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Pajaro Valley Unified

California · Public School District
33
Schools
17,376
Students
$18,309
Per-Pupil Spend
+28% nat'l
81.0%
Free Lunch Rate
+29pp vs nat'l
89.9%
Graduation Rate
+3.4pp vs nat'l
District Overview

Pajaro Valley Unified is a public school district in California serving 17,376 students across 33 schools. It includes 19 elementary, 6 middle, 6 high schools, among them 5 charter schools. Its graduation rate of 89.9% is above the national average of 86.5%. Per-pupil spending of $18,309 is above average for a US public school district. 81% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic need in the community. Opportunity scores across its schools are limited, with a district median of 37/100.

⇄ Compare with another district
All Schools (33)
Middle Schools6 schools
SchoolGradesStudents
Aptos Junior High07–08594
Cesar E. Chavez Middle06–08552
E. A. Hall Middle06–08608
Lakeview Middle06–08438
Pajaro Middle06–08440
Rolling Hills Middle06–08619
High Schools6 schools
SchoolGradesStudents
Aptos High09–121,360
Diamond Technology InstituteCharter09–1283
New School Community Day09–1237
Pajaro Valley High09–121,489
Renaissance High Continuation09–12143
Watsonville High09–122,244
Other Schools2 schools
SchoolGradesStudents
Pacific Coast CharterCharterKG–12165
PVUSD Virtual AcademyKG–12152
District Finances
Per-Pupil Expenditure$18,309+28% nat'l avg
National avg $14,347
Revenue Sources
57%
31%
State
56.5%
Local (property tax)
30.6%
Federal
12.9%

State funding accounts for 57% of the budget — this district relies more on state aid than local tax revenue.

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey. District-level data.
District Snapshot
33
Schools
17,376
Students
81%
Free Lunch
$18K
Per-Pupil
Graduation Rate89.9%
Opportunity Score37/100
StateCalifornia →
School Rankings
Strengths & Considerations
Strong graduation outcomes
89.9% graduation rate — 3.4 points above the national average of 86.5%.
High per-student investment
Spends $18,309 per pupil — 28% above the national average of $14,347.
Range of school options
With 33 schools including 5 charter schools, families have meaningful choice across programs and grade levels.
High economic need in community
81% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch — above the national rate of 52.2% — reflecting broader economic challenges.
Location
Charter Schools in Pajaro Valley Unified
5 public charter schools — tuition-free, open to all students.
View Charter Schools →
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in Pajaro Valley Unified?
Pajaro Valley Unified has 33 public schools, serving a total of 17,376 students.
What is the graduation rate for Pajaro Valley Unified?
The graduation rate is 89.9%, which is above the national average of 86.5%.
How much does Pajaro Valley Unified spend per student?
Pajaro Valley Unified spends $18,309 per pupil — 28% above the national average of $14,347.
What percentage of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch in Pajaro Valley Unified?
81% of students in Pajaro Valley Unified qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, compared to the national rate of 52.2%.
Are there charter schools in Pajaro Valley Unified?
Yes — 5 of the 33 schools in Pajaro Valley Unified are charter schools.
What grade levels does Pajaro Valley Unified serve?
Pajaro Valley Unified serves grades KG through 12, covering elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the opportunity score for Pajaro Valley Unified?
The median opportunity score across schools in Pajaro Valley Unified is 37/100. The national median is 50/100. Opportunity scores reflect long-term economic mobility prospects for children who grow up in these communities.
About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.

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