United StatesCACarlsbad Unified

School district or education agency · NCES 0607500

Carlsbad Unified

Carlsbad, CA

Students10,832

Student membership reported by NCES for 2023–24.

Schools16

operational schools · 2023–24

Students10,832

students in linked records

Latest attendance year2022–23

federal comparable series

Latest finance record$15,022

per student

Profile coverage

8 of 8 core data areas available

Each area is matched to this district’s NCES ID. Dates show the reporting year. Source links and coverage were last checked August 26, 2026.

Academic results2025Current releaseAttendance2022–23Current releaseSpending2022–23Current releaseEnrollment & staffing2023–24Current releaseStudent support2021–22Older federal releaseSafety & civil rights2021–22Older federal releaseCommunity context2023Current releasePrograms & opportunities2021–22Older federal release

Five things to know

The district at a glance

Every answer links to the underlying measure. Reporting years stay attached to the data.

Explore outcomes by student group →

Student outcomes

How are students doing?

Four views answer different questions. State test percentages show grade-level expectations; the national research trend shows change over time; graduation and dropout measures describe high-school outcomes.

Nationally comparable trend · 2019–2025

Are results improving over time?

66thlatest estimated national standing
20192022202320242025

7 percentile points lower than 2019.

Annual dropout · 2023–24

How many high-school students left during the year?

0.4%of students enrolled in grades 9–12
District0.4%
CA2.7%
U.S.2.6%

Lower is better. This annual rate is not the opposite of the graduation rate because the measures use different students and time periods.

State proficiency standards differ and should not be used for cross-state rankings. Graduation ranges and privacy protections are preserved exactly. The academic trend uses Stanford Education Data Archive estimates and is not a state proficiency percentage.

Graduation · 2022–23

How many students graduated within four years?

Loading the district's official graduation record…

What has changed?

The district’s recent direction

Each card uses its own clearly labeled period. Measures from different sources are never blended.

Academic standing7 percentile points

Lower than the first comparable year.

2019–2025 · Stanford research estimate
Chronic absence3.7 points

Lower than the first year. Fewer students were chronically absent.

2020–21–2022–23
Enrollment-1.5%

Student enrollment declined.

2021–22 to 2023–24 · NCES
Operating spending+10.2%

Spending per student increased before adjusting for inflation.

FY 2022 to FY 2023 · NCES F-33
Enrollment 2023–24Finance 2022–23Attendance 2022–23State tests 2024–25 where published

Enrollment · 2023–24

Who attends this district?

Kindergarten–grade 54,564 students
42.1%
Grades 6–82,433 students
22.5%
Grades 9–123,835 students
35.4%
See enrollment for every grade
Kindergarten797
Grade 1718
Grade 2753
Grade 3688
Grade 4792
Grade 5816
Grade 6795
Grade 7835
Grade 8803
Grade 9965
Grade 10884
Grade 11930
Grade 121,056

Students by race and ethnicity

White6,070 (56.0%)
Hispanic/Latino2,824 (26.1%)
Two or more races1,080 (10.0%)
Asian676 (6.2%)
Black or African American128 (1.2%)
American Indian or Alaska Native22 (0.2%)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander17 (0.2%)

Final NCES Common Core of Data membership file, 2023–24. Suppressed or missing cells are not estimated.

Current staffing · 2023–24

How many staff members support students?

959.2All district staff, full-time equivalent
483.9Teachers, full-time equivalent
17School counselors, full-time equivalent
19.6School psychologists, full-time equivalent
96.6Instructional aides, full-time equivalent
22School administrators, full-time equivalent
32.1Student support staff, full-time equivalent
See detailed staffing
Kindergarten teachers36.2 FTE
Elementary teachers279 FTE
Secondary teachers168.7 FTE
Elementary school counselors5 FTE
Secondary school counselors8.5 FTE
Instructional coordinators2.9 FTE
District administrators9 FTE
District administrative support32.6 FTE
School administrative support49.6 FTE
Other support staff193.8 FTE

Final NCES Common Core of Data staff file, 2023–24. These are full-time-equivalent positions, not employee headcounts, vacancies or caseloads.

High-school outcomes · 2023–24

How many students completed school or dropped out?

1,011Total completers
987Regular diplomas
24Other state-recognized credentials
14Reported dropouts, grades 9–12

Regular diplomas among completers

District97.6%
CA98.6%
United States99.0%

Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–12

District0.4%
CA2.7%
United States2.6%

Final NCES Common Core of Data completer and dropout files, 2023–24. The dropout rate divides the reported annual grades 9–12 dropout count by complete grades 9–12 enrollment. It is not a cohort graduation rate. The diploma share describes credentials among completers and should not be read as a graduation rate.

Teachers and staff

Teacher workforce

Loading the district’s workforce comparison…

Community context · 2024

How many school-age children live in poverty?

This Census estimate provides context about families in the district. It does not measure school quality or describe every student enrolled in the district.

12,229children ages 5 to 17
664estimated to live in families below the poverty line
5.4%about 1 in 19 school-age children
District5.4%
CA13.9%
United States14.4%

U.S. Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024. The estimate covers related children ages 5 to 17 in families in poverty and uses 2024–25 district boundaries.

District geography · 2024–25

What area does this district cover?

NCES publishes a geographic boundary for traditional school districts. Charter agencies and some special-purpose agencies may not have one.

Loading the official district boundary…

Source: NCES EDGE School District Boundaries, school year 2024–25.

Comparable districts

Districts serving a similar student population

These peers are matched using enrollment and available student population measures. Districts in CA receive geographic preference, but a closer national match may appear when it is more comparable. Open any profile for a full comparison.

District, state and country

How does this district compare?

State and national figures use the same measure and reporting period. They are weighted by students or staffing whenever the source provides a denominator.

MeasureDistrictCAUnited States
Academic standing2025Stronger than benchmarks
66th percentile42nd percentile45th percentile

This district is 24 percentile points higher than the state figure and 21 percentile points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students chronically absent2022–23Stronger than benchmarks
18.5%27.7%27.8%

This district is 9.2 percentage points lower than the state figure and 9.3 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Revenue per studentFY 2023Context only
$19,492$25,614$19,509

This district is $6,122 per student lower than the state figure and $17 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Spending per studentFY 2023Context only
$15,022$18,479$15,859

This district is $3,457 per student lower than the state figure and $837 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Capital outlay per studentFY 2023Context only
$1,988$2,019$1,964

This district is $31 per student lower than the state figure and $24 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Equipment spending per studentFY 2023Context only
$45$135$336

This district is $90 per student lower than the state figure and $291 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Special-education spending per studentFY 2023Context only
$3,608$2,978$1,793

This district is $630 per student higher than the state figure and $1,815 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Salaries per studentFY 2023Context only
$7,845$9,951$8,742

This district is $2,106 per student lower than the state figure and $897 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Benefits per studentFY 2023Context only
$3,775$4,693$3,769

This district is $918 per student lower than the state figure and $6 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Debt outstanding per studentFY 2023Context only
$35,361$18,517$11,715

This district is $16,844 per student higher than the state figure and $23,646 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Debt retired per studentFY 2023Context only
$1,285$916$869

This district is $369 per student higher than the state figure and $416 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Students per teacher2023–24Needs attention
22:122:115:1

This district is about the same as the state figure and 7.0 students per teacher higher than the U.S. figure.

Students per counselor2023–24Needs attention
637:1443:1376:1

This district is 194 students per counselor higher than the state figure and 261 students per counselor higher than the U.S. figure.

District staff per 1,000 students2023–24Needs attention
88.5108.2138.9

This district is 19.7 staff per 1,000 students lower than the state figure and 50.4 staff per 1,000 students lower than the U.S. figure.

Instructional aides per 1,000 students2023–24Needs attention
8.916.918.5

This district is 8.0 aides per 1,000 students lower than the state figure and 9.6 aides per 1,000 students lower than the U.S. figure.

School psychologists per 1,000 students2023–24Stronger than benchmarks
1.81.30.9

This district is 0.5 psychologists per 1,000 students higher than the state figure and 0.9 psychologists per 1,000 students higher than the U.S. figure.

Regular diplomas among completers2023–24Needs attention
97.6%98.6%99.0%

This district is 1.0 percentage points lower than the state figure and 1.4 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–122023–24Stronger than benchmarks
0.4%2.7%2.6%

This district is 2.3 percentage points lower than the state figure and 2.2 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students learning English2021–22 · reporting schoolsContext only
6.1%19.3%12.0%

This district is 13.2 percentage points lower than the state figure and 5.9 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · reporting schoolsContext only
14.1%12.5%14.0%

This district is 1.7 percentage points higher than the state figure and 0.1 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · reporting schoolsContext only
2.4%2.1%3.9%

This district is 0.3 percentage points higher than the state figure and 1.6 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Teachers reported as certified2021–22 · reporting schoolsContext only
99.0%95.9%95.8%

This district is 3.1 percentage points higher than the state figure and 3.2 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Enrollment change2021–22 to 2023–24Context only
-1.5%-0.6%+0.5%

This district is 0.9 percentage points lower than the state figure and 2.0 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students eligible for free or reduced-price meals2021–22 · valid district recordsContext only
19.7%57.8%50.6%

This district is 38.1 percentage points lower than the state figure and 30.9 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students without disabilities2021–22 · matched enrollmentStronger than benchmarks
1.8%2.8%4.5%

This district is 1.0 percentage points lower than the state figure and 2.7 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · matched enrollmentStronger than benchmarks
6.1%6.1%9.0%

This district is about the same as the state figure and 2.9 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · matched enrollmentMixed comparison
6.6%4.5%6.7%

This district is 2.1 percentage points higher than the state figure and 0.1 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students enrolled in district distance education2021–22 · matched enrollmentContext only
1.9%5.7%5.1%

This district is 3.8 percentage points lower than the state figure and 3.2 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

School-age children in poverty2024 Census estimateStronger than benchmarks
5.4%13.9%14.4%

This district is 8.5 percentage points lower than the state figure and 9.0 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Learning support · 2021–22 federal snapshot

How many students may need specialized support?

Counts and shares use only schools with a usable value for that measure. The reporting-school denominator prevents missing schools from being counted as zero.

6.1%Students learning English673 students · 17 of 17 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
District6.1%
CA19.3%
U.S.12.0%
14.1%Students receiving IDEA special-education services1,561 students · 17 of 17 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
District14.1%
CA12.5%
U.S.14.0%
2.4%Students with Section 504 plans259 students · 16 of 17 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
District2.4%
CA2.1%
U.S.3.9%
2.0%English learners also receiving IDEA services225 students · 17 of 17 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
District2.0%
CA3.2%
U.S.1.7%

U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021–22. Public-use counts are privacy-protected. These figures describe the reporting year, not current enrollment, diagnoses, service quality or unmet need.

Teacher quality and early learning · 2021–22

What did the district report about teachers and preschool?

99.0%Teachers reported as certified
190Children ages 3–5 in district preschool

Teacher certification comparison

District99.0%
CA95.9%
United States95.8%

U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021–22. Certification status is district-reported and may not match current staffing. Preschool counts cover the federal reporting year and are not a measure of available seats.

Academic results · 2025

How do results differ among student groups?

Asian students488 assessments
86 out of 100
Students not economically disadvantaged6,422 assessments
73 out of 100
White students4,604 assessments
69 out of 100
Fem4,060 assessments
67 out of 100
Mal4,737 assessments
66 out of 100
Hispanic students2,391 assessments
49 out of 100
Economically disadvantaged students2,764 assessments
46 out of 100

A score of 50 marks the national 2019 midpoint. Higher numbers indicate stronger results on the comparable Stanford research scale. This is not a state proficiency rate.

District makeup

What kinds of schools are in the district?

9Elementary schools
3Middle schools
3High schools
1Other schools
16City setting
2Alternative schools

School levels, settings and types use the NCES 2021–22 directory matched to the federal civil-rights collection.

District finances

How is the district funded, and how does it spend?

Sources of funds

Where the money comes from

Share of district revenue supplied by each level of government.

6.6%Federal
16.7%State
76.7%Local
Uses of funds

Where the money goes

Annual spending for each enrolled student.

$15,022Total current spending per student
$9,448Instruction per student
$5,233Support services per student
Revenue by source: percentages and dollars
$14.1MFederal revenue6.6% of total revenue
$35.7MState revenue16.7% of total revenue
$164.3MLocal revenue76.7% of total revenue
How operating money was used
$9,448Instructionper student
$5,233Student and instructional supportper student
$3,608Special educationper student
$1,442Building operations and maintenanceper student
$378Student transportationper student
$341Food servicesper student
$0Technologyper student
People costs
$86.2MSalaries$7,845 per student
$41.5MEmployee benefits$3,775 per student
Equipment, buildings and debt
$497KEquipmentFY 2023
$21.8MCapital outlay$1,988 per student
$21.3MConstructionincluded in capital outlay
$388.3MDebt outstanding at year end$35,361 per student
$0New debt issuedFY 2023
$14.1MDebt principal retiredFY 2023
$14.7MInterest paid on debtFY 2023
Selected federal program revenue
$845KTitle I$77 per student
$2.6MIDEA special education$237 per student
$56KCareer and technical education$5 per student
$2MChild nutrition$179 per student
What changed since FY 2022
Operating spending per student
FY 2022$13,634
FY 2023$15,022+10.2% year over year
Capital spending per student
FY 2022$1,724
FY 2023$1,988+15.3% year over year
Debt outstanding per student
FY 2022$36,493
FY 2023$35,361-3.1% year over year

Revenue shares and spending categories answer different questions and should not be added together. Source: NCES F-33 district finance, FY 2023.

Attendance

How has chronic absence changed?

2020–2122.2%

2,406 of 10,826 students

2021–2222.9%

2,513 of 10,992 students

2022–2318.5%

2,025 of 10,942 students

Specialized support and security · 2021–22

What specialized roles were reported?

3Sworn law-enforcement officer FTE16 reporting schools
32.1Security staff FTE16 reporting schools

Staffing is reported as full-time equivalents in the 2021–22 CRDC collection.

Learning opportunities

What do district schools offer?

Algebra I4 reporting schools
100%
Calculus4 reporting schools
50%
Biology4 reporting schools
100%
Chemistry4 reporting schools
75%
Physics4 reporting schools
50%
Computer science4 reporting schools
50%
Advanced Placement4 reporting schools
75%
Dual enrollment4 reporting schools
75%
Gifted programs16 reporting schools
100%
International Baccalaureate4 reporting schools
0%
Athletics3 reporting schools
67%

Shares use only schools for which the program was applicable and reported. A districtwide percentage does not guarantee availability at every grade or campus. Source: 2021–22 CRDC.

Safety and discipline

What was reported across district schools?

Counts are from the 2021–22 CRDC collection. Open a measure to see the schools behind the district total.

Technology and safety · 2021–22

What access and incident data is available?

Technology and incident figures are from the 2021–22 CRDC collection. Device counts describe the reporting year, not current inventory.

Data status

8 of 8 national data layers are matched to this NCES district ID. Identity and school counts use NCES records. Academic estimates use SEDA, attendance uses EDFacts, finance uses NCES F-33, staffing and enrollment use 2023–24 NCES CCD where available, teacher certification, preschool and policy fields use the 2021–22 CRDC, and community poverty context uses Census SAIPE. Four-year graduation rates use 2022–23 EDFacts. Every detailed view preserves its reporting year.

See all sources →