Williams Unified

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.

Williams, California - 4 schools

An equity score of 50/100 ranks Williams Unified #759 of 1517 districts in California (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,263 per pupil, Williams Unified ranks #1378 of 1862 California districts by per-pupil spending (California districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,350
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$13,263
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Williams Unified operates 4 public schools serving 1,350 students, placing it among the smallest districts in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 elementary, 1 combined, 1 high 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 Colusa County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,263 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 22.7% local, 67.9% state, and 9.4% 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 50/100, ranked #759 of 1517 in California against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (3 AP courses district-wide), a 294:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 29.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 92.9% Hispanic or Latino, 5.6% White, 1.1% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Mid Valley High (Continuation), with a diversity index of 26.6/100.

Its largest campus is Williams Junior/Senior High, enrolling 588 students (45% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Mid Valley High (Continuation), at 19 students, a 31x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Williams Junior/Senior High accounts for 43.6% of all Williams Unified student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Williams Unified-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. 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

Williams Unified school enrollment varies 31× across entities

Williams Unified school enrollment ranges from 19 students (lowest) to 588 students (highest), a spread of 569 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

Williams Unified has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 83.0% 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

Williams Unified student-counselor ratio is 294:1 — 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 Williams Unified is typically wider than the Williams Unified-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Williams Unified chronic absenteeism rate is 29.6% — 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 Williams Unified is typically wider than the Williams Unified-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

9.4%
Federal
67.9%
State
22.7%
Local

Funding Equity

50
Equity Score
759 / 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 4 schools in Williams Unified.

White 5.6%
Hispanic or Latino 92.9%
Asian 1.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 12.7/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Mid Valley High (Continuation) 26.6
  2. 2 Williams Primary Elementary 9.5
  3. 3 Williams Junior/Senior High 8.0
  4. 4 Williams Upper Elementary 6.8

Programs & Resources

1 / 4
Schools with AP
3 AP courses total
294:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
29.6%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Williams Unified

School Enrollment
Williams Junior/Senior High
588
Williams Primary Elementary
407
Williams Upper Elementary
289
Mid Valley High (Continuation)
19

How Williams Unified Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The California districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Lakeport Unified Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Guajome Park Academy Charter District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Riverside County Office of Education Similar size No spending data More locally funded
Wheatland Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Heritage K-8 Charter District Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix

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

Compare Williams Unified

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 Williams Unified?

Williams Unified has 4 schools, including 1 combined, 2 elementary, 1 high. Total enrollment is 1,350 students.

How much does Williams Unified spend per student?

Williams Unified spends $13,263 per student. The district has an equity score of 50/100, ranking #759 in California.

What is the demographic composition of Williams Unified?

Williams Unified students are 92.9% Hispanic or Latino, 5.6% White, 1.1% Asian, 0.1% African American, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Williams Unified?

Williams Unified has an equity score of 50/100, ranking #759 out of 1517 districts in California.