School district · Butte County

Durham Unified schools

Durham Unified has one public elementary school we score. Durham Elementary has a Scope Score of 74. Its middle school has a Scope Score of 78. Its high school has a Scope Score of 78.

75 is the typical California school. 100 is the best result in the state.

Durham High · campus drawing © OpenStreetMap contributors

Schools

3

listed public schools. We score one elementary, one middle and one high.

Students

1,048

in the October 2024–25 enrollment count.

Spending

$14,273

per student in 2024–25. The typical California district spent $20,491.

The path

What is the path through the district?

Durham Unified has one elementary school, one middle school and one high school that we score.

Elementary · grades k–5

Durham Elementary

Scope Score 74

Developing · 42nd percentile

Middle · grades 6–8

Durham Intermediate

Scope Score 78

Solid · 64th percentile

High · grades 9–12

Durham High

Scope Score 78

Solid · 64th percentile

Each score compares a school with California schools at its own level. The levels are not one ranking. Confirm the school for your address, grade and program with the district.

Elementary schools

Where does the elementary school we score in Durham Unified stand?

Durham Elementary has a Scope Score of 74. That is higher than 42 in 100 California elementary schools we score. It is the only public elementary school we score in Durham Unified.

AdvancedProficientBelow the standardEnglish and math tests combined
  1. Rank 1

    Durham Elementary

    Grades K–5 · 495 students

    53% below the standard

    Scope Score 74Developing · 42nd percentile

Each score compares a school with the 5,726 California elementary schools we score. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP), spring 2026.

Middle schools

Where does the middle school we score in Durham Unified stand?

Durham Intermediate has a Scope Score of 78. That is higher than 64 in 100 California middle schools we score. It is the only public middle school we score in Durham Unified.

AdvancedProficientBelow the standardEnglish and math tests combined
  1. Rank 1

    Durham Intermediate

    Grades 6–8 · 233 students

    46% below the standard

    Scope Score 78Solid · 64th percentile

Each score compares a school with the 2,529 California middle schools we score. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP), spring 2026.

High schools

Where does the high school we score in Durham Unified stand?

Durham High has a Scope Score of 78. That is higher than 64 in 100 California high schools we score. It is the only public high school we score in Durham Unified.

AdvancedProficientBelow the standardEnglish and math tests combined
  1. Rank 1

    Durham High

    Grades 9–12 · 320 students

    61% below the standard

    Scope Score 78Solid · 64th percentile

Each score compares a school with the 1,498 California high schools we score. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP), spring 2025. The state called the top two levels Exceeded and Met in spring 2025.

Against California

How does the district compare with California?

Students from low-income families: 39% here. California: 63%.

Students from low-income families

Qualify for free or reduced-price meals

Durham Unified39%
California63%

Spending per student

Day-to-day spending, 2024–25

Durham Unified$14,273
Typical district$20,491

English learners who moved up a level

On the state’s English test (ELPAC)

Durham Unified36%
California47%

Meals: 407 of 1,048 students, 2024–25, summed from the state’s meal counts for every school listed under the district, charters included. Spending: day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, 2024–25. The typical district is the middle one when California districts are put in order. English learners: From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 36% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (15 of 42 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent. Source: California Department of Education, English learner progress files.

The district

Where does Durham Unified’s money go?

About 57 cents of every Durham Unified dollar went to classroom instruction.

$14,273

spent per student in the 2024–25 school year. The typical California district spent $20,491.

Every dollar, by what it paid for

  • Instruction57%
  • Student services12%
  • Buildings & maintenance11%
  • Instruction support10%
  • Administration9%
  • Other1%

The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $2.4 million into 21 funded actions in 4 goals. That is 15% of its $16.3 million general fund budget. These are planned amounts. The district reports what it spent in a later plan.

Spending is day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from the district’s annual financial report (SACS) to the California Department of Education, 2024–25. It covers the whole district, including central administration. Shares are rounded so they add up to 100. Planned amounts are from the yearly spending plan (LCAP) as posted to the California School Dashboard.

State records

Who attends, and is the state giving extra help?

1,048 students were enrolled in the October 2024–25 count. The state is giving Durham Unified extra help in 2026, the second year after it qualified on the 2025 Dashboard.

Who goes to the district’s schools

  • White 69%
  • Hispanic or Latino 22%
  • Two or more races 5%
  • Other or not reported 4%
October 2024–25 enrollment count, including the district’s charter schools. Source: California Department of Education.

Is the state giving the district extra help?

The state is giving Durham Unified extra help in 2026, the second year after it qualified on the 2025 Dashboard.

State results from the 2026 California School Dashboard. Source: District help (CDE).

Common questions

What do parents ask about this district?

  • Are the public schools in Durham Unified good?

    Durham Unified has one public elementary school we score. Durham Elementary has a Scope Score of 74. It is Developing, at the 42nd percentile. Durham Unified has one public middle school we score. Durham Intermediate has a Scope Score of 78. It is Solid, at the 64th percentile. Durham Unified has one public high school we score. Durham High has a Scope Score of 78. It is Solid, at the 64th percentile. 75 is the typical California school. 100 is the best result in the state. How we score schools.

  • Which public schools in Durham Unified rank highest?

    Durham Elementary is the only elementary school we score here. It has a Scope Score of 74. It is Developing, at the 42nd percentile. Durham Intermediate is the only middle school we score here. It has a Scope Score of 78. It is Solid, at the 64th percentile. Durham High is the only high school we score here. It has a Scope Score of 78. It is Solid, at the 64th percentile. Each score compares a school with the California schools at the same level we score. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.

  • How much does Durham Unified spend per student?

    Durham Unified spent $14,273 per student in the 2024–25 school year. The typical California district spent $20,491. About 57 cents of every Durham 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 Durham Unified’s 2026–27 spending plan?

    The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $2.4 million into 21 funded actions in 4 goals. That is 15% of its $16.3 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $1.5 million, 63% of the action budgets. The 2026–27 plan, goal by goal.

  • Does living in the Durham 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.

  • Where do these results come from?

    The test results are from California’s state tests (CAASPP). They are from spring 2026 for elementary and middle schools. The results are from spring 2025 for high schools. Chronic-absence rates are for 2025–26. The California Department of Education publishes both. 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 Durham Unified, with the district’s spending and state 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.

State tests are the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), springs 2025 and 2026.

Download these schools (CSV) Free to use under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.