Salida Union Elementary

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, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Salida, California - 5 schools

An equity score of 66/100 ranks Salida Union Elementary #365 of 1517 districts in California (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $16,223 per pupil, Salida Union Elementary ranks #690 of 1862 California districts by per-pupil spending (California districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,171
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$16,223
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Salida Union Elementary operates 5 public schools serving 2,171 students, placing it among the smallest districts in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 elementary, 1 middle 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 Stanislaus County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $16,223 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 1862 California districts by per-pupil spending. See how California compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 20.3% local, 66.3% state, and 13.3% 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 66/100, ranked #365 of 1517 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.

a 346.6:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 40.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 68.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% White, 8.1% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Mildred Perkins Elementary, with a diversity index of 60.9/100.

Its largest campus is Salida Middle School - Vella Campus, enrolling 673 students (33% of the district's total enrollment).

Salida Middle School - Vella Campus accounts for 31.0% of all Salida Union Elementary student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Salida Union Elementary-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: middle. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

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

Salida Union Elementary school enrollment varies 2.5× across entities

Salida Union Elementary school enrollment ranges from 273 students (lowest) to 673 students (highest), a spread of 400 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. 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

Salida Union Elementary has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 60.0% 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.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Salida Union Elementary student-counselor ratio is 347:1 — 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 Salida Union Elementary is typically wider than the Salida Union Elementary-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Salida Union Elementary chronic absenteeism rate is 40.4% — 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?

13.3%
Federal
66.3%
State
20.3%
Local

Funding Equity

66
Equity Score
365 / 1517
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 5 schools in Salida Union Elementary.

White 15.7%
Hispanic or Latino 68.8%
African American 1.6%
Asian 8.1%
Multiracial 4.6%
Other 1.3%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 48.5/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Salida Union Elementary's schools, above the California average of 46.0.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Mildred Perkins Elementary 60.9
  2. 2 Sisk Elementary 54.4
  3. 3 Salida Middle School - Vella Campus 48.9
  4. 4 Dena Boer 43.7
  5. 5 Salida Elementary 34.7

Programs & Resources

346.6:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
40.4%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Salida Union Elementary

School Enrollment
Salida Middle School - Vella Campus
673
Dena Boer
444
Mildred Perkins Elementary
362
Sisk Elementary
286
Salida Elementary
273

How Salida Union Elementary Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The California districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Scotts Valley Unified Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Steele Canyon High District Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Gateway Unified Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Bonsall Unified Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Excelsior Charter District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Salida Union Elementary'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 · $21,940/pupil
Compare vs Salida Union Elementary →
San Diego Unified
93,893 students · 175 schools · $18,665/pupil
Compare vs Salida Union Elementary →
Fresno Unified
69,668 students · 101 schools · $18,783/pupil
Compare vs Salida Union Elementary →
Long Beach Unified
65,554 students · 84 schools · $16,028/pupil
Compare vs Salida Union Elementary →
Elk Grove Unified
62,061 students · 67 schools · $14,134/pupil
Compare vs Salida Union Elementary →

Compare Salida Union Elementary

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 Salida Union Elementary?

Salida Union Elementary has 5 schools, including 1 middle, 4 elementary. Total enrollment is 2,171 students.

How much does Salida Union Elementary spend per student?

Salida Union Elementary spends $16,223 per student. The district has an equity score of 66/100, ranking #365 in California.

What is the demographic composition of Salida Union Elementary?

Salida Union Elementary students are 68.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% White, 8.1% Asian, 1.6% African American, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Salida Union Elementary?

Salida Union Elementary has an equity score of 66/100, ranking #365 out of 1517 districts in California.