Benicia Unified’s 4 public elementary schools all sit between the 67th and the 86th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests).
Elementary · 4 schools
from 67th to 86th · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests
Matthew Turner Elementary: 86th percentile, Strong
Joe Henderson Elementary: 84th percentile, Strong
Robert Semple Elementary: 71st percentile, Solid
Mary Farmar Elementary: 67th percentile, Solid
0Needs Support
0Developing
2Solid
2Strong
← lower percentilehigher →
One dot per school.
Middle and high school pictures
Middle · 1 school
at 77th · among 2,529 California middle schools we score · spring 2026 tests
Benicia Middle: 77th percentile, Strong
0Needs Support
0Developing
0Solid
1Strong
High · 1 school
at 74th · among 1,498 California high schools we score · spring 2025 tests
Benicia High: 74th percentile, Solid
0Needs Support
0Developing
1Solid
0Strong
← lower percentilehigher →
One dot per school. Each stage is placed only among California schools at its own level.
The average elementary school in Benicia Unified had 11 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
Where does the middle school we score in Benicia Unified stand?
Benicia Middle is at the 77th percentile.
That’s higher than 77 in 100 of the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). It’s the only public middle school we score in Benicia Unified.
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level. What patterns mean
Where does the high school we score in Benicia Unified stand?
Benicia High is at the 74th percentile.
That’s higher than 74 in 100 of the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). It’s the only public high school we score in Benicia Unified.
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.
Liberty HighContinuation high school: compared only with other continuation schools
The district
Where does Benicia Unified’s money go, and what does it plan?
Benicia Unified spent $15,618 per student in the 2024–25 school year.
The typical California district spent $20,491. About 62 cents of every Benicia 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
Instruction62%
Instruction support11%
Student services9%
Administration7%
Buildings & maintenance10%
Other1%
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
$5.4 million
planned in its 2026–27 plan for 25 funded actions in 4 goals. That’s 8% of its $66.8 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
The money is spread out. No action gets more than 13%, and the three largest, Career Technical Education (CTE), Site-based Administrative Support (2.0 FTE) and Elementary Intervention Teachers, take 35% between them. The plan itself puts 92% of it toward staff.
Career Technical Education (CTE) $717,401
Site-based Administrative Support (2.0 FTE) $594,125
Elementary Intervention Teachers $573,709
22 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help
7 of the plan’s 25 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.
Actions whose titles name math, catch-up help or English learners
Math $0.2 million
Catch-up help $1.1 million
English learners $0.1 million
An action naming two of these appears under both.
Largest of these
Elementary Intervention Teachers$573,709
Common Core, Supplementary & Intervention Curriculum$342,268
Secondary Math Intervention - Tier I$165,559
For high-need students (English learners, low-income students and foster youth), what changed and what its goals measure
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 $2.9 million and estimates it spent $3.1 million, $0.2 million (10%) more than planned (our arithmetic).
$3.1 million spent (estimated)$2.9 million planned
What changed
The total is $489,100 (8%) lower than in the 2025–26 plan. The biggest change in dollars is Elementary Intervention Teachers, which went from $337,685 to $573,709.
Largest cuts
Common Core, Supplementary & Intervention Curriculum−$107,732
Largest increases
Elementary Intervention Teachers+$236,024
Digital Databases and Reporting Systems+$164,627
Alternative Education Program+$150,789
New in the 2026–27 plan
Wellness Centers (SCOE Grant)$192,000
Title I Intervention Teacher$132,440
PLC Collaboration Days - (LREBG funding)$117,297
What its goals measure
Read these state results for the district’s own schools as context for the goals they measure; results alone can’t show what the plan caused.
What its goals measure: state results, 2024–25 and 2025–26
Measure
2024–25
2025–26
Change
English, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 2 · Literacy/Humanities
55%
57%
up 2 pts
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 3 · Math/STEAM
54%
54%
no change
Chronically absentCounted across all the district’s students, not averaged by schoolGoal 1 · Social-Emotional Learning & Sense of Belonging
13 in 100
14 in 100
1 more in 100
Suspended at least onceGoal 1 · Social-Emotional Learning & Sense of Belonging
2.1%
2.5%
up 0.4 pts
Goal 4 isn’t shown because it tracks other measures.
Figures from CDE’s state test, chronic absence and suspension files. Test figures cover every grade the district tests (California tests grades 3–8 and 11), so they differ from a profile’s rated grades. We combined the district’s schools ourselves, weighted by students and leaving out charter schools. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days.
The plan’s own titles and amounts
Career Technical Education (CTE) · $717,401
Site-based Administrative Support (2.0 FTE) · $594,125
Elementary Intervention Teachers · $573,709
The full plan4 goals, 84 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 ($5.4 million).
Where does the money go?
46% to Goal 2, Literacy/Humanities. 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 1Social-Emotional Learning & Sense of Belonging$1.1 million20% of action budgets
“All students in Benicia Unified School District, especially those who have been underrepresented, will feel a sense of belonging and connection to their school community so that they feel challenged and invested in a learning environment that values individuals and is accepting, respectful, safe and supportive” p. 21 ↗
7 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $1.8 million (−$746,482)
Largest funded actions
Counseling Services$466,582action 1.4 · p. 82 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
School Psychologists$289,241action 1.3 · p. 82 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Wellness Centers (SCOE Grant)$192,000action 1.2 · p. 82 ↗
Second Step Tier II Program$44,666action 1.1 · p. 82 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Professional Learning - Timesheets / Subs$40,000action 1.13 · p. 83 ↗
2 more funded actions in this goal
Professional Learning - Contracts (LREBG funding) · action 1.12 · p. 83 ↗$18,850
Positive Behavior Intervention Support Stipends (PBIS) · action 1.5 · p. 82 ↗$14,455
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Second Step Tier II Program+$20,172$24,494 → $44,666 · p. 82 ↗
Counseling Services+$16,734$449,848 → $466,582 · p. 82 ↗
School Psychologists+$8,855$280,386 → $289,241 · p. 82 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Wellness Centers (SCOE Grant) · $192,000 · p. 82 ↗new or renamed
Professional Learning - Timesheets / Subs · $40,000 · p. 83 ↗new or renamed
Professional Learning - Contracts (LREBG funding) · $18,850 · p. 83 ↗new or renamed
Positive Behavior Intervention Support Stipends (PBIS) · $14,457 → $14,455 · p. 82 ↗−$2
Priority 5: Chronic Absenteeism (CA Dashboard)p. 22 ↗
Baseline
21% (2023-red)
Target for year 3
7% (2026)
40 more measures in the plan’s table.
Goal 2Literacy/Humanities$2.5 million46% of action budgets
“All students in Benicia Unified School District will demonstrate mastery on and and be supported in grade level literacy and humanities standards in all content areas so that there is comparable performance for all student groups, and achievement and performance gaps are virtually non-existent” p. 38 ↗
9 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $2.5 million (+$29,116)
Largest funded actions
Site-based Administrative Support (2.0 FTE)$594,125action 2.14 · p. 84 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Elementary Intervention Teachers$573,709action 2.4 · p. 83 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Alternative Education Program$437,823action 2.8 · p. 84 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Common Core, Supplementary & Intervention Curriculum$342,268action 2.12 · p. 84 ↗
District Administrative Support (90% FTE)$242,414action 2.13 · p. 84 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
4 more funded actions in this goal
Title I Intervention Teacher · action 2.3 · p. 83 ↗$132,440
PLC Collaboration Days - (LREBG funding) · action 2.19 · p. 85 ↗$117,297
Secondary English Learner Development (ELD) Support · action 2.5 · p. 83 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$61,866
Translation Services · action 2.9 · p. 84 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$2,000
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Elementary Intervention Teachers+$236,024$337,685 → $573,709 · p. 83 ↗
Alternative Education Program+$150,789$287,034 → $437,823 · p. 84 ↗
Site-based Administrative Support (2.0 FTE)+$137,902$456,223 → $594,125 · p. 84 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Common Core, Supplementary & Intervention Curriculum · $450,000 → $342,268 · p. 84 ↗−$107,732
District Administrative Support (90% FTE) · $242,411 → $242,414 · p. 84 ↗+$3
Title I Intervention Teacher · $132,440 · p. 83 ↗new or renamed
PLC Collaboration Days - (LREBG funding) · $117,297 · p. 85 ↗new or renamed
Secondary English Learner Development (ELD) Support · $44,060 → $61,866 · p. 83 ↗+$17,806
Translation Services · $2,000 → $2,000 · p. 84 ↗unchanged
A reworded title counts as new.
How the plan measures it · 19 measures · 3 quoted
Priority 4: Student achievement on the CAASPP ELA assessment, including EAP (CA Dashboard)p. 38 ↗
Baseline
49% (2023 - orange)
Target for year 3
70% (2026)
Priority 4: Student achievement on the CAASPP ELA assessment: English learners (CA Dashboard)p. 39 ↗
Baseline
12% (2023 - orange)
Target for year 3
25% (2026)
Priority 4: Student achievement on the CAASPP ELA assessment: Socioeconomically disadvantaged (CA Dashboard)p. 39 ↗
Baseline
32% (2023 -orange)
Target for year 3
65% (2026)
16 more measures in the plan’s table.
Goal 3Math/STEAM$1.4 million27% of action budgets
“All students in Benicia Unified School District will demonstrate mastery on and be supported in math standards with the support of all STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math) content areas so that there is comparable performance for all student groups, and achievement and performance gaps are virtually non-existent” p. 54 ↗
8 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $1.3 million (+$156,846)
Largest funded actions
Career Technical Education (CTE)$717,401action 3.1 · p. 85 ↗
Digital Databases and Reporting Systems$301,770action 3.8 · p. 85 ↗
Secondary Math Intervention - Tier I$165,559action 3.2 · p. 85 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Integrated Services Support (formerly Ed. Services TOSA)$132,784action 3.4 · p. 85 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Data and assessment support staff (50% FTE)$62,570action 3.5 · p. 85 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
3 more funded actions in this goal
Outdoor Education · action 3.9 · p. 85 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$50,000
High Dose Tutoring - Elementary Math (LREBG funds) · action 3.14 · p. 86 ↗$9,000
Summer School Credit Recovery · action 3.13 · p. 86 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$7,000
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Digital Databases and Reporting Systems+$164,627$137,143 → $301,770 · p. 85 ↗
Career Technical Education (CTE)+$75,482$641,919 → $717,401 · p. 85 ↗
Secondary Math Intervention - Tier I+$15,588$149,971 → $165,559 · p. 85 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Integrated Services Support (formerly Ed. Services TOSA) · $129,659 → $132,784 · p. 85 ↗+$3,125
Data and assessment support staff (50% FTE) · $74,020 → $62,570 · p. 85 ↗−$11,450
Outdoor Education · $50,000 → $50,000 · p. 85 ↗unchanged
High Dose Tutoring - Elementary Math (LREBG funds) · $9,000 · p. 86 ↗new or renamed
Summer School Credit Recovery · $7,000 · p. 86 ↗new or renamed
A reworded title counts as new.
How the plan measures it · 14 measures · 3 quoted
Priority 1: Teachers appropriately assigned (CA Dashboard)p. 54 ↗
Baseline
93.4% (2023)
Target for year 3
100% (2026)
Semester 1 Math Grades C or Better: (Aeries)p. 55 ↗
Baseline
82% (2023/24)
Target for year 3
87% (2027)
Priority 4: Student achievement on the CAASPP Math assessment (CA Dashboard)p. 55 ↗
Baseline
45% (2023 -yellow)
Target for year 3
70% (2026)
11 more measures in the plan’s table.
Goal 4Equity & Opportunity$419,7908% of action budgets
“Historically underserved and underrepresented students will have access to and inclusion in all learning and activities in school. BUSD will advance equity practices by ensuring that the voices of our students are represented, they feel seen and their cultures and stories are valued with a particular focus on students who are black, socio-economically disadvantaged, English learners, Latinx, LGBTQ+, and students in special education” p. 66 ↗
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, 4,346 students
1White40%
2Hispanic or Latino27%
3Two or more races17%
4Filipino6%
5Black or African American5%
6Asian4%
7Pacific Islander<1%
8American Indian or Alaska Native<1%
9Not reported0%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools. Rounded labels may not total 100%; segments use the original shares.
Free or reduced-price meals
24%
Across California, 63% of students qualify.
2024–25 · 1,022 of 4,341 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?
Benicia Unified isn’t getting extra state help in 2026, only the standard support every district gets.
How English learners moved up on the state’s English test
From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 53% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (55 of 103 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 Benicia Unified rank highest?
Elementary: Matthew Turner Elementary, 86th percentile (Strong). Middle: Benicia Middle, 77th percentile (Strong). High: Benicia High, 74th percentile (Solid). 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 Benicia 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 Benicia Unified good?
Benicia Unified’s 4 public elementary schools run from the 67th to the 86th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 2 Strong and 2 Solid. Benicia Unified has one public middle school we score, Benicia Middle, at the 77th percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Strong. Benicia Unified has one public high school we score, Benicia High, at the 74th percentile among the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). By band: 1 Solid. 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 Benicia Unified compare with California?
The average elementary school in Benicia Unified had 11 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. These are averages of school rates: each school counts once, whatever its size.
How much does Benicia Unified spend per student?
Benicia Unified spent $15,618 per student in the 2024–25 school year. The typical California district spent $20,491. About 62 cents of every Benicia 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 Benicia Unified’s 2026–27 spending plan?
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $5.4 million into 25 funded actions in 4 goals, 8% of its $66.8 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $2.5 million, 46% 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 Benicia 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.