Tulare City

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.

Tulare, California - 18 schools

An equity score of 64/100 ranks Tulare City #397 of 1517 districts in California (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $14,727 per pupil, Tulare City ranks #1021 of 1862 California districts by per-pupil spending (California districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

9,172
Total Enrollment
18
Schools
$14,727
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Tulare City operates 18 public schools serving 9,172 students, placing it among the smaller districts in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 14 elementary, 4 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 Tulare County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,727 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 1862 California districts by per-pupil spending. See how California compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 10.4% local, 72.6% state, and 17.0% 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 64/100, ranked #397 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.

a 487.5:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 39.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 79.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.5% White, 3.6% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Tulare Support, with a diversity index of 67.6/100.

Its largest campus is Mulcahy Middle, enrolling 745 students (8% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Tulare City Community Day, at 4 students, a 186x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Tulare City school enrollment varies 186× across entities

Tulare City school enrollment ranges from 4 students (lowest) to 745 students (highest), a spread of 741 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. 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

Tulare City has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 76.0% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility — including this one — receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Tulare City student-counselor ratio is 488:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Tulare City chronic absenteeism rate is 39.7% — 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?

17.0%
Federal
72.6%
State
10.4%
Local

Funding Equity

64
Equity Score
397 / 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 18 schools in Tulare City.

White 13.5%
Hispanic or Latino 79.1%
African American 3.6%
Asian 1.6%
Multiracial 1.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 32.9/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Tulare City's schools, below the California average of 46.0.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Tulare Support 67.6
  2. 2 Mission Valley Elementary 53.5
  3. 3 Alpine Vista 48.7
  4. 4 Alpine Vista Middle 48.5
  5. 5 Live Oak Middle 43.9

Programs & Resources

487.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
39.7%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Tulare City

School Enrollment
Mulcahy Middle
745
Garden Elementary
689
Mission Valley Elementary
671
Pleasant Elementary
668
Alpine Vista
659
Frank Kohn Elementary
617
Alpine Vista Middle
617
Heritage Elementary
597
Maple Elementary
574
Los Tules Middle
569
Cypress Elementary
562
Roosevelt Elementary
561
Wilson Elementary
487
Cherry Avenue Middle
483
Live Oak Middle
458
Lincoln Elementary
309
Tulare Support
19
Tulare City Community Day
4

How Tulare City Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The California districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Greenfield Union Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Castro Valley Unified Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Saugus Union Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Santa Maria Joint Union High Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Monterey Peninsula Unified Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

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

Compare Tulare City

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 Tulare City?

Tulare City has 18 schools, including 14 elementary, 4 middle. Total enrollment is 9,172 students.

How much does Tulare City spend per student?

Tulare City spends $14,727 per student. The district has an equity score of 64/100, ranking #397 in California.

What is the demographic composition of Tulare City?

Tulare City students are 79.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.5% White, 3.6% African American, 1.6% Asian, averaged across 18 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Tulare City?

Tulare City has an equity score of 64/100, ranking #397 out of 1517 districts in California.