Santa Ana Unified
Public school district · Orange County · California · NCES district ID 0635310
Santa Ana Unified spent $22,289 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, more than 92% of the other California districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 (median $16,855). Its 51 schools enrolled 35,993 students in 2024-25; 62.7% of its revenue came from the state. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $24,720 per student, up 10.9% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year). Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 90% (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 Santa Ana Unified in enrollment (36,109 to 43,020 students) and Santa Ana Unified itself.
Where the money came from
$1,207,933,000 in revenue: 62.7% state, 24.0% local and 13.4% federal. Total spending including $94,579,000 of capital outlay was $1,009,659,000, or $25,283 per student; the figure above leaves capital out.
- State$757,075,000 63%
- Local$289,516,000 24%
- Federal$161,342,000 13%
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
39,899 students in 2022-23, 37,998 students in 2023-24, 35,993 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 | 39,899 | 1958.2 | 20.4 |
| 2023-24 | 37,998 | 1875.9 | 20.3 |
| 2024-25 | 35,993 | 1802.0 | 20.0 |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25; sums over the schools reporting each year.
$280,235,000 in teacher salaries in fiscal year 2022-23, $7,017 per student
Santa Ana Unified booked $280,235,000 of teacher salaries in its 2022-23 finance report and counted 1,958 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 $143,111 of salary spending per teacher. That is more than 97 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 | $216,530,000 | 77.3% |
| Special education | $52,283,000 | 18.7% |
| Vocational | $531,000 | 0.2% |
| Other programs | $10,891,000 | 3.9% |
Teacher salaries per student, fiscal years 2018-19 to 2022-23
The district's teacher salary bill divided by its fall enrollment each year: $4,827 in 2018-19, $4,961 in 2019-20, $4,994 in 2020-21, $6,198 in 2021-22, $7,017 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 Santa Ana Unified scored proficient or above: 28% in reading and 19% 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 | 28% | 45% | 18,312 |
| Math | 19% | 34% | 18,388 |
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
90% of the 3,737 students in Santa Ana 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 | 90% | 86.2% |
| Students in the class | 3,737 | 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.
34 elementary schools, 18,032 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McFadden Institute of Technology | 1,074 | 19.4 | 81.2% | Not reported |
| Santiago Elementary | 906 | 22.5 | 62.9% | Not reported |
| Romero-Cruz Academy | 827 | 17.4 | 89.4% | Not reported |
| Greenville Fundamental Elementary | 817 | 24.0 | 65.2% | Not reported |
| Manuel Esqueda Elementary | 811 | 21.7 | 85.0% | Not reported |
| Martin R. Heninger Elementary | 783 | 21.5 | 88.0% | Not reported |
| Madison Elementary | 749 | 22.6 | 86.8% | Not reported |
| Jim Thorpe Fundamental | 738 | 25.4 | 57.2% | Not reported |
| Sierra Preparatory Academy | 697 | 17.3 | 87.1% | Not reported |
| Roosevelt Walker Academy | 675 | 22.4 | 87.1% | Not reported |
| Jefferson Elementary | 616 | 20.4 | 72.4% | Not reported |
| John Muir Fundamental Elementary | 557 | 22.3 | 57.8% | Not reported |
The other 22 elementary schools
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Elementary | 529 | 21.9 | 88.8% | Not reported |
| Pio Pico Elementary | 501 | 22.6 | 89.0% | Not reported |
| Andrew Jackson Elementary | 493 | 22.3 | 85.6% | Not reported |
| Abraham Lincoln Elementary | 468 | 22.2 | 85.9% | Not reported |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary | 457 | 19.0 | 92.3% | Not reported |
| Martin Elementary | 443 | 23.3 | 85.6% | Not reported |
| George Washington Carver Elementary | 429 | 22.5 | 86.5% | Not reported |
| Garfield Elementary | 428 | 22.5 | 83.4% | Not reported |
| Lowell Elementary | 426 | 21.3 | 87.6% | Not reported |
| Wilson Elementary | 422 | 21.1 | 84.8% | Not reported |
| Wallace R. Davis Elementary | 413 | 21.7 | 86.0% | Not reported |
| Taft Elementary | 408 | 15.7 | 77.2% | Not reported |
| Heroes Elementary | 396 | 23.2 | 87.4% | Not reported |
| Fremont Elementary | 394 | 24.5 | 85.0% | Not reported |
| John F. Kennedy Elementary | 380 | 21.0 | 88.7% | Not reported |
| Diamond Elementary | 367 | 22.9 | 85.0% | Not reported |
| Monte Vista Elementary | 348 | 20.4 | 93.4% | Not reported |
| Franklin Elementary | 343 | 22.7 | 84.8% | Not reported |
| Thomas A. Edison Elementary | 332 | 20.7 | 82.5% | Not reported |
| Adams Elementary | 320 | 17.3 | 89.7% | Not reported |
| Carl Harvey Elementary | 268 | 20.5 | 84.3% | Not reported |
| Monroe Elementary | 217 | 16.7 | 77.4% | 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, 5,035 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gonzalo Felicitas Mendez Fundamental Intermediate | 1,234 | 21.4 | 80.1% | Not reported |
| Douglas MacArthur Fundamental Intermediate | 1,005 | 22.4 | 65.3% | Not reported |
| Raymond A. Villa Fundamental Intermediate | 936 | 20.5 | 84.0% | Not reported |
| Gerald P. Carr Intermediate | 886 | 18.9 | 91.3% | Not reported |
| Julia C. Lathrop Intermediate | 584 | 17.5 | 91.1% | Not reported |
| Willard Intermediate | 390 | 14.3 | 94.6% | 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.
10 high schools, 12,563 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana High | 2,505 | 19.7 | 84.0% | Not reported |
| Segerstrom High | 2,376 | 23.9 | 63.6% | Not reported |
| Valley High | 1,908 | 17.9 | 85.4% | Not reported |
| Hector G. Godinez | 1,687 | 19.1 | 78.4% | Not reported |
| Century High | 1,519 | 16.3 | 82.5% | Not reported |
| Saddleback High | 1,451 | 18.5 | 84.1% | Not reported |
| Middle College High | 448 | 20.1 | 76.1% | Not reported |
| Cesar E. Chavez High | 350 | 16.4 | 91.7% | Not reported |
| Lorin Griset Academy | 283 | 16.4 | 91.2% | Not reported |
| REACH Academy | 36 | 5.0 | 88.9% | 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.
1 other school, 363 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Learning Academy | 363 | 11.7 | 71.6% | 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 Santa Ana Unified
- Website: sausd.k12.ca.us
- Phone: (714) 558-5501
- Office: 1601 East Chestnut Ave., Santa Ana, CA 92701
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 Santa Ana Unified
- California districts by spending per studentSanta Ana Unified ranks 51 of 646 California districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 on current spending per student in fiscal year 2022-23 ($22,289).#51 of 646
- Every school district in CaliforniaSanta Ana Unified is the number 12 by size of 1,991 California districts, with 39,935 students in fall 2022 (F-33).#12 of 1,991
- Capistrano UnifiedThe next larger California district: 41,855 students in fall 2022, $15,820 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$15,820
- Riverside UnifiedThe next smaller California district: 39,425 students in fall 2022, $16,986 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$16,986
- Compare Santa Ana Unified with Capistrano UnifiedEnrollment, spending, revenue sources and schools, side by side.
- Santa Ana High, its largest high school2,505 students in 2024-25, 19.7 per teacher.2,505
- Teacher salary spending across CaliforniaSanta Ana Unified spent $143,111 in salaries per full-time teacher in fiscal year 2022-23 (state median $99,744); spending, not a salary.$143,111
- 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 Santa Ana Unified
How many schools and students are in Santa Ana Unified?
51 schools were open in 2024-25 (34 elementary, 6 middle, 10 high, 1 other), enrolling 35,993 students, according to the NCES Common Core of Data.How much does Santa Ana Unified spend per student?
$22,289 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 $24,720 per student, up 10.9% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year).Where does Santa Ana Unified's money come from?
$1,207,933,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2022-23: 62.7% state, 24.0% local and 13.4% federal (NCES F-33).How many children in Santa Ana Unified live in poverty?
The Census Bureau estimates that 6,644 of the 41,833 children aged 5 to 17 living within the district's boundaries in 2024, 15.9%, 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 Santa Ana Unified spend on teacher salaries?
$280,235,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), or $7,017 per student. Divided by the 1,958 full-time teachers in the NCES Common Core of Data for 2022-23 that is $143,111 per teacher, more than 97 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 Santa Ana Unified do on state tests?
In 2021-22, the students tested in Santa Ana Unified scored proficient or above: 28% in reading and 19% 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 Santa Ana Unified?
90% of the 3,737 students in Santa Ana 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 Santa Ana Unified's NCES district ID?
0635310. 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