Sierra Unified

Prather, California — 5 schools

1,319
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$17,069
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Sierra Unified operates 5 public schools serving 1,319 students, placing it among the smaller districts in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 high, 1 elementary, 1 middle, 1 other schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 1,251 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Fresno County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $17,069 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 46.6% local, 44.9% state, and 8.6% 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 $85,520 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 53/100, ranked #698 of 1547 in California against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 2 of 5 schools offering Advanced Placement (7 AP courses district-wide), a 315.5:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 55.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 54.6% White, 18.4% Hispanic or Latino, 0.9% Asian across the district's schools.

Foothill Elementary accounts for 48.7% of all Sierra Unified student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Sierra Unified-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: elementary. 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

Sierra Unified school enrollment varies 61× across entities

Sierra Unified school enrollment ranges from 10 students (lowest) to 609 students (highest), a spread of 599 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

Sierra Unified student-counselor ratio is 316:1 — 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 Sierra Unified is typically wider than the Sierra Unified-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Sierra Unified chronic absenteeism rate is 55.5% — 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?

8.6%
Federal
44.9%
State
46.6%
Local

Funding Equity

53
Equity Score
698 / 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 Fresno County county, where this district is located.

$1,347
Studio/mo
$1,355
1 BR/mo
$1,664
2 BR/mo
$2,314
3 BR/mo
$2,660
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$85,520
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 5 schools in Sierra Unified.

White 54.6%
Hispanic or Latino 18.4%
Asian 0.9%
Multiracial 5.5%
Other 20.3%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

2 / 5
Schools with AP
7 AP courses total
315.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
55.5%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Sierra Unified

School Enrollment
Foothill Elementary
609
Sierra High
367
Sierra Junior High
184
Sierra@Home
81
Sierra Alternative High
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
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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
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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
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Compare Sierra Unified

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Sierra Unified?

Sierra Unified has 5 schools, including 1 elementary, 2 high, 1 middle, 1 other. Total enrollment is 1,319 students.

How much does Sierra Unified spend per student?

Sierra Unified spends $17,069 per student. The district has an equity score of 53/100, ranking #698 in California.

What is the average teacher salary in Sierra Unified?

The average teacher salary in Sierra Unified is $85,520 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Sierra Unified?

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

What is the demographic composition of Sierra Unified?

Sierra Unified students are 54.6% White, 18.4% Hispanic or Latino, 0.9% Asian, 0.3% African American, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Sierra Unified?

Sierra Unified has an equity score of 53/100, ranking #698 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.