schools in the 2023–24 NCES record
Public school district or agency · Official NCES ID 0631530
Poway Unified
Poway, CA
Students34,935
Student membership reported by NCES for 2023–24.
students enrolled in 2023–24
latest nationwide attendance file
current spending per student
What is available here?
Broad coverage8 of 8 core data areas available
Every available section is tied to this district’s official NCES ID. The year shown is the year the data describes, not the date we added it.
✓Academic results2025Current release✓Attendance2022–23Current release✓Spending2022–23Current release✓Enrollment & staffing2023–24Current release✓Student support2021–22Older federal release✓Safety & civil rights2021–22Older federal release✓Community context2023Current release✓Programs & opportunities2021–22Older federal release
Five things to know
The district at a glance
Open any question to see the supporting numbers, comparison and reporting year.
01Quick answer
Explore outcomes by student group →Are students making academic progress?
5 years of resultsLatest research estimate: 2025See the details →02Quick answerAre students missing too much school?
15.7% chronically absent2022–23 · 34,663 students measuredSee the details →03Quick answerIs the district improving?
Declined overallCompare the earliest and latest available yearsSee the details →04Quick answerHow much does the district spend?
$15,127current spending per studentSee the details →05Quick answerDoes the district have enough support staff?
428:1 counselor ratioStudents per counselor in the 2023–24 federal staffing fileSee the details →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.
Are results improving over time?
71stlatest estimated national standing
20192022202320242025
1 percentile point lower than 2019.
How many high-school students left during the year?
0.4%of students enrolled in grades 9–12
District0.4%
CA1.7%
U.S.2.3%
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.
Lower than the first comparable year.
2019–2025 · Stanford research estimateHigher than the first year. More students were chronically absent.
2020–21–2022–23Student enrollment grew.
2021–22 to 2023–24 · NCESSpending per student increased before adjusting for inflation.
FY 2022 to FY 2023 · NCES F-33Enrollment 2023–24Finance 2022–23Attendance 2022–23State tests 2024–25 where published
Enrollment · 2023–24
Who attends this district?
Kindergarten–grade 515,740 students
45.1%Grades 6–87,807 students
22.3%Grades 9–1211,388 students
32.6%See enrollment for every grade
Kindergarten3,121
Grade 12,284
Grade 22,475
Grade 32,601
Grade 42,618
Grade 52,641
Grade 62,583
Grade 72,639
Grade 82,585
Grade 92,688
Grade 102,784
Grade 112,808
Grade 123,108
Students by race and ethnicity
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?
See detailed staffing
Kindergarten teachers145.1 FTE
Elementary teachers881.1 FTE
Secondary teachers476.6 FTE
Elementary school counselors44.5 FTE
Secondary school counselors32.3 FTE
Instructional coordinators13 FTE
District administrators24 FTE
District administrative support152.8 FTE
School administrative support133.4 FTE
Other support staff423.4 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?
Regular diplomas among completers
Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–12
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.
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.
Sweetwater Union HighChula Vista, CA
- Students
- 35,226
- Community poverty
- 12.6%
- English learners
- 19.2%
- Special education
- 15.4%
- Students
- 33,063
- Community poverty
- 3.9%
- English learners
- 14.2%
- Special education
- 9.3%
- Students
- 37,731
- Community poverty
- 8.3%
- English learners
- 16.5%
- Special education
- 8.8%
- Students
- 33,916
- Community poverty
- 13.1%
- English learners
- 34.3%
- Special education
- 15.0%
- Students
- 33,205
- Community poverty
- 16.2%
- English learners
- 26.0%
- Special education
- 12.3%
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
71st percentile42nd percentile45th percentileThis district is 29 percentile points higher than the state figure and 26 percentile points higher than the U.S. figure.
Students chronically absent2022–23Stronger than benchmarks
15.7%27.8%27.2%This district is 12.1 percentage points lower than the state figure and 11.5 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.
Revenue per studentFY 2023Context only
$19,353$26,372$19,748This district is $7,019 per student lower than the state figure and $395 per student lower than the U.S. figure.
Spending per studentFY 2023Context only
$15,127$18,719$15,908This district is $3,592 per student lower than the state figure and $781 per student lower than the U.S. figure.
Capital outlay per studentFY 2023Context only
$771$2,205$2,035This district is $1,434 per student lower than the state figure and $1,264 per student lower than the U.S. figure.
Equipment spending per studentFY 2023Context only
$158$145$342This district is $13 per student higher than the state figure and $184 per student lower than the U.S. figure.
Special-education spending per studentFY 2023Context only
$3,163$3,249$1,855This district is $86 per student lower than the state figure and $1,308 per student higher than the U.S. figure.
Salaries per studentFY 2023Context only
$8,535$10,215$8,849This district is $1,680 per student lower than the state figure and $314 per student lower than the U.S. figure.
Benefits per studentFY 2023Context only
$4,357$4,889$3,859This district is $532 per student lower than the state figure and $498 per student higher than the U.S. figure.
Debt outstanding per studentFY 2023Context only
$29,956$20,382$12,224This district is $9,574 per student higher than the state figure and $17,732 per student higher than the U.S. figure.
Debt retired per studentFY 2023Context only
$2,658$1,008$907This district is $1,650 per student higher than the state figure and $1,751 per student higher than the U.S. figure.
Students per teacher2023–24Needs attention
23:122:115:1This district is 1.0 students per teacher higher than the state figure and 8.0 students per teacher higher than the U.S. figure.
Students per counselor2023–24Mixed comparison
428:1436:1373:1This district is 8 students per counselor lower than the state figure and 55 students per counselor higher than the U.S. figure.
District staff per 1,000 students2023–24Needs attention
96.2110.0138.8This district is 13.8 staff per 1,000 students lower than the state figure and 42.6 staff per 1,000 students lower than the U.S. figure.
Instructional aides per 1,000 students2023–24Stronger than benchmarks
23.117.218.1This district is 5.9 aides per 1,000 students higher than the state figure and 5.0 aides per 1,000 students higher than the U.S. figure.
School psychologists per 1,000 students2023–24Stronger than benchmarks
1.51.30.9This district is 0.2 psychologists per 1,000 students higher than the state figure and 0.6 psychologists per 1,000 students higher than the U.S. figure.
Regular diplomas among completers2023–24Needs attention
98.1%98.5%99.0%This district is 0.4 percentage points lower than the state figure and 0.9 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.
Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–122023–24Stronger than benchmarks
0.4%1.7%2.3%This district is 1.3 percentage points lower than the state figure and 1.9 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.
Students learning English2021–22 · reporting schoolsContext only
8.6%19.6%11.8%This district is 11.1 percentage points lower than the state figure and 3.3 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.
Students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · reporting schoolsContext only
13.6%12.5%13.8%This district is 1.2 percentage points higher than the state figure and 0.2 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.
Students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · reporting schoolsContext only
1.2%2.0%4.0%This district is 0.8 percentage points lower than the state figure and 2.8 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.
Teachers reported as certified2021–22 · reporting schoolsContext only
100.0%96.0%96.6%This district is 4.0 percentage points higher than the state figure and 3.4 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.
Enrollment change2021–22 to 2023–24Context only
+1.3%-1.3%+0.2%This district is 2.6 percentage points higher than the state figure and 1.1 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.
Students eligible for free or reduced-price meals2021–22 · valid district recordsContext only
14.4%57.8%49.4%This district is 43.4 percentage points lower than the state figure and 35.0 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.
Out-of-school suspension rate · students without disabilities2021–22 · matched enrollmentStronger than benchmarks
0.7%2.9%4.6%This district is 2.2 percentage points lower than the state figure and 3.9 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.
Out-of-school suspension rate · students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · matched enrollmentStronger than benchmarks
3.5%6.5%9.4%This district is 3.0 percentage points lower than the state figure and 5.9 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.
Out-of-school suspension rate · students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · matched enrollmentNeeds attention
9.0%4.8%6.8%This district is 4.2 percentage points higher than the state figure and 2.2 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.
School-age children in poverty2024 Census estimateStronger than benchmarks
4.3%13.9%14.4%This district is 9.6 percentage points lower than the state figure and 10.1 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.
8.6%Students learning English2,960 students · 38 of 38 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
13.6%Students receiving IDEA special-education services4,705 students · 38 of 38 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
1.2%Students with Section 504 plans384 students · 34 of 38 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
1.8%English learners also receiving IDEA services609 students · 38 of 38 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
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?
Teacher certification comparison
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 students6,769 assessments
88 out of 100Students not economically disadvantaged20,766 assessments
75 out of 100Mal12,988 assessments
72 out of 100Fem11,959 assessments
70 out of 100White students6,370 assessments
66 out of 100Hispanic students3,826 assessments
47 out of 100Economically disadvantaged students3,428 assessments
44 out of 100Black students399 assessments
42 out of 100A 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?
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.
Uses of funds
Where the money goes
Annual spending for each enrolled student.
Revenue by source: percentages and dollars
How operating money was used
People costs
Equipment, buildings and debt
Selected federal program revenue
What changed since FY 2022
FY 2022$13,960
→FY 2023$15,127+8.4% year over year
FY 2022$989
→FY 2023$771-22.0% year over year
FY 2022$30,501
→FY 2023$29,956-1.8% 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?
1,462 of 34,972 students
5,795 of 34,477 students
5,452 of 34,663 students
Specialized support and security · 2021–22
What specialized roles were reported?
Staffing is reported as full-time equivalents in the 2021–22 CRDC collection.
Learning opportunities
What do district schools offer?
Algebra I6 reporting schools
100%
Calculus6 reporting schools
67%
Biology6 reporting schools
100%
Chemistry6 reporting schools
83%
Physics6 reporting schools
83%
Computer science6 reporting schools
83%
Advanced Placement6 reporting schools
83%
Dual enrollment6 reporting schools
0%
Gifted programs38 reporting schools
0%
International Baccalaureate6 reporting schools
0%
Athletics6 reporting schools
83%
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?
352Out-of-school suspensions38 reporting schoolsSee schools →72In-school suspensions38 reporting schoolsSee schools →841Law-enforcement referrals38 reporting schoolsSee schools →7School-related arrests38 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?
Technology and incident figures are from the 2021–22 CRDC collection. Device counts describe the reporting year, not current inventory.
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 →Keep exploring
Put this district in context
Compare the same measures across the state, explore a parent question, or read a practical guide.