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B+

Durham Unified School District

Public school districtGrades K–12Regional · 2 towns

Serves Durham and Butte Valley.

Durham’s School Grade B+ better than 72% of California school districts

Students
1,048
Schools
3
Spent per student
$14,362
CA $21,206
Students per teacher
20:1
Free or reduced lunch
39%
Debt
$18.4M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Durham Unified School District

  • Its letter, B+: results better than 72% of California districts
  • Math proficiency 9 pts above the state
  • Graduation rate 6 pts above the state
  • Spends 32% less per student than the CA average
  • 20 students per teacher
  • Enrollment up 5.8% since 2020–21
  • Debt of $18.4M, about $17,567 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

B+: better than 72% of the 1,872 California school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math well above the state, 2021–22
B+
GraduationFour-year graduation well above the state, class of 2023
B−
The towns it serves, and their School Grades
B+Durham 5,340BButte Valley 1,087

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Durham. Grade by grade →

K–5Durham ElementaryThis district
6–8Durham IntermediateThis district
9–12Durham HighThis district

Test scores vs. CA

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency42%
State average 33.1% · 516 students tested
Reading / language arts48%
State average 46.7% · 517 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)90–94%
State average 86.2% · 72 in the class

97% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$14,362 per student · 32% below CA
Spending
Classroom instruction 57%Support & administration 39%Other 4%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 42%State 49%Federal 8%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
991’20
982’21
996’22
1,026’23
1,048’24

Up 5.8% since 2020–21.

Students
White 69%Hispanic 22%Two or more races 8%Asian <1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%Black <1%

Schools in the district

3 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with California’s other public schools.

Durham Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Durham
B+
495 students23:1
Durham Intermediate
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Durham
B
233 students19:1
Durham High
High · Grades 9–12 · Durham
B+
320 students16:1

Nearby districts

Compare spending and schools next door.

Chico Unified School DistrictChico
$17,329per student

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within California.