Pasadena Unified operates 23 public schools serving 14,152 students, placing it in the mid-size range in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 14 elementary, 3 other, 3 high, 3 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 13,639 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Los Angeles County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $20,134 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 45.4% local, 40.3% state, and 14.3% 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 $75,730 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 56/100, ranked #606 of 1547 in California against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 4 of 23 schools offering Advanced Placement (47 AP courses district-wide), a 363.1:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 44.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 58.5% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% White, 9.4% African American across the district's schools.
Pasadena Unified school enrollment varies 15× across entities
Pasadena Unified school enrollment ranges from 113 students (lowest) to 1,689 students (highest), a spread of 1,576 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.
Pasadena Unified has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 59.4% 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 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.
Pasadena Unified student-counselor ratio is 363:1 — 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.
Pasadena Unified chronic absenteeism rate is 44.3% — 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.
Pasadena Unified has 23 schools, including 3 other, 3 high, 14 elementary, 3 middle. Total enrollment is 14,152 students.
How much does Pasadena Unified spend per student?
Pasadena Unified spends $20,134 per student. The district has an equity score of 56/100, ranking #606 in California.
What is the average teacher salary in Pasadena Unified?
The average teacher salary in Pasadena Unified is $75,730 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near Pasadena Unified?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Los Angeles County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of Pasadena Unified?
Pasadena Unified students are 58.5% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% White, 9.4% African American, 8.0% Asian, averaged across 23 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Pasadena Unified?
Pasadena Unified has an equity score of 56/100, ranking #606 out of 1547 districts in California. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.