Orange Unified

Orange, California — 40 schools

24,764
Total Enrollment
40
Schools
$16,286
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

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 other schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 23,790 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Orange County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $16,286 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 53.9% local, 35.0% state, and 11.0% 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 $73,537 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 30/100, ranked #1293 of 1547 in California against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 5 of 40 schools offering Advanced Placement (103 AP courses district-wide), a 445.3:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 35.5% 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.

Orange Unified school enrollment varies 546× across entities

Orange Unified school enrollment ranges from 4 students (lowest) to 2,183 students (highest), a spread of 2,179 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.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Orange Unified student-counselor ratio is 445:1 — 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.

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

Orange Unified chronic absenteeism rate is 35.5% — 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?

11.0%
Federal
35.0%
State
53.9%
Local

Funding Equity

30
Equity Score
1293 / 1547
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Orange County county, where this district is located.

$2,682
Studio/mo
$2,746
1 BR/mo
$3,236
2 BR/mo
$4,393
3 BR/mo
$5,246
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$73,537
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 40 schools in Orange Unified.

White 20.2%
Hispanic or Latino 61.1%
African American 1.1%
Asian 10.5%
Multiracial 6.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

5 / 40
Schools with AP
103 AP courses total
445.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
35.5%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Orange Unified

School Enrollment
Canyon High
2,183
Villa Park High
2,023
El Modena High
1,795
Orange High
1,728
El Rancho Charter
Charter
1,144
Mcpherson Magnet
863
Crescent Elementary
805
Cerro Villa Middle
747
California Iinspire Academy
699
Lampson Elementary
676
Running Springs Academy
643
Villa Park Elementary
604
Nohl Canyon Elementary
524
Serrano Elementary
524
Canyon Rim Elementary
509
Fletcher Mandarin Language & Gate Academy
493
Anaheim Hills Elementary
476
Jordan Academy of Language and Computer Science
430
Palmyra Elementary
429
Portola Middle
422
Fairhaven Elementary
421
Yorba Middle
418
Cambridge Elementary
415
West Orange Elementary
410
La Veta Elementary
408
Panorama Elementary
408
Imperial Elementary
389
Taft Elementary
387
Handy Elementary
377
Sycamore Elementary
357
Prospect Elementary
332
Chapman Hills Elementary
321
Olive Elementary
319
Linda Vista Elementary
289
Esplanade Elementary
288
Ousd Edge Virtual Academy
229
Richland Continuation High
165
Canyon Hills
109
Ousd Home Sch
27
Ousd Community Day
4

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 · $25,877/pupil
Compare vs Orange Unified →
San Diego Unified
93,893 students · 175 schools · $26,901/pupil
Compare vs Orange Unified →
Fresno Unified
69,668 students · 101 schools · $20,737/pupil
Compare vs Orange Unified →
Long Beach Unified
65,554 students · 84 schools · $19,558/pupil
Compare vs Orange Unified →
Elk Grove Unified
62,061 students · 67 schools · $16,975/pupil
Compare vs Orange Unified →

Compare Orange 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 Orange Unified?

Orange Unified has 40 schools, including 5 high, 4 middle, 27 elementary, 4 other. Total enrollment is 24,764 students.

How much does Orange Unified spend per student?

Orange Unified spends $16,286 per student. The district has an equity score of 30/100, ranking #1293 in California.

What is the average teacher salary in Orange Unified?

The average teacher salary in Orange Unified is $73,537 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Orange Unified?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Orange County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Orange Unified?

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.

What is the equity score for Orange Unified?

Orange Unified has an equity score of 30/100, ranking #1293 out of 1547 districts in California. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

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Federal

Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation

Page reliability score 94.0%
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