Santa Ana Unified serves 39,935 students across 52 schools in Orange County, California. The district experienced a 4.5% enrollment decline from the prior year, operating with 1,958 teachers at a student-teacher ratio of 20.4:1.
The district's graduation rate of 91.6% exceeds California's state average of 89.9%, indicating above-average completion rates. However, chronic absenteeism at 15.4% represents a notable attendance challenge. Per-pupil spending of $25,100 significantly exceeds the state average of $19,711, with a total operating budget of $793.3 million funded through federal (15.5%), state (56.1%), and local (28.4%) sources.
Santa Ana Unified's student population reflects distinct characteristics: 73.6% qualify as economically disadvantaged, 36.3% are English learners, and 16.7% receive special education services. The district is predominantly Hispanic (95.9%), with minimal representation from other racial groups—White students comprise 0.9%, Asian students 2.0%, and Black students 0.2%.
The combination of high per-pupil spending relative to state averages, above-average graduation rates, and substantial enrollment of economically disadvantaged and English learner populations indicates a district allocating significant resources to serve a student body with considerable academic and socioeconomic support needs. The recent enrollment decline and chronic absenteeism rates suggest areas warranting continued attention.
This summary was generated by AI from public data sources. Last updated May 4, 2026.
This data is aggregated from state and federal public datasets. While we believe it is accurate, we always recommend confirming it on the corresponding state or federal site. See Data Notes for more.
Total Students
39,935
Schools
52
Per-Pupil Spending
$25,100
Data Sources: NCES Common Core of Data, NCES F-33 Finance Survey, EDFacts
Federal Data Year: 2024-25
State Data Year: 2024-25
Note: Some data may be unavailable for certain districts or years. Proficiency rates reflect state-specific assessment standards.
Math Proficiency
N/AThis data is either not available at a state or per-district level, or will be added in the future.
Staff counts are Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) from NCES 2024-25 data.
California uses a color-coded Dashboard system to measure school and district performance.
Colors are determined by combining current status with year-over-year change.
Gap between highest and lowest performing student groups (Filipino vs African American)
Gap interpretation:Large gaps (>20 points/%) indicate significant disparities between student groups that may benefit from targeted intervention programs.
Distance from Standard (DFS): 0 = at standard, positive = above, negative = below
About the California School Dashboard
The Dashboard uses a 5x5 grid that combines current status (performance level) with change (improvement or decline from the prior year) to determine colors. Blue is the highest performance level; Red indicates the lowest. Dashboard colors help identify both high-performing districts and those needing support.
Source: California Department of Education, California School Dashboard, 2024-25 School Year