South Bay Union

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, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Imperial Beach, California - 12 schools

An equity score of 65/100 ranks South Bay Union #391 of 1526 districts in California (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $22,191 per pupil, South Bay Union ranks #283 of 1880 California districts by per-pupil spending (California districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

5,859
Total Enrollment
12
Schools
$22,191
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

South Bay Union operates 12 public schools serving 5,859 students, placing it among the smaller districts in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 12 elementary schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in San Diego County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $22,191 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 1880 California districts by per-pupil spending. See how California compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 27.7% local, 55.4% state, and 16.9% 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 65/100, ranked #391 of 1526 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.

and 52.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 86.4% Hispanic or Latino, 4.8% White, 3.1% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Imperial Beach Charter, with a diversity index of 46.0/100.

Its largest campus is Nestor Language Academy Charter, enrolling 1,079 students (19% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Sbusd Virtual Academy, at 131 students, a 8x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Nestor Language Academy Charter accounts for 18.4% of all South Bay Union student enrollment

That concentration means South Bay Union-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: elementary. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

South Bay Union school enrollment varies 8.2× across entities

South Bay Union school enrollment ranges from 131 students (lowest) to 1,079 students (highest), a spread of 948 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. 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

South Bay Union reports 56.9% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share clears the 50% majority mark. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

South Bay Union chronic absenteeism rate is 52.3% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

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 Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

16.9%
Federal
55.4%
State
27.7%
Local

Funding Equity

65
Equity Score
391 / 1526
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 12 schools in South Bay Union.

White 4.8%
Hispanic or Latino 86.4%
African American 2.1%
Asian 3.1%
Multiracial 3.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 24.0/100

Average Simpson diversity index across South Bay Union's schools, below the California average of 46.0.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Imperial Beach Charter 46.0
  2. 2 Oneonta Elementary 38.8
  3. 3 Emory Elementary 37.9
  4. 4 Central Elementary 28.7
  5. 5 Bayside Steam Academy 28.6

Programs & Resources

52.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in South Bay Union

School Enrollment
Nestor Language Academy Charter
Charter
1,079
Imperial Beach Charter
Charter
724
George Nicoloff Elementary
616
Teofilo Mendoza
468
Oneonta Elementary
434
Howard Pence Elementary
419
Emory Elementary
399
Bayside Steam Academy
362
Central Elementary
350
Sunnyslope Elementary
324
Godfrey G. Berry Elementary
273
Sbusd Virtual Academy
131

How South Bay Union Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The California districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Granada Hills Charter District Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Ukiah Unified Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Manhattan Beach Unified Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Centinela Valley Union High Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Moorpark Unified Similar size Lower spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to South Bay Union'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 · $22,606/pupil
Compare vs South Bay Union →
San Diego Unified
93,893 students · 175 schools · $20,783/pupil
Compare vs South Bay Union →
Fresno Unified
69,668 students · 101 schools · $20,909/pupil
Compare vs South Bay Union →
Long Beach Unified
65,554 students · 84 schools · $18,419/pupil
Compare vs South Bay Union →
Elk Grove Unified
62,061 students · 67 schools · $15,921/pupil
Compare vs South Bay Union →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare South Bay Union

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 South Bay Union?

South Bay Union has 12 schools, including 12 elementary. Total enrollment is 5,859 students.

How much does South Bay Union spend per student?

South Bay Union spends $22,191 per student. The district has an equity score of 65/100, ranking #391 in California.

What is the demographic composition of South Bay Union?

South Bay Union students are 86.4% Hispanic or Latino, 4.8% White, 3.1% Asian, 2.1% African American, averaged across 12 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for South Bay Union?

South Bay Union has an equity score of 65/100, ranking #391 out of 1526 districts in California.