Poway Unified
Public school district · San Diego County · California · NCES district ID 0631530
Poway Unified spent $15,127 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 39 schools enrolled 34,259 students in 2024-25; 44.2% of its revenue came from the state. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $16,156 per student, up 6.8% 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 Poway Unified in enrollment (31,653 to 38,164 students) and Poway Unified itself.
Where the money came from
$675,413,000 in revenue: 44.2% state, 51.5% local and 4.3% federal. Total spending including $26,917,000 of capital outlay was $587,893,000, or $16,845 per student; the figure above leaves capital out.
- State$298,436,000 44%
- Local$347,819,000 51%
- Federal$29,158,000 4%
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
34,663 students in 2022-23, 34,755 students in 2023-24, 34,259 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 | 34,663 | 1458.0 | 23.8 |
| 2023-24 | 34,755 | 1493.2 | 23.3 |
| 2024-25 | 34,259 | 1513.1 | 22.6 |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25; sums over the schools reporting each year.
$162,617,000 in teacher salaries in fiscal year 2022-23, $4,660 per student
Poway Unified booked $162,617,000 of teacher salaries in its 2022-23 finance report and counted 1,469 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 $110,670 of salary spending per teacher. That is more than 69 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 | $124,056,000 | 76.3% |
| Special education | $30,906,000 | 19.0% |
| Vocational | $4,329,000 | 2.7% |
| Other programs | $3,326,000 | 2.0% |
Teacher salaries per student, fiscal years 2018-19 to 2022-23
The district's teacher salary bill divided by its fall enrollment each year: $3,810 in 2018-19, $3,949 in 2019-20, $4,112 in 2020-21, $4,370 in 2021-22, $4,660 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 Poway Unified scored proficient or above: 75% in reading and 66% 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 | 75% | 45% | 15,163 |
| Math | 66% | 34% | 15,184 |
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 2,910 students in Poway 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 | 2,910 | 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.
26 elementary schools, 15,790 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design 39 Campus | 1,216 | 23.6 | 6.3% | Not reported |
| Del Sur Elementary | 891 | 24.0 | 8.8% | Not reported |
| Chaparral Elementary | 858 | 23.8 | 9.2% | Not reported |
| Westwood Elementary | 832 | 22.1 | 12.6% | Not reported |
| Monterey Ridge Elementary | 770 | 25.1 | 14.5% | Not reported |
| Willow Grove Elementary | 701 | 21.4 | 13.0% | Not reported |
| Stone Ranch Elementary | 692 | 23.3 | 9.2% | Not reported |
| Park Village Elementary | 671 | 22.6 | 8.0% | Not reported |
| Valley Elementary | 663 | 22.0 | 35.3% | Not reported |
| Highland Ranch Elementary | 661 | 23.2 | 14.4% | Not reported |
| Los Penasquitos Elementary | 634 | 22.5 | 35.5% | Not reported |
| Painted Rock Elementary | 613 | 22.5 | 7.0% | Not reported |
The other 14 elementary schools
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Bluffs Elementary | 586 | 20.8 | 13.1% | Not reported |
| Creekside Elementary | 585 | 21.9 | 13.0% | Not reported |
| Midland Elementary | 580 | 21.7 | 30.7% | Not reported |
| Morning Creek Elementary | 531 | 21.5 | 19.2% | Not reported |
| Garden Road Elementary | 508 | 20.9 | 19.1% | Not reported |
| Canyon View Elementary | 505 | 20.4 | 13.3% | Not reported |
| Shoal Creek Elementary | 500 | 22.0 | 12.8% | Not reported |
| Rolling Hills Elementary | 490 | 20.1 | 11.0% | Not reported |
| Turtleback Elementary | 458 | 19.7 | 19.0% | Not reported |
| Sundance Elementary | 428 | 21.2 | 14.3% | Not reported |
| Sunset Hills Elementary | 381 | 25.1 | 9.7% | Not reported |
| Tierra Bonita Elementary | 377 | 22.8 | 6.6% | Not reported |
| Deer Canyon Elementary | 354 | 21.2 | 9.0% | Not reported |
| Pomerado Elementary | 305 | 20.1 | 29.5% | 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 middle schools, 7,381 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Valley Middle | 1,503 | 24.9 | 8.2% | Not reported |
| Bernardo Heights Middle | 1,487 | 22.6 | 13.0% | Not reported |
| Mesa Verde Middle | 1,178 | 25.1 | 10.8% | Not reported |
| Twin Peaks Middle | 1,164 | 21.5 | 17.7% | Not reported |
| Black Mountain Middle | 1,077 | 22.7 | 19.7% | Not reported |
| Meadowbrook Middle | 972 | 21.2 | 23.7% | 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.
7 high schools, 11,088 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Del Norte High | 2,557 | 23.8 | 9.3% | Not reported |
| Rancho Bernardo High | 2,210 | 24.5 | 14.2% | Not reported |
| Westview High | 2,116 | 24.4 | 11.6% | Not reported |
| Poway High | 2,101 | 21.6 | 21.4% | Not reported |
| Mt. Carmel High | 1,800 | 23.2 | 16.4% | Not reported |
| Abraxas Continuation High | 216 | 9.8 | 38.9% | Not reported |
| Poway to Palomar Middle College High | 88 | 36.5 | 19.3% | 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 Poway Unified
- Website: powayusd.com
- Phone: (858) 521-2800
- Office: 15250 Avenue of Science, San Diego, CA 92128
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 Poway Unified
- California districts by spending per studentPoway Unified ranks 490 of 646 California districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 on current spending per student in fiscal year 2022-23 ($15,127).#490 of 646
- Every school district in CaliforniaPoway Unified is the number 20 by size of 1,991 California districts, with 34,900 students in fall 2022 (F-33).#20 of 1,991
- Stockton UnifiedThe next larger California district: 35,424 students in fall 2022, $18,093 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$18,093
- Oakland UnifiedThe next smaller California district: 34,149 students in fall 2022, $22,112 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$22,112
- Compare Poway Unified with Stockton UnifiedEnrollment, spending, revenue sources and schools, side by side.
- Del Norte High, its largest high school2,557 students in 2024-25, 23.8 per teacher.2,557
- Teacher salary spending across CaliforniaPoway Unified spent $110,670 in salaries per full-time teacher in fiscal year 2022-23 (state median $99,744); spending, not a salary.$110,670
- 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 Poway Unified
How many schools and students are in Poway Unified?
39 schools were open in 2024-25 (26 elementary, 6 middle, 7 high), enrolling 34,259 students, according to the NCES Common Core of Data.How much does Poway Unified spend per student?
$15,127 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 $16,156 per student, up 6.8% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year).Where does Poway Unified's money come from?
$675,413,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2022-23: 44.2% state, 51.5% local and 4.3% federal (NCES F-33).How many children in Poway Unified live in poverty?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,581 of the 36,857 children aged 5 to 17 living within the district's boundaries in 2024, 4.3%, 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 Poway Unified spend on teacher salaries?
$162,617,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), or $4,660 per student. Divided by the 1,469 full-time teachers in the NCES Common Core of Data for 2022-23 that is $110,670 per teacher, more than 69 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 Poway Unified do on state tests?
In 2021-22, the students tested in Poway Unified scored proficient or above: 75% in reading and 66% 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 Poway Unified?
93% of the 2,910 students in Poway 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 Poway Unified's NCES district ID?
0631530. 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