Visalia Unified

Visalia, California — 41 schools

28,893
Total Enrollment
41
Schools
$15,937
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Visalia Unified operates 41 public schools serving 28,893 students, placing it in the mid-size range in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 28 elementary, 6 high, 5 middle, 2 other schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 28,725 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Tulare County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,937 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 18.1% local, 69.0% state, and 12.9% 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 $77,347 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 55/100, ranked #626 of 1547 in California against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 4 of 41 schools offering Advanced Placement (48 AP courses district-wide), a 516.1:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 41.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 74.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% White, 4.0% Asian across the district's schools.

Visalia Unified school enrollment varies 73× across entities

Visalia Unified school enrollment ranges from 34 students (lowest) to 2,490 students (highest), a spread of 2,456 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

Visalia Unified has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 66.6% 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 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

Visalia Unified student-counselor ratio is 516:1 — 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

Visalia Unified chronic absenteeism rate is 41.3% — 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?

12.9%
Federal
69.0%
State
18.1%
Local

Funding Equity

55
Equity Score
626 / 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 Tulare County county, where this district is located.

$1,116
Studio/mo
$1,123
1 BR/mo
$1,474
2 BR/mo
$2,028
3 BR/mo
$2,393
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$77,347
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 41 schools in Visalia Unified.

White 14.5%
Hispanic or Latino 74.4%
African American 1.4%
Asian 4.0%
Multiracial 5.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

4 / 41
Schools with AP
48 AP courses total
516.1:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
41.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Visalia Unified

School Enrollment
Redwood High
2,490
Golden West High
2,059
El Diamante High
1,890
Mt. Whitney High
1,637
Ridgeview Middle
975
Valley Oak Middle
952
Riverway Elementary
857
Annie R. Mitchell
789
Divisadero Middle
769
Green Acres Middle
761
Oak Grove Elementary
756
La Joya Middle
727
Manuel F. Hernandez
707
Four Creeks Elementary
654
Denton Elementary
648
Golden Oak Elementary
631
Cottonwood Creek Elementary
627
Mountain View Elementary
618
Shannon Ranch Elementary
609
Veva Blunt Elementary
596
Crestwood Elementary
594
Hurley Elementary
574
Mineral King Elementary
569
Goshen Elementary
549
Linwood Elementary
537
Houston Elementary
523
Visalia Charter Independent Study
Charter
515
Elbow Creek Elementary
514
Willow Glen Elementary
506
Pinkham Elementary
476
Ivanhoe Elementary
473
Highland Elementary
438
Global Learning Charter
Charter
438
Crowley Elementary
413
Royal Oaks Elementary
413
Conyer Elementary
377
Washington Elementary
294
Sequoia High
280
Charter Home School Academy
Charter
240
Visalia Technical Early College
Charter
216
Creekside Community Day
34

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 Visalia 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 Visalia Unified?

Visalia Unified has 41 schools, including 6 high, 5 middle, 28 elementary, 2 other. Total enrollment is 28,893 students.

How much does Visalia Unified spend per student?

Visalia Unified spends $15,937 per student. The district has an equity score of 55/100, ranking #626 in California.

What is the average teacher salary in Visalia Unified?

The average teacher salary in Visalia Unified is $77,347 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Visalia Unified?

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

What is the demographic composition of Visalia Unified?

Visalia Unified students are 74.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% White, 4.0% Asian, 1.4% African American, averaged across 41 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Visalia Unified?

Visalia Unified has an equity score of 55/100, ranking #626 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.