | Not reported |
| Canyon Hills | 109 | 16.1 | 29.4% | Not reported |
| OUSD Home School | 27 | 12.7 | 48.1% | Not reported |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
Contact Orange Unified
- Website: orangeusd.org
- Phone: (714) 628-4000
- Office: 1401 North Handy St., Orange, CA 92867
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, local education agency directory 2024-25. Enrollment, boundaries and school assignment are the district's to confirm.
What to look at next about Orange Unified
- California districts by spending per studentOrange Unified ranks 488 of 646 California districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 on current spending per student in fiscal year 2022-23 ($15,133).#488 of 646
- Every school district in CaliforniaOrange Unified is the number 37 by size of 1,991 California districts, with 24,764 students in fall 2022 (F-33).#37 of 1,991
- San Jose UnifiedThe next larger California district: 25,451 students in fall 2022, $17,839 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$17,839
- Manteca UnifiedThe next smaller California district: 24,667 students in fall 2022, $14,789 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$14,789
- Compare Orange Unified with San Jose UnifiedEnrollment, spending, revenue sources and schools, side by side.
- Canyon High, its largest high school2,183 students in 2024-25, 25.7 per teacher.2,183
- Teacher salary spending across CaliforniaOrange Unified spent $115,788 in salaries per full-time teacher in fiscal year 2022-23 (state median $99,744); spending, not a salary.$115,788
- Find the school district for an addressA home's district decides which public schools it can enroll in.
Source: NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 (spending per student and fall 2022 membership; ranks among the state's districts that reported them); NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (schools).
Questions about Orange Unified
How many schools and students are in Orange Unified?
40 schools were open in 2024-25 (27 elementary, 4 middle, 6 high, 3 other), enrolling 23,790 students, according to the NCES Common Core of Data.How much does Orange Unified spend per student?
$15,133 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), which leaves out construction and debt; the California median for districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 is $16,855 and the U.S. figure is $16,260. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $16,406 per student, up 8.4% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year).Where does Orange Unified's money come from?
$529,784,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2022-23: 43.6% state, 48.3% local and 8.1% federal (NCES F-33).How many children in Orange Unified live in poverty?
The Census Bureau estimates that 3,213 of the 33,048 children aged 5 to 17 living within the district's boundaries in 2024, 9.7%, were in families in poverty (Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). It is a model-based estimate for everyone living in the district, not a count of its students; the free-meal shares in the school tables are counts of enrolled students.How much does Orange Unified spend on teacher salaries?
$114,730,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), or $4,633 per student. Divided by the 991 full-time teachers in the NCES Common Core of Data for 2022-23 that is $115,788 per teacher, more than 76 in 100 California districts (state median $99,744). That is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, and the result can differ widely from the average salary a district publishes. The district's salary schedule gives pay. For pay, the National Education Association put the average California teacher salary at $87,275 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).How do students in Orange Unified do on state tests?
In 2021-22, the students tested in Orange Unified scored proficient or above: 55% in reading and 42% in math, against 45% in reading and 34% in math across California. California's own test sets what proficient means, so results compare within the state, not across states. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22.What is the graduation rate in Orange Unified?
93% of the 2,196 students in Orange Unified's class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 86.2% across California. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23.What is Orange Unified's NCES district ID?
0628650. Each of its schools' 12-digit NCES IDs begins with these seven digits.
Reading these figures: how to choose a school district, what Title I means and what an absenteeism rate means. They are for information and are not a substitute for the school's or district's own records.
Sources
Every federal file behind this record
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25: directory, membership, staff and lunch files. nces.ed.gov
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2021-22 school characteristics: Title I status. nces.ed.gov
- Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021-22: AP courses, gifted programs, counselors, discipline. civilrightsdata.ed.gov
- EDFacts, 2022-23: chronic absenteeism. ed.gov
- EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23: the class of 2023 for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22: reading and math proficiency for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- NCES Digest of Education Statistics, table 211.60 (2021-22): the state's average teacher salary, from the National Education Association. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024: children aged 5 to 17 and those in families in poverty, by school district. census.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2023-24: per pupil current spending for 2023-24 and 2022-23. census.gov
- NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, fiscal year 2022-23: district spending and revenue. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau geocoder and TIGER school districts: the district boundary used by the district finder. census.gov
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances Per pupil current spending by school system · FY 2023-24
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey Revenue and expenditures by district · FY 2022-23
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership, staff and lunch files · 2024-25