Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives

Poway Unified

California · Public School District
38
Schools
34,626
Students
$16,206
Per-Pupil Spend
+13% nat'l
14.9%
Free Lunch Rate
-37pp vs nat'l
95.2%
Graduation Rate
+8.7pp vs nat'l
District Overview

Poway Unified is a public school district in California serving 34,626 students across 38 schools. It includes 26 elementary, 6 middle, 6 high schools. Its graduation rate of 95.2% is above the national average of 86.5%. Per-pupil spending of $16,206 is above average for a US public school district. Only 15% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting a relatively low-poverty student body. Opportunity scores across its schools are moderate, with a district median of 53/100.

⇄ Compare with another district
All Schools (38)
Elementary Schools26 schools
SchoolGradesStudents
Adobe Bluffs ElementaryKG–05552
Canyon View ElementaryKG–05475
Chaparral ElementaryKG–05833
Creekside ElementaryKG–05562
Deer Canyon ElementaryKG–05374
Del Sur ElementaryKG–05969
Design 39 CampusKG–081,226
Garden Road ElementaryKG–05508
Highland Ranch ElementaryKG–05630
Los Penasquitos ElementaryKG–05577
Midland ElementaryKG–05612
Monterey Ridge ElementaryKG–05819
Morning Creek ElementaryKG–05584
Painted Rock ElementaryKG–05593
Park Village ElementaryKG–05587
Pomerado ElementaryKG–05365
Rolling Hills ElementaryKG–05467
Shoal Creek ElementaryKG–05498
Stone Ranch ElementaryKG–05753
Sundance ElementaryKG–05402
Sunset Hills ElementaryKG–05401
Tierra Bonita ElementaryKG–05380
Turtleback ElementaryKG–05506
Valley ElementaryKG–05695
Westwood ElementaryKG–05830
Willow Grove ElementaryKG–05767
Middle Schools6 schools
SchoolGradesStudents
Bernardo Heights Middle06–081,416
Black Mountain Middle06–081,129
Meadowbrook Middle06–081,030
Mesa Verde Middle06–081,040
Oak Valley Middle06–081,515
Twin Peaks Middle06–081,109
High Schools6 schools
SchoolGradesStudents
Abraxas Continuation High09–12218
Del Norte High09–122,531
Mt. Carmel High09–121,865
Poway High09–122,233
Rancho Bernardo High09–122,318
Westview High09–122,257
District Finances
Per-Pupil Expenditure$16,206+13% nat'l avg
National avg $14,347
Revenue Sources
39%
54%
State
39.4%
Local (property tax)
54.2%
Federal
6.4%

Funding is shared between state (39%) and local sources (54%), with limited federal reliance.

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey. District-level data.
District Snapshot
38
Schools
34,626
Students
15%
Free Lunch
$16K
Per-Pupil
Graduation Rate95.2%
Opportunity Score53/100
StateCalifornia →
School Rankings
Strengths & Considerations
Strong graduation outcomes
95.2% graduation rate — 8.7 points above the national average of 86.5%.
Low economic disadvantage rate
Only 15% of students qualify for free lunch, well below the national rate of 52.2%.
Range of school options
With 38 schools, families have meaningful choice across programs and grade levels.
Location
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in Poway Unified?
Poway Unified has 38 public schools, serving a total of 34,626 students.
What is the graduation rate for Poway Unified?
The graduation rate is 95.2%, which is above the national average of 86.5%.
How much does Poway Unified spend per student?
Poway Unified spends $16,206 per pupil — 13% above the national average of $14,347.
What percentage of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch in Poway Unified?
15% of students in Poway Unified qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, compared to the national rate of 52.2%.
Are there charter schools in Poway Unified?
No, Poway Unified does not currently include any charter schools.
What grade levels does Poway Unified serve?
Poway Unified serves grades KG through 12, covering elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the opportunity score for Poway Unified?
The median opportunity score across schools in Poway Unified is 53/100. 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.