Gustine Unified has two ranked public elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. Romero Elementary is at the 52nd percentile, Gustine Elementary the 7th, Gustine Middle the 29th and Gustine High the 34th, each among the California schools we score at its level (spring 2026 tests; high schools, spring 2025).
Where does Gustine Unified’s money go, and what does it plan?
Gustine Unified spent $21,251 per student in the 2024–25 school year.
That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 56 cents of every Gustine 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
Instruction56%
Instruction support11%
Student services12%
Administration9%
Buildings & maintenance11%
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
$8.0 million
planned in its 2026–27 plan for 31 funded actions in 4 goals. That’s 23% of its $35.5 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, 151 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.
Where the money goes
Three actions take 44% of the money. The plan itself puts 69% of it toward staff.
Support Services for Social Emotional and Mental Health $1.3 million
High Quality Staff Professional Development and Instructional Coaching $1.2 million
Safe Facitlities $1.0 million
28 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help
5 of the plan’s 31 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.
Actions whose titles name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners
Reading $10,000
Math $50,000
Catch-up help $669,380
English learners $1,500
Largest of these
Academic Intervention$413,070
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)$256,310
Increase Achievement in Mathematics$50,000
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 $6.9 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025–26, it planned $7.8 million and estimates it spent $8.9 million, $1.1 million (14%) more than planned (our arithmetic).
$8.9 million spent (estimated)$7.8 million planned
What changed
The total is $1.2 million (13%) lower than in the 2025–26 plan. The biggest change in dollars is Curriculum and Instruction, which went from $525,000 to $72,795.
Largest cuts
Curriculum and Instruction−$452,205
School Safety and Positive Learning Environment−$287,030
Additional Student Supports−$283,061
Largest increases
Safe Facitlities+$424,260
Support Services for Social Emotional and Mental Health+$175,504
Educational Technology Integration+$113,356
Ask: What did Curriculum and Instruction pay for, and what changes now that the 2026–27 plan gives it $452,205 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 2024–25Goal 1
26%
31%
up 5 pts
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 1
15%
19%
up 4 pts
Chronically absentCounted across all the district’s students, not averaged by schoolGoal 2 · Positive School Climate and Culture
29 in 100
25 in 100
4 fewer in 100
Suspended at least onceGoal 2 · Positive School Climate and Culture
4.4%
3.4%
down 1.0 pts
Goal 4 tracks named schools and Goal 3 tracks other measures, so they aren’t shown here.
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
Support Services for Social Emotional and Mental Health · $1,287,355
High Quality Staff Professional Development and Instructional Coaching · $1,185,282
Safe Facitlities · $1,042,760
The full plan4 goals, 62 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 ($8.0 million).
Where does the money go?
53% 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 1Gustine Unified School District will increase student achievement and prepare students to be college and…$4.2 million53% of action budgets
“Gustine Unified School District will increase student achievement and prepare students to be college and career ready by providing opportunities for access to a broad course of study, academic counseling and intervention supports, technology and research based curriculum, provided by a high quality professional staff, as evidenced by state and local data” p. 15 ↗
16 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $5.3 million (−$1.1 million)
Largest funded actions
High Quality Staff Professional Development and Instructional Coaching$1.2 millionaction 1.4 · p. 108 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $550,923 is state funding counted toward those services
College and Career Readiness$0.7 millionaction 1.6 · p. 108 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Additional Student Supports$0.6 millionaction 1.7 · p. 108 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $177,500 is state funding counted toward those services
Academic Intervention$0.4 millionaction 1.2 · p. 108 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Academic Counseling$0.4 millionaction 1.9 · p. 108 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
11 more funded actions in this goal
Educational Technology Integration · action 1.10 · p. 109 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.3 million
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) · action 1.3 · p. 108 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.3 million
Experiential Learning · action 1.5 · p. 108 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.2 million
English Language Learner Supports · action 1.8 · p. 108 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Curriculum and Instruction · action 1.1 · p. 108 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Increase Achievement in Mathematics · action 1.16 · p. 109 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Supplies for Unduplicated · action 1.11 · p. 109 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Celebrations of Learning and Incentives · action 1.17 · p. 109 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Increased Achievement in English Language Arts · action 1.15 · p. 109 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Classroom Environment · action 1.12 · p. 109 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Long Term English Learners · action 1.18 · p. 109 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Curriculum and Instruction−$452,205$525,000 → $72,795 · p. 108 ↗
Additional Student Supports−$283,061$892,525 → $609,464 · p. 108 ↗
Academic Intervention−$202,758$615,828 → $413,070 · p. 108 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
High Quality Staff Professional Development and Instructional Coaching · $1.3 million → $1.2 million · p. 108 ↗−$0.1 million
College and Career Readiness · $664,997 → $726,250 · p. 108 ↗+$61,253
Academic Counseling · $328,000 → $362,194 · p. 108 ↗+$34,194
Goal 2Positive School Climate and Culture$3.6 million45% of action budgets
“GUSD will provide an inclusive and supportive learning environment by providing clean and safe facilities, student support services for social emotional learning and mental health, as well as extra and co-curricular activities as measured by state and local data” p. 54 ↗
7 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $3.7 million (−$45,662)
Largest funded actions
Support Services for Social Emotional and Mental Health$1.3 millionaction 2.2 · p. 109 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Safe Facitlities$1.0 millionaction 2.1 · p. 109 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
School Safety and Positive Learning Environment$0.7 millionaction 2.5 · p. 110 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Health Services for Low income, Foster Youth, SPED$0.4 millionaction 2.3 · p. 109 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Engagement, Enrichment, and Leadership$0.1 millionaction 2.4 · p. 109 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
2 more funded actions in this goal
Attendance · action 2.7 · p. 110 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS), Restorative Practices, and other behavioral support · action 2.6 · p. 110 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Safe Facitlities+$0.4 million$0.6 million → $1.0 million · p. 109 ↗
School Safety and Positive Learning Environment−$0.3 million$1.0 million → $0.7 million · p. 110 ↗
Support Services for Social Emotional and Mental Health+$0.2 million$1.1 million → $1.3 million · p. 109 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Health Services for Low income, Foster Youth, SPED · $409,500 → $372,062 · p. 109 ↗−$37,438
Engagement, Enrichment, and Leadership · $162,500 → $79,225 · p. 109 ↗−$83,275
Attendance · $146,161 → $73,611 · p. 110 ↗−$72,550
Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS), Restorative Practices, and other behavioral support · $84,008 → $28,875 · p. 110 ↗−$55,133
How the plan measures it · 11 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 54 ↗.
Goal 3Parent, Family, and Community Partnerships$93,4021% of action budgets
“GUSD will create partnerships with parents, families and the community to provide meaningful opportunities that will build the capacity of all in order to inform and enhance student achievement as well as celebrate student learning” p. 76 ↗
Structures for Communication$37,220action 3.5 · p. 110 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Family Partnerships$26,082action 3.4 · p. 110 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Parent Capacity Building$19,000action 3.1 · p. 110 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Engagement Opportunities$8,100action 3.2 · p. 110 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Child Care for Parents to Engage$3,000action 3.3 · p. 110 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Parent Capacity Building−$43,500$62,500 → $19,000 · p. 110 ↗
Engagement Opportunities−$28,230$36,330 → $8,100 · p. 110 ↗
Structures for Communication−$12,380$49,600 → $37,220 · p. 110 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Family Partnerships · $20,500 → $26,082 · p. 110 ↗+$5,582
Child Care for Parents to Engage · $10,000 → $3,000 · p. 110 ↗−$7,000
How the plan measures it · 6 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 76 ↗.
Goal 4 · Equity Multiplier Focus GoalEquity Multiplier Pioneer High School$77,0001% of action budgets
“Starting in the 2024-2025 school year, Equity Multiplier funds were made available for schools which met the non-stability rate and high socioeconomically disadvantaged rates. By June 6th, 2026, Pioneer High School will increase the College and Career Indicator by 5% and achieve a 5% increase in the Graduation rate on the CA Dashboard” p. 84 ↗
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, 1,627 students
1Hispanic or Latino88%
2White8%
3Not reported1%
4Two or more races1%
5Filipino<1%
6Asian<1%
7Black or African American<1%
8American Indian or Alaska Native<1%
9Pacific Islander<1%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools.
Free or reduced-price meals
81%
Across California, 63% of students qualify.
2024–25 · 1,314 of 1,627 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 Gustine 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, 46% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (211 of 456 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.
1 school getting state support, 2025–26
Gustine High (Targeted support)
Gustine HighTargeted support: students with disabilities
This list covers the district’s own schools; each charter school’s page shows its record. Federal designation under the Every Student Succeeds Act, 2025–26.
Which public schools in Gustine Unified rank highest?
Elementary: Romero Elementary, 52nd percentile (Solid). Middle: Gustine Middle, 29th percentile (Developing). High: Gustine High, 34th 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 Gustine 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 Gustine Unified good?
Gustine Unified’s 2 public elementary schools run from the 7th to the 52nd percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Solid and 1 Needs Support. Gustine Unified has one public middle school we score, Gustine Middle, at the 29th percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Developing. Gustine Unified has one public high school we score, Gustine High, at the 34th 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 Gustine Unified spend per student?
Gustine Unified spent $21,251 per student in the 2024–25 school year. That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 56 cents of every Gustine 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 Gustine Unified’s 2026–27 spending plan?
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $8.0 million into 31 funded actions in 4 goals, 23% of its $35.5 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $4.2 million, 53% 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 Gustine 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.