Banta Unified runs schools through 8th grade. Its 5 public elementary schools run from the 4th to the 84th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). High school is run by another district; confirm the school for your address with the district.
K5Elementary
68Middle
912High
Banta Unified · grades K–8
Another district · grades 9–12
Elementary · 5 schools
from 4th to 84th · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests
River Islands Technology Academy II: 82nd percentile, Strong
Banta Elementary: 31st percentile, Developing
0Needs Support
1Developing
0Solid
3Strong
← lower percentilehigher →
One dot per school. Each stage is placed only among California schools at its own level. 4 of the 5 ranked schools teach two levels, so they appear in more than one picture.
The average elementary school in Banta Unified had 20 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once.
Middle schools
Which middle schools in Banta Unified score highest?
EPIC Academy is highest, at the 97th percentile.
That’s higher than 97 in 100 of the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests).
Highest in Banta Unified
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.
EPIC AcademyLathrop · Charter school. Check how it admits students.
The average middle school in Banta Unified had 18 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.
High schools
Which high schools are in Banta Unified?
Banta Unified has no public high school in California’s statewide ranking.
Where does Banta Unified’s money go, and what does it plan?
Banta Unified spent $33,047 per student in the 2024–25 school year.
The typical California district spent $20,491. About 52 cents of every Banta Unified dollar went to classroom instruction.
Spending by function
Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from the district’s annual financial report (SACS) to the California Department of Education. District-wide: it includes central administration and costs never assigned to one campus.
Share by function, 2024–25
Instruction52%
Instruction support13%
Student services11%
Administration15%
Buildings & maintenance9%
Shares of the same spending total, by the report’s spending categories, rounded so they add up to 100. Names are simplified from the report’s own categories.
What the district plans
$20.6 million
planned in its 2026–27 plan for 26 funded actions in 5 goals. That’s 77% of its $26.7 million general fund budget. These are planned amounts; the district reports what it spent in a later plan.
The plan in short
Source: the district’s yearly spending plan (Local Control and Accountability Plan, or LCAP, 126 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.
Where the money goes
Three actions take 79% of the money. The plan itself puts 75% of it toward staff.
Base Educational Program $14.0 million
Facilities $1.7 million
Standards Aligned Instruction and Materials $604,989
23 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help
3 of the plan’s 26 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.
Actions whose titles name catch-up help or English learners
Catch-up help $328,779
English learners $128,837
Largest of these
Summer School & Expanded Learning Program$303,407
English Language Development Program$128,837
Response to Intervention (RTI) Program$25,372
For high-need students (English learners, low-income students and foster youth) and what changed
For high-need students
It plans $3.6 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025–26, it planned $971,009 and estimates it spent $1.1 million, $86,315 (9%) more than planned (our arithmetic).
$1.1 million spent (estimated)$971,009 planned
What changed
The total is $15.7 million (315%) higher than in the 2025–26 plan. The biggest change in dollars is Base Educational Program, which went from $3.1 million to $14.0 million.
Largest cuts
Response to Intervention (RTI) Program−$144,258
Largest increases
Base Educational Program+$10.9 million
Facilities+$1.4 million
Standards Aligned Instruction and Materials+$569,609
New in the 2026–27 plan
CTE & VAPA$542,000
Tide Time$469,096
Academic Counselors Counselors$183,562
Ask: What did Response to Intervention (RTI) Program pay for, and what changes now that the 2026–27 plan gives it $144,258 less?
The plan’s own titles and amounts
Base Educational Program · $14,045,635
Facilities · $1,650,612
Standards Aligned Instruction and Materials · $604,989
The full plan5 goals, 3 measures and where the money goes
We calculate each action’s share of the plan by dividing its planned amount by the total of the plan’s funded actions ($20.6 million).
Where does the money go?
79% to Goal 1. Each box is one action, sized by its planned dollars and coloured by its change since last year’s plan. Tap a box to open its goal.
not compared: unconfirmed, or repeated across goals
Every goal, in the plan’s order
Goal 1 · Maintenance of Progress GoalBanta Unified School District will develop and strengthen high-quality instructional programs and ensure that…$16.3 million79% of action budgets
“Banta Unified School District will develop and strengthen high-quality instructional programs and ensure that all facilities are clean, safe, and in good repair to support improved student performance and help students achieve their personal, academic, and career goals. To accomplish this goal, the district will regularly assess instructional and facility needs, update curriculum and programs to align with state standards and evidence-based practices, and implement strategies to attract and retain highly qualified teachers through competitive compensation and ongoing professional development. The district will also allocate resources for routine maintenance, repairs, and facility upgrades to address infrastructure needs, enhance safety, and ensure accessibility for all students” p. 15 ↗
3 funded actions · reworded since the 2025–26 plan
Largest funded actions
Base Educational Program$14.0 millionaction 1.1 · p. 81 ↗
Standards Aligned Instruction and Materials$0.6 millionaction 1.2 · p. 81 ↗
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Base Educational Program+$10.9 million$3.1 million → $14.0 million · p. 81 ↗
Facilities+$1.4 million$0.2 million → $1.7 million · p. 81 ↗
Standards Aligned Instruction and Materials+$569,609$35,380 → $604,989 · p. 81 ↗
How the plan measures it · 3 measures · 2 quoted
Percent of students with access to standards- aligned instructional materialsp. 16 ↗
Baseline
100% 2023-24
Target for year 3
100%
Percentage of school facilities maintained in good repair or exemplaryp. 16 ↗
Baseline
100% 2023-24
Target for year 3
100%
1 more measure in the plan’s table.
Goal 2Promote the achievement of all students, particularly for low-income and English learner students by working…$2.5 million12% of action budgets
“Promote the achievement of all students, particularly for low-income and English learner students by working collaboratively with students, parents, teachers and the community to enable students to meet their personal, academic and career goals” p. 19 ↗
13 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $1.2 million (+$1.3 million)
Largest funded actions
Instructional Aides$560,279action 2.5 · p. 81 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Enrichment Programs$496,240action 2.12 · p. 82 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Access to Technology$409,707action 2.2 · p. 81 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Summer School & Expanded Learning Program$303,407action 2.11 · p. 82 ↗
Transportation$227,766action 2.10 · p. 82 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
8 more funded actions in this goal
Student Attendance · action 2.7 · p. 82 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$130,312
English Language Development Program · action 2.4 · p. 81 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $28,194 is state funding counted toward those services$128,837
Professional Development · action 2.8 · p. 82 ↗$99,562
Additional teacher to maintain class size ratio · action 2.13 · p. 82 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$82,199
Library Services · action 2.6 · p. 81 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $41,830 is state funding counted toward those services$46,030
Response to Intervention (RTI) Program · action 2.1 · p. 81 ↗$25,372
Science Enrichment · action 2.9 · p. 82 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$10,584
Progress Monitoring Student Growth · action 2.3 · p. 81 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$7,000
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Enrichment Programs+$471,600$24,640 → $496,240 · p. 82 ↗
Access to Technology+$336,389$73,318 → $409,707 · p. 81 ↗
Instructional Aides+$274,145$286,134 → $560,279 · p. 81 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Summer School & Expanded Learning Program · $261,271 → $303,407 · p. 82 ↗+$42,136
Transportation · $120,020 → $227,766 · p. 82 ↗+$107,746
Student Attendance · $60,066 → $130,312 · p. 82 ↗+$70,246
English Language Development Program · $82,080 → $128,837 · p. 81 ↗+$46,757
Professional Development · $43,644 → $99,562 · p. 82 ↗+$55,918
Additional teacher to maintain class size ratio · $61,937 → $82,199 · p. 82 ↗+$20,262
Library Services · $40,922 → $46,030 · p. 81 ↗+$5,108
Response to Intervention (RTI) Program · $169,630 → $25,372 · p. 81 ↗−$144,258
Science Enrichment · $15,016 → $10,584 · p. 82 ↗−$4,432
We couldn’t read this goal’s measures from the plan. They start near page 19. p. 19 ↗
Goal 3Provide a clean, healthy, physically and emotionally safe learning environment, in which all students can…$604,3513% of action budgets
“Provide a clean, healthy, physically and emotionally safe learning environment, in which all students can learn and create a community where parents and families are actively engaged in their child's education” p. 32 ↗
Health Education/Expanded Physical Education Program$170,123action 3.5 · p. 83 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Nursing Services$169,229action 3.4 · p. 83 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $78,609 is state funding counted toward those services
Academic Counselors Counselors · $183,562 · p. 84 ↗new or renamed
A reworded title counts as new.
We couldn’t read this goal’s measures from the plan. They start near page 41. p. 41 ↗
Goal 5River Islands High School (RIHS) will provide a safe and welcoming learning environment that fosters a…$542,0003% of action budgets
“River Islands High School (RIHS) will provide a safe and welcoming learning environment that fosters a respectful and collaborative culture for students, parents, and staff” p. 53 ↗
1 funded action · no goal 5 in the 2025–26 plan
Largest funded actions
CTE & VAPA$542,000action 5.12 · p. 85 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
All amounts are planned. We read them from the PDF and added up each goal’s actions ourselves. Page links open the plan at that page.
Who goes to the district’s schools
Who attends
Student mix
2024–25 · October enrollment count, 3,563 students
1Asian36%
2Hispanic or Latino29%
3Filipino13%
4Black or African American9%
5White9%
6American Indian or Alaska Native2%
7Pacific Islander<1%
8Two or more races<1%
9Not reported<1%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools.
Free or reduced-price meals
38%
Across California, 63% of students qualify.
2024–25 · 1,354 of 3,563 students qualify, summed from the CDE’s meal counts for every school it lists under the district, charters included. It comes from a different CDE file than the student mix, so the two totals differ.
The district’s state records
Is the state giving the district extra help?
The state is giving Banta Unified extra help in 2026, the second year after it qualified on the 2025 Dashboard.
How English learners moved up on the state’s English test
From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 45% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (25 of 55 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.
Which public schools in Banta Unified rank highest?
Elementary: EPIC Academy, 84th percentile (Strong). Middle: EPIC Academy, 97th percentile (Strong). Each percentile is among the California schools at the same level we score. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.
Does living in the Banta Unified district decide which school my child attends?
Not by itself. Attendance boundaries, programs, transfers and space all matter. Confirm the school for your address, grade and program with the district.
More questions (5)
Are the public schools in Banta Unified good?
Banta Unified’s 5 public elementary schools run from the 4th to the 84th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Strong, 2 Solid and 2 Needs Support. Banta Unified’s 4 public middle schools run from the 31st to the 97th percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 3 Strong and 1 Developing. A percentile compares a school with California public schools at the same level that we score. How we score schools.
How does chronic absence in Banta Unified compare with California?
The average elementary school in Banta Unified had 20 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once. The average middle school in Banta Unified had 18 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100. These are averages of school rates: each school counts once, whatever its size.
How much does Banta Unified spend per student?
Banta Unified spent $33,047 per student in the 2024–25 school year. The typical California district spent $20,491. About 52 cents of every Banta Unified dollar went to classroom instruction. Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from its annual financial report to the California Department of Education. The district’s spending, by function.
What is in Banta Unified’s 2026–27 spending plan?
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $20.6 million into 26 funded actions in 5 goals, 77% of its $26.7 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $16.3 million, 79% of the action budgets. The 2026–27 plan, goal by goal.
Where do these results come from?
California’s state tests (CAASPP): spring 2026 for elementary and middle schools, spring 2025 for high schools, and chronic-absence rates for 2025–26, published by the California Department of Education. Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s calculations. How we score schools.
Sources and methodology
This page lists the public schools governed and funded by Banta Unified, with the district’s spending and state accountability records.
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26 elementary and middle school; 2024–25 high school
Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.