Parlier 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.

Parlier, California - 7 schools

An equity score of 74/100 ranks Parlier Unified #192 of 1526 districts in California (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $18,101 per pupil, Parlier Unified ranks #801 of 1880 California districts by per-pupil spending (California districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,322
Total Enrollment
7
Schools
$18,101
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Parlier Unified operates 7 public schools serving 3,322 students, placing it among the smallest districts in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 combined 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 Fresno County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $18,101 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 1880 California districts by per-pupil spending. See how California compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 12.6% local, 73.9% state, and 13.4% 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 74/100, ranked #192 of 1526 in California against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 7 schools offering Advanced Placement (5 AP courses district-wide), a 302.6:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 56.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 98.4% Hispanic or Latino, 0.9% White, 0.3% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Cesar E Chavez Elementary, with a diversity index of 6.2/100.

Its largest campus is Parlier High, enrolling 901 students (28% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is San Joaquin Valley High, at 50 students, a 18x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Parlier High accounts for 27.1% of all Parlier Unified student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Parlier 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

Parlier Unified school enrollment varies 18× across entities

Parlier Unified school enrollment ranges from 50 students (lowest) to 901 students (highest), a spread of 851 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. 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

Parlier Unified reports 91.6% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share is above 87.5%, so economic need is widespread across the measured student population. 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

Parlier Unified student-counselor ratio is 303:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

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 Variation between sub-units within Parlier Unified is typically wider than the Parlier Unified-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Parlier Unified chronic absenteeism rate is 56.8% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

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 Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

13.4%
Federal
73.9%
State
12.6%
Local

Funding Equity

74
Equity Score
192 / 1526
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 7 schools in Parlier Unified.

White 0.9%
Hispanic or Latino 98.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 3.2/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Parlier Unified's schools, below the California average of 46.0.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Cesar E Chavez Elementary 6.2
  2. 2 Mathew J Brletic Elementary 4.3
  3. 3 John C Martinez Elementary 4.1
  4. 4 Parlier High 3.2
  5. 5 Parlier Junior High 2.4

Programs & Resources

1 / 7
Schools with AP
5 AP courses total
302.6:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
56.8%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Parlier Unified

School Enrollment
Parlier High
901
Parlier Junior High
566
Cesar E Chavez Elementary
439
John C Martinez Elementary
434
S Ben Benavidez Elementary
409
Mathew J Brletic Elementary
407
San Joaquin Valley High
50

How Parlier Unified Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The California districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Greenfield Union Elementary Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Ripon Unified Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
California Virtual Academy @ San Diego District Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Galt Joint Union Elementary Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Los Altos Elementary Similar size Higher spending More locally funded

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

Parlier Unified has 7 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 4 elementary, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 3,322 students.

How much does Parlier Unified spend per student?

Parlier Unified spends $18,101 per student. The district has an equity score of 74/100, ranking #192 in California.

What is the demographic composition of Parlier Unified?

Parlier Unified students are 98.4% Hispanic or Latino, 0.9% White, 0.3% African American, 0.1% Asian, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Parlier Unified?

Parlier Unified has an equity score of 74/100, ranking #192 out of 1526 districts in California.