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.
La Mesa, California - 1 schools
An equity score of 36/100 ranks Sparrow Academy District #1126 of 1517 districts in California (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $9,512 per pupil, Sparrow Academy District ranks #1831 of 1862 California districts by per-pupil spending (California districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
399
Total Enrollment
1
Schools
$9,512
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Sparrow Academy District operates 1 public schools serving 399 students, placing it among the smallest districts in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 elementary 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 San Diego County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $9,512 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the bottom 187 of 1862 California districts by per-pupil spending. See how California compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 31.7% local, 63.4% state, and 5.0% 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 36/100, ranked #1126 of 1517 in California against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.
a 312:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 27.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 48.1% Hispanic or Latino, 39.1% White, 0.6% African American across the district's schools.
Its largest campus is Sparrow Academy, enrolling 156 students (100% of the district's total enrollment).
Sparrow Academy accounts for 39.1% of all Sparrow Academy District student enrollment
That dominant concentration means Sparrow Academy District-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.
Sparrow Academy District student-counselor ratio is 312:1 — 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 Sparrow Academy District is typically wider than the Sparrow Academy District-aggregate figure suggests.
Sparrow Academy District chronic absenteeism rate is 27.6% — 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 Sparrow Academy District is typically wider than the Sparrow Academy District-aggregate figure suggests.
Sparrow Academy District has 1 school, including 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 399 students.
How much does Sparrow Academy District spend per student?
Sparrow Academy District spends $9,512 per student. The district has an equity score of 36/100, ranking #1126 in California.
What is the demographic composition of Sparrow Academy District?
Sparrow Academy District students are 48.1% Hispanic or Latino, 39.1% White, 0.6% African American, 0.6% Asian, averaged across 1 school. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Sparrow Academy District?
Sparrow Academy District has an equity score of 36/100, ranking #1126 out of 1517 districts in California.