Santa Clara Unified

Santa Clara, California — 30 schools

13,919
Total Enrollment
30
Schools
$37,917
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Santa Clara Unified operates 30 public schools serving 13,919 students, placing it in the mid-size range in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 19 elementary, 5 high, 4 middle, 2 other schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 14,411 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Santa Clara County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $37,917 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 81.9% local, 13.2% state, and 4.9% 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 $143,638 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 68/100, ranked #291 of 1547 in California against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 2 of 30 schools offering Advanced Placement (12 AP courses district-wide), a 348.7:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 30.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 42.1% Hispanic or Latino, 32.7% Asian, 15.2% White across the district's schools.

Santa Clara Unified school enrollment varies 166× across entities

Santa Clara Unified school enrollment ranges from 10 students (lowest) to 1,663 students (highest), a spread of 1,653 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity — the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. 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

Santa Clara Unified student-counselor ratio is 349:1 — 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 Santa Clara Unified is typically wider than the Santa Clara Unified-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Santa Clara Unified chronic absenteeism rate is 30.0% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

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

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

4.9%
Federal
13.2%
State
81.9%
Local

Funding Equity

68
Equity Score
291 / 1547
State Rank
50
State Average

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

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Santa Clara County county, where this district is located.

$2,621
Studio/mo
$2,982
1 BR/mo
$3,483
2 BR/mo
$4,602
3 BR/mo
$5,010
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$143,638
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 30 schools in Santa Clara Unified.

White 15.2%
Hispanic or Latino 42.1%
African American 2.7%
Asian 32.7%
Multiracial 6.4%
Other 0.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

2 / 30
Schools with AP
12 AP courses total
348.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
30.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Santa Clara Unified

School Enrollment
Santa Clara High
1,663
Adrian Wilcox High
1,614
Juan Cabrillo Middle
796
Marian a. Peterson Middle
759
Buchser Middle
711
Kathleen Macdonald High
683
Laurelwood Elementary
571
Dolores Huerta Middle
571
Don Callejon
568
Ponderosa Elementary
524
Abram Agnew Elementary
505
Millikin Elementary
504
Central Park Elementary
419
Scott Lane Elementary
406
Braly Elementary
381
Westwood Elementary
368
Washington Open Elementary
352
C. W. Haman Elementary
324
Sutter Elementary
314
Pomeroy Elementary
300
Briarwood Elementary
288
Kathryn Hughes Elementary
281
George Mayne Elementary
271
Bracher Elementary
269
Montague Elementary
254
Bowers Elementary
240
Mission Early College High
183
New Valley Continuation High
151
Wilson Alternative
131
Santa Clara Community Day
10

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 · $25,877/pupil
Compare vs Santa Clara Unified →
San Diego Unified
93,893 students · 175 schools · $26,901/pupil
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Fresno Unified
69,668 students · 101 schools · $20,737/pupil
Compare vs Santa Clara Unified →
Long Beach Unified
65,554 students · 84 schools · $19,558/pupil
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Elk Grove Unified
62,061 students · 67 schools · $16,975/pupil
Compare vs Santa Clara Unified →

Compare Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara Unified?

Santa Clara Unified has 30 schools, including 5 high, 4 middle, 19 elementary, 2 other. Total enrollment is 13,919 students.

How much does Santa Clara Unified spend per student?

Santa Clara Unified spends $37,917 per student. The district has an equity score of 68/100, ranking #291 in California.

What is the average teacher salary in Santa Clara Unified?

The average teacher salary in Santa Clara Unified is $143,638 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Santa Clara Unified?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Santa Clara County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Santa Clara Unified?

Santa Clara Unified students are 42.1% Hispanic or Latino, 32.7% Asian, 15.2% White, 2.7% African American, averaged across 30 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Santa Clara Unified?

Santa Clara Unified has an equity score of 68/100, ranking #291 out of 1547 districts in California. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

Coverage

50 states + DC

Full national footprint

Update cadence

Quarterly

Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

Source agency

Federal

Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation

Page reliability score 94.0%
Industry baseline

Composite score weighing source authority, update freshness, and methodological transparency. 1.0 = full federal-source coverage with documented methodology and recent update.