Sunnyvale

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.

Sunnyvale, California - 10 schools

An equity score of 59/100 ranks Sunnyvale #511 of 1517 districts in California (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $21,963 per pupil, Sunnyvale ranks #168 of 1862 California districts by per-pupil spending (California districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

5,465
Total Enrollment
10
Schools
$21,963
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Sunnyvale operates 10 public schools serving 5,465 students, placing it among the smaller districts in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 8 elementary, 2 middle 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 Santa Clara County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $21,963 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the top 187 of 1862 California districts by per-pupil spending. See how California compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 82.4% local, 12.6% state, and 5.0% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 59/100, ranked #511 of 1517 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 14.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 44.1% Hispanic or Latino, 28.5% Asian, 16.6% White across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Sunnyvale Middle, with a diversity index of 72.8/100.

Its largest campus is Sunnyvale Middle, enrolling 1,053 students (18% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Fairwood Elementary, at 324 students, a 3x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Sunnyvale Middle accounts for 18.3% of all Sunnyvale student enrollment

That concentration means Sunnyvale-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: middle. 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

Sunnyvale school enrollment varies 3.3× across entities

Sunnyvale school enrollment ranges from 324 students (lowest) to 1,053 students (highest), a spread of 729 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. 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

Sunnyvale chronic absenteeism rate is 14.0% — low (typically associated with lower-than-average attendance disruption; districts in this range often have attendance interventions, robust transportation, or smaller catchments that reduce barriers)

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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

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

Where does the funding come from?

5.0%
Federal
12.6%
State
82.4%
Local

Funding Equity

59
Equity Score
511 / 1517
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 10 schools in Sunnyvale.

White 16.6%
Hispanic or Latino 44.1%
African American 1.4%
Asian 28.5%
Multiracial 7.9%
Other 1.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 62.3/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Sunnyvale's schools, above the California average of 46.0.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Sunnyvale Middle 72.8
  2. 2 Fairwood Elementary 72.7
  3. 3 Cumberland Elementary 69.0
  4. 4 Ellis Elementary 65.8
  5. 5 Columbia Middle 64.6

Programs & Resources

14.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Sunnyvale

School Enrollment
Sunnyvale Middle
1,053
Ellis Elementary
768
Columbia Middle
697
Cherry Chase Elementary
622
Cumberland Elementary
586
Bishop Elementary
465
Vargas Elementary
435
San Miguel Elementary
431
Lakewood Elementary
372
Fairwood Elementary
324

How Sunnyvale Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The California districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Whittier City Elementary Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Alta Loma Elementary Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Acalanes Union High Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
California Virtual Academy @ Los Angeles District Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Hanford Elementary Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Sunnyvale'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 · $21,940/pupil
Compare vs Sunnyvale →
San Diego Unified
93,893 students · 175 schools · $18,665/pupil
Compare vs Sunnyvale →
Fresno Unified
69,668 students · 101 schools · $18,783/pupil
Compare vs Sunnyvale →
Long Beach Unified
65,554 students · 84 schools · $16,028/pupil
Compare vs Sunnyvale →
Elk Grove Unified
62,061 students · 67 schools · $14,134/pupil
Compare vs Sunnyvale →

Compare Sunnyvale

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 Sunnyvale?

Sunnyvale has 10 schools, including 2 middle, 8 elementary. Total enrollment is 5,465 students.

How much does Sunnyvale spend per student?

Sunnyvale spends $21,963 per student. The district has an equity score of 59/100, ranking #511 in California.

What is the demographic composition of Sunnyvale?

Sunnyvale students are 44.1% Hispanic or Latino, 28.5% Asian, 16.6% White, 1.4% African American, averaged across 10 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Sunnyvale?

Sunnyvale has an equity score of 59/100, ranking #511 out of 1517 districts in California.