School district or education agency · NCES 0627720

Novato Unified

Novato, CA

District overview See comparisons

Students7,209

Student membership reported by NCES for 2023–24.

Schools15

operational schools · 2023–24

Students7,209

students in linked records

Latest attendance year2022–23

federal comparable series

Latest finance record$15,969

per student

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?

45^thlatest estimated national standing

20192022202320242025

5 percentile points lower than 2019.

Annual dropout · 2023–24

How many high-school students left during the year?

1.3%of students enrolled in grades 9–12

District1.3%

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 standing5 percentile points

Lower than the first comparable year.

2019–2025 · Stanford research estimate

Chronic absence11.3 points

Higher than the first year. More students were chronically absent.

2020–21–2022–23

Enrollment+1.3%

Student enrollment grew.

2021–22 to 2023–24 · NCES

Operating spending+13.5%

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 53,012 students

41.8%

Grades 6–81,450 students

20.1%

Grades 9–122,747 students

38.1%

See enrollment for every grade

Kindergarten650

Grade 1465

Grade 2467

Grade 3495

Grade 4507

Grade 5428

Grade 6491

Grade 7471

Grade 8488

Grade 9633

Grade 10691

Grade 11693

Grade 12730

Students by race and ethnicity

Hispanic/Latino3,180 (44.1%)

White2,853 (39.6%)

Two or more races571 (7.9%)

Asian394 (5.5%)

Black or African American141 (2.0%)

American Indian or Alaska Native27 (0.4%)

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander13 (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?

685.3All district staff, full-time equivalent

337.6Teachers, full-time equivalent

10.6School counselors, full-time equivalent

10School psychologists, full-time equivalent

77.6Instructional aides, full-time equivalent

0.6Librarians and media specialists, full-time equivalent

21.5School administrators, full-time equivalent

8.2Student support staff, full-time equivalent

See detailed staffing

Kindergarten teachers32.3 FTE

Elementary teachers172.2 FTE

Secondary teachers133.1 FTE

Elementary school counselors2 FTE

Secondary school counselors8.6 FTE

Instructional coordinators6 FTE

District administrators2 FTE

District administrative support37.1 FTE

School administrative support35.9 FTE

Other support staff138.2 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?

694Total completers

684Regular diplomas

10Other state-recognized credentials

36Reported dropouts, grades 9–12

Regular diplomas among completers

District98.6%

CA98.6%

United States99.0%

Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–12

District1.3%

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.

8,521children ages 5 to 17

895estimated to live in families below the poverty line

10.5%about 1 in 10 school-age children

District10.5%

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.

El Rancho UnifiedPico Rivera, CA

Students: 7,110
Community poverty: 12.9%
English learners: 18.5%
Special education: 12.3%

Matched on enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View →Washington UnifiedWest Sacramento, CA

Students: 7,481
Community poverty: 15.3%
English learners: 16.3%
Special education: 10.6%

Matched on enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View →Ocean ViewHuntington Beach, CA

Students: 6,868
Community poverty: 11.1%
English learners: 20.8%
Special education: 13.0%

Matched on enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View →Visions in Education DistrictCarmichael, CA

Students: 7,009
English learners: 6.6%
Special education: 16.6%

Matched on enrollment, English-learner enrollment, special-education enrollment · View →Dry Creek Joint ElementaryAntelope, CA

Students: 6,725
Community poverty: 10.1%
English learners: 15.7%
Special education: 10.2%

Matched on enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View →

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 standing2025

45th percentile42nd percentile45th percentile

This district is 3 percentile points higher than the state figure and about the same as the U.S. figure.

Students chronically absent2022–23

19.5%27.7%27.8%

This district is 8.2 percentage points lower than the state figure and 8.3 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Revenue per studentFY 2023

$21,301$25,614$19,509

This district is $4,313 per student lower than the state figure and $1,792 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Spending per studentFY 2023

$15,969$18,479$15,859

This district is $2,510 per student lower than the state figure and $110 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Capital outlay per studentFY 2023

$4,414$2,019$1,964

This district is $2,395 per student higher than the state figure and $2,450 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Equipment spending per studentFY 2023

$223$135$336

This district is $88 per student higher than the state figure and $113 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Special-education spending per studentFY 2023

$2,949$2,978$1,793

This district is $29 per student lower than the state figure and $1,156 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Salaries per studentFY 2023

$9,035$9,951$8,742

This district is $916 per student lower than the state figure and $293 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Benefits per studentFY 2023

$3,675$4,693$3,769

This district is $1,018 per student lower than the state figure and $94 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Debt outstanding per studentFY 2023

$30,103$18,517$11,715

This district is $11,586 per student higher than the state figure and $18,388 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Debt retired per studentFY 2023

$1,536$916$869

This district is $620 per student higher than the state figure and $667 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Students per teacher2023–24

21:122:115:1

This district is 1.0 students per teacher lower than the state figure and 6.0 students per teacher higher than the U.S. figure.

Students per counselor2023–24

680:1443:1376:1

This district is 237 students per counselor higher than the state figure and 304 students per counselor higher than the U.S. figure.

District staff per 1,000 students2023–24

95.1108.2138.9

This district is 13.1 staff per 1,000 students lower than the state figure and 43.8 staff per 1,000 students lower than the U.S. figure.

Instructional aides per 1,000 students2023–24

10.816.918.5

This district is 6.1 aides per 1,000 students lower than the state figure and 7.7 aides per 1,000 students lower than the U.S. figure.

School psychologists per 1,000 students2023–24

1.41.30.9

This district is 0.1 psychologists per 1,000 students higher than the state figure and 0.5 psychologists per 1,000 students higher than the U.S. figure.

Regular diplomas among completers2023–24

98.6%98.6%99.0%

This district is about the same as the state figure and 0.4 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–122023–24

1.3%2.7%2.6%

This district is 1.4 percentage points lower than the state figure and 1.3 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students learning English2021–22 · reporting schools

17.4%19.3%12.0%

This district is 1.8 percentage points lower than the state figure and 5.4 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · reporting schools

10.2%12.5%14.0%

This district is 2.3 percentage points lower than the state figure and 3.8 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · reporting schools

2.4%2.1%3.9%

This district is 0.3 percentage points higher than the state figure and 1.5 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Teachers reported as certified2021–22 · reporting schools

100.0%95.9%95.8%

This district is 4.1 percentage points higher than the state figure and 4.2 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Enrollment change2021–22 to 2023–24

+1.3%-0.6%+0.5%

This district is 1.9 percentage points higher than the state figure and 0.8 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students eligible for free or reduced-price meals2021–22 · valid district records

32.6%57.8%50.6%

This district is 25.2 percentage points lower than the state figure and 18.0 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students without disabilities2021–22 · matched enrollment

1.7%2.8%4.5%

This district is 1.1 percentage points lower than the state figure and 2.8 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · matched enrollment

6.2%6.1%9.0%

This district is 0.1 percentage points higher than the state figure and 2.8 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · matched enrollment

5.3%4.5%6.7%

This district is 0.8 percentage points higher than the state figure and 1.4 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

School-age children in poverty2024 Census estimate

10.5%13.9%14.4%

This district is 3.4 percentage points lower than the state figure and 3.9 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.

17.4%Students learning English1,242 students · 14 of 14 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District17.4%

CA19.3%

U.S.12.0%

10.2%Students receiving IDEA special-education services724 students · 14 of 14 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District10.2%

CA12.5%

U.S.14.0%

2.4%Students with Section 504 plans171 students · 14 of 14 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District2.4%

CA2.1%

U.S.3.9%

2.9%English learners also receiving IDEA services208 students · 14 of 14 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District2.9%

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?

100.0%Teachers reported as certified

91Children ages 3–5 in district preschool

Teacher certification comparison

District100.0%

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 students158 assessments

67 out of 100

Students not economically disadvantaged2,751 assessments

67 out of 100

White students2,098 assessments

67 out of 100

Fem2,824 assessments

46 out of 100

Mal2,991 assessments

44 out of 100

Economically disadvantaged students3,069 assessments

26 out of 100

Hispanic students2,826 assessments

25 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?

8Elementary schools

3High schools

1Other schools

1Not reported schools

2Middle schools

15Suburb setting

3Magnet schools

1Alternative 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.

5.9%Federal

41.5%State

52.6%Local

Uses of funds

Where the money goes

Annual spending for each enrolled student.

$15,969Total current spending per student

$9,994Instruction per student

$5,415Support services per student

Revenue by source: percentages and dollars

$9.1MFederal revenue5.9% of total revenue

$63.7MState revenue41.5% of total revenue

$80.7MLocal revenue52.6% of total revenue

How operating money was used

$9,994Instructionper student

$5,415Student and instructional supportper student

$2,949Special educationper student

$1,329Building operations and maintenanceper student

$442Student transportationper student

$561Food servicesper student

$0Technologyper student

People costs

$65.1MSalaries$9,035 per student

$26.5MEmployee benefits$3,675 per student

Equipment, buildings and debt

$1.6MEquipmentFY 2023

$31.8MCapital outlay$4,414 per student

$30MConstructionincluded in capital outlay

$217MDebt outstanding at year end$30,103 per student

$0New debt issuedFY 2023

$11.1MDebt principal retiredFY 2023

$8MInterest paid on debtFY 2023

Selected federal program revenue

$867KTitle I$120 per student

$2.4MIDEA special education$328 per student

$47KCareer and technical education$7 per student

$2.8MChild nutrition$390 per student

What changed since FY 2022

Operating spending per student

FY 2022$14,065

FY 2023$15,969+13.5% year over year

Capital spending per student

FY 2022$4,300

FY 2023$4,414+2.7% year over year

Debt outstanding per student

FY 2022$31,860

FY 2023$30,103-5.5% 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?

2020–218.2%

586 of 7,172 students

2021–2217.8%

1,264 of 7,119 students

2022–2319.5%

1,393 of 7,157 students

Specialized support and security · 2021–22

What specialized roles were reported?

1.9Sworn law-enforcement officer FTE15 reporting schools

1.9Security staff FTE15 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

Calculus4 reporting schools

Biology4 reporting schools

Chemistry4 reporting schools

Physics4 reporting schools

Computer science4 reporting schools

Advanced Placement4 reporting schools

Dual enrollment4 reporting schools

Gifted programs15 reporting schools

International Baccalaureate4 reporting schools

Athletics4 reporting schools

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?

152Out-of-school suspensions14 reporting schoolsSee schools →24In-school suspensions14 reporting schoolsSee schools →0Law-enforcement referrals14 reporting schoolsSee schools →0School-related arrests14 reporting schoolsSee 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?

100%Schools reporting Wi-Fi15 reporting schools

100%Schools reporting fiber15 reporting schools

6Student devices reported15 reporting schools

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

Six questions parents ask

What the available data says

Each answer shows its reporting year and opens a deeper comparison. Missing and suppressed results are never shown as zero.

Are students making academic progress?5 years of resultsLatest research estimate: 2025Explore and compare →Are students missing too much school?19.5% chronically absent2022–23 · 7,157 students measuredExplore and compare →Is the district improving?Declined overallCompare the earliest and latest available yearsExplore and compare →Where are student-group gaps largest?7 student groups2025 research estimatesExplore and compare →How much does the district spend?$15,969current spending per studentExplore and compare →Does the district have enough support staff?680:1 counselor ratioStudents per counselor in the 2023–24 federal staffing fileExplore and compare →

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 →