Caruthers Unified has three ranked public schools. Percentiles by stage, each among the California schools we score at its level (spring 2026 tests; high schools, spring 2025): Caruthers Elementary, 48th at elementary and 77th at middle; Monroe Elementary, 27th at elementary and 42nd at middle; Caruthers High, 46th at high.
Where does Caruthers Unified’s money go, and what does it plan?
Caruthers Unified spent $20,502 per student in the 2024–25 school year.
That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 53 cents of every Caruthers 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
Instruction53%
Instruction support13%
Student services10%
Administration9%
Buildings & maintenance13%
Other2%
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
$38.7 million
planned in its 2026–27 plan for 28 funded actions in 4 goals. That’s nearly all of its 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, 159 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.
Where the money goes
Three actions take 56% of the money. The plan itself puts 74% of it toward staff.
Qualified, Credentialed Teachers $9.3 million
Access to a Broad Course of Study $7.7 million
Maintaining Clean, Safe Facilities $4.6 million
25 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help
4 of the plan’s 28 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.
Actions whose titles name math or English learners
Math $10,000
English learners $299,860
An action naming two of these appears under both.
Largest of these
Improving English Language Development Instruction$288,860
Addressing the Needs of Long-Term English Learners$6,000
Required Action: Districtwide and Caruthers HS English Learner Math Achievement$5,000
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 $7.8 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025–26, it planned $8.4 million and estimates it spent $8.0 million, $0.4 million (5%) less than planned (our arithmetic).
$8.0 million spent (estimated)$8.4 million planned
Ask: Why did estimated spending on these services come in $0.4 million under the 2025–26 plan, and where does that money go in 2026–27?
What changed
The total is $1.5 million (4%) higher than in the 2025–26 plan. The biggest change in dollars is Qualified, Credentialed Teachers, which went from $8.4 million to $9.3 million.
Largest cuts
School Culture and Social Behavior−$364,782
Access to a Broad Course of Study−$266,943
College & Career and Post-Secondary Education−$164,918
Largest increases
Qualified, Credentialed Teachers+$901,747
Extended Learning+$627,197
Supplemental Instruction and Materials+$418,104
Ask: What did School Culture and Social Behavior pay for, and what changes now that the 2026–27 plan gives it $364,782 less?
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 2024–25Goals 1 and 3
48%
51%
up 3 pts
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goals 1 and 3
33%
36%
up 3 pts
Chronically absentCounted across all the district’s students, not averaged by schoolGoal 2
14 in 100
15 in 100
1 more in 100
Suspended at least onceGoal 2
3.4%
3.5%
up 0.1 pts
Goal 4 isn’t shown because it tracks named schools.
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
Qualified, Credentialed Teachers · $9,336,964
Access to a Broad Course of Study · $7,749,084
Maintaining Clean, Safe Facilities · $4,639,933
The full plan4 goals, 36 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 ($38.7 million).
Where does the money go?
75% 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
small actions drawn together
Every goal, in the plan’s order
Goal 1Promote academic achievement for all students, including low-income, English learners, and foster youth students$28.9 million75% of action budgets
15 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $26.9 million (+$2.0 million) · p. 24 ↗
Largest funded actions
Qualified, Credentialed Teachers$9.3 millionaction 1.1 · p. 118 ↗
Access to a Broad Course of Study$7.7 millionaction 1.11 · p. 119 ↗
Smaller Class Sizes$3.1 millionaction 1.10 · p. 119 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Students with Exceptional Needs$3.0 millionaction 1.7 · p. 118 ↗
Extended Learning$2.2 millionaction 1.8 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $15,000 is state funding counted toward those services
10 more funded actions in this goal
Supplemental Instruction and Materials · action 1.4 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $532,029 is state funding counted toward those services$1.6 million
Provide Improved Excellent Instruction · action 1.15 · p. 119 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.7 million
Instructional Leadership and Guidance Support · action 1.5 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $285,607 is state funding counted toward those services$0.4 million
Professional Development for Staff · action 1.2 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $298,923 is state funding counted toward those services$0.3 million
Improving English Language Development Instruction · action 1.9 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $98,086 is state funding counted toward those services$0.3 million
Student Data and Assessment · action 1.3 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Student and Staff Recognition · action 1.16 · p. 119 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Addressing the Needs of Long-Term English Learners · action 1.14 · p. 119 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $1,000 is state funding counted toward those servicesunder $0.1 million
Required Action: Districtwide and Caruthers HS English Learner Math Achievement · action 1.12 · p. 119 ↗under $0.1 million
Required Action: Districtwide Students with Disabilities Math Achievement · action 1.13 · p. 119 ↗under $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Qualified, Credentialed Teachers+$0.9 million$8.4 million → $9.3 million · p. 118 ↗
Extended Learning+$0.6 million$1.6 million → $2.2 million · p. 118 ↗
Supplemental Instruction and Materials+$0.4 million$1.2 million → $1.6 million · p. 118 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Access to a Broad Course of Study · $8.0 million → $7.7 million · p. 119 ↗−$0.3 million
Smaller Class Sizes · $3.0 million → $3.1 million · p. 119 ↗+$0.1 million
Students with Exceptional Needs · $2.7 million → $3.0 million · p. 118 ↗+$0.3 million
Provide Improved Excellent Instruction · $694,138 → $667,117 · p. 119 ↗−$27,021
Instructional Leadership and Guidance Support · $444,570 → $396,607 · p. 118 ↗−$47,963
Professional Development for Staff · $422,008 → $348,000 · p. 118 ↗−$74,008
Improving English Language Development Instruction · $176,714 → $288,860 · p. 118 ↗+$112,146
Student Data and Assessment · $182,717 → $138,801 · p. 118 ↗−$43,916
Student and Staff Recognition · $15,000 · p. 119 ↗new or renamed
Addressing the Needs of Long-Term English Learners · $6,000 → $6,000 · p. 119 ↗unchanged
Required Action: Districtwide and Caruthers HS English Learner Math Achievement · $5,000 → $5,000 · p. 119 ↗unchanged
Required Action: Districtwide Students with Disabilities Math Achievement · $5,000 → $5,000 · p. 119 ↗unchanged
A reworded title counts as new.
How the plan measures it · 13 measures · 2 quoted
California Science Test: Percentage of Students Meeting or Exceeding Standardp. 31 ↗
Baseline
All Students -- 20.3% …
Target for year 3
All Students -- 35% …
SBAC ELA: Percentage of Students Meeting or Exceeding Standardp. 31 ↗
Baseline
All Students -- 43.7% …
Target for year 3
All Students -- 50% …
11 more measures in the plan’s table.
Goal 2Maintain a safe and healthy school environment while providing opportunities that develop positive character$7.6 million20% of action budgets
9 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $8.0 million (−$385,593) · p. 51 ↗
Largest funded actions
Maintaining Clean, Safe Facilities$4.6 millionaction 2.2 · p. 119 ↗
Parent Engagement$1.1 millionaction 2.1 · p. 119 ↗
Transportation for Easier School Access$1.0 millionaction 2.4 · p. 119 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $436,627 is state funding counted toward those services
Expanded Access to Recreation Spaces$0.7 millionaction 2.5 · p. 120 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
School Culture and Social Behavior$0.2 millionaction 2.3 · p. 119 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $133,531 is state funding counted toward those services
4 more funded actions in this goal
Required Action: Chronic Absenteeism Rates for Monroe Elementary Students (Overall, Low-Income, English Learners, and Hispanic Students) · action 2.6 · p. 120 ↗under $0.1 million
Required Action: Suspension Rate for English Learners and Homeless Students · action 2.7 · p. 120 ↗under $0.1 million
Required Action: Suspension Rates for White Students · action 2.9 · p. 120 ↗under $0.1 million
Required Action: Suspension Rates for Foster Youth · action 2.8 · p. 120 ↗under $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
School Culture and Social Behavior−$364,782$556,636 → $191,854 · p. 119 ↗
Parent Engagement+$0.1 million$1.0 million → $1.1 million · p. 119 ↗
Maintaining Clean, Safe Facilities−$0.1 million$4.7 million → $4.6 million · p. 119 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Transportation for Easier School Access · $968,719 → $956,193 · p. 119 ↗−$12,526
Expanded Access to Recreation Spaces · $772,700 → $726,950 · p. 120 ↗−$45,750
Required Action: Chronic Absenteeism Rates for Monroe Elementary Students (Overall, Low-Income, English Learners, and Hispanic Students) · $5,000 → $5,000 · p. 120 ↗unchanged
Required Action: Suspension Rate for English Learners and Homeless Students · $5,000 → $5,000 · p. 120 ↗unchanged
Required Action: Suspension Rates for White Students · $5,000 → $5,000 · p. 120 ↗unchanged
Required Action: Suspension Rates for Foster Youth · $500 → $500 · p. 120 ↗unchanged
Goal 3Guide and prepare all students, including Low-Income students, English Learners, and Foster Youth students…$2.2 million6% of action budgets
“Guide and prepare all students, including Low-Income students, English Learners, and Foster Youth students, for post-secondary opportunities” p. 65 ↗
1 funded action · 2025–26 plan: $2.3 million (−$164,918)
Largest funded actions
College & Career and Post-Secondary Education$2.2 millionaction 3.1 · p. 120 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $1.3 million is state funding counted toward those services
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
College & Career and Post-Secondary Education−$0.2 million$2.3 million → $2.2 million · p. 120 ↗
How the plan measures it · 9 measures · 3 quoted
Graduating seniors will have confirmed plans of enrollment in one of the following: college, university, vocational program, or militaryp. 66 ↗
Baseline
All Students – 89% …
Target for year 3
All students -- 100% …
Early Assessment Program (EAP): % PUPILS SCORING “READY” on SBAC ELA Assessmentsp. 66 ↗
Goal 4 · Equity Multiplier Focus GoalBy the end of the 2026-2027 school year, the percentage of MARC High students, Overall, Low- Income, and…$88,839under 1% of action budgets
“By the end of the 2026-2027 school year, the percentage of MARC High students, Overall, Low- Income, and Hispanic, placing at the "Prepared" level on the College and Career Indicator from the California School Dashboard will increase to 10% or greater. By the end of the 2026-2027 school year, the percentage of MARC High students, Overall, Low- Income, and Hispanic, on the Suspension Rate Indicator from the California School Dashboard will decrease to 2% or less” p. 75 ↗
3 funded actions · reworded since the 2025–26 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, 1,689 students
1Hispanic or Latino88%
2White8%
3Asian3%
4American Indian or Alaska Native<1%
5Black or African American<1%
6Two or more races<1%
7Filipino<1%
8Pacific Islander<1%
9Not reported0%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools.
Free or reduced-price meals
89%
Across California, 63% of students qualify.
2024–25 · 1,502 of 1,686 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?
Caruthers 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, 51% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (181 of 356 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 Caruthers Unified rank highest?
Elementary: Caruthers Elementary, 48th percentile (Developing). Middle: Caruthers Elementary, 77th percentile (Strong). High: Caruthers High, 46th percentile (Developing). 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 Caruthers 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 (4)
Are the public schools in Caruthers Unified good?
Caruthers Unified’s 2 public elementary schools run from the 27th to the 48th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 2 Developing. Caruthers Unified’s 2 public middle schools run from the 42nd to the 77th percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Strong and 1 Developing. Caruthers Unified has one public high school we score, Caruthers High, at the 46th percentile among the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). By band: 1 Developing. A percentile compares a school with California public schools at the same level that we score. How we score schools.
How much does Caruthers Unified spend per student?
Caruthers Unified spent $20,502 per student in the 2024–25 school year. That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 53 cents of every Caruthers 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 Caruthers Unified’s 2026–27 spending plan?
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $38.7 million into 28 funded actions in 4 goals, nearly all of its general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $28.9 million, 75% 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 Caruthers 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.