Walden Academy District

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.

Willows, California - 1 schools

At $12,839 per pupil, Walden Academy District ranks #1708 of 1880 California districts by per-pupil spending (California districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

192
Total Enrollment
1
Schools
$12,839
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Walden Academy District operates 1 public schools serving 192 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 Glenn County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,839 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the bottom 188 of 1880 California districts by per-pupil spending. See how California compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 28.7% local, 54.1% state, and 17.2% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles.

and 16.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 40.1% White, 38.3% Hispanic or Latino, 1.8% Asian across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Walden Academy, enrolling 167 students (100% of the district's total enrollment).

Walden Academy accounts for 87.0% of all Walden Academy District student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Walden Academy District a distant remainder — means Walden Academy District-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. Because it contains a majority of the affected population, enrollment-weighted aggregates will sit closer to this entity's reported fields than to those of smaller peers; an unweighted entity count answers a different question.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Walden Academy District reports 54.7% 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

Walden Academy District chronic absenteeism rate is 16.2% — 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 Walden Academy District is typically wider than the Walden Academy District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

17.2%
Federal
54.1%
State
28.7%
Local

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 1 schools in Walden Academy District.

White 40.1%
Hispanic or Latino 38.3%
Asian 1.8%
Multiracial 17.4%
Other 2.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

16.2%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Walden Academy District

School Enrollment
Walden Academy
Charter
167

How Walden Academy District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The California districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Ace Empower Academy District Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Discovery Charter Preparatory #2 District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
New Los Angeles Charter Elementary District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Cold Spring Elementary Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Grenada Elementary Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix

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

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 Walden Academy District

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 Walden Academy District?

Walden Academy District has 1 school, including 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 192 students.

How much does Walden Academy District spend per student?

Walden Academy District spends $12,839 per student.

What is the demographic composition of Walden Academy District?

Walden Academy District students are 40.1% White, 38.3% Hispanic or Latino, 1.8% Asian, averaged across 1 school. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.