Lincoln Unified’s 9 public elementary schools run from the 10th to the 78th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). They sit in all four bands, from Strong to Needs Support.
Elementary · 9 schools
from 10th to 78th · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests
Brookside: 78th percentile, Strong
John McCandless Charter: 68th percentile, Solid
Lincoln Elementary: 30th percentile, Developing
Mable Barron: 29th percentile, Developing
Colonial Heights: 19th percentile, Needs Support
Claudia Landeen: 17th percentile, Needs Support
John R. Williams: 13th percentile, Needs Support
Tully C. Knoles: 12th percentile, Needs Support
Don Riggio: 10th percentile, Needs Support
5Needs Support
2Developing
1Solid
1Strong
← lower percentilehigher →
One dot per school.
Middle and high school pictures
Middle · 7 schools
from 10th to 78th · among 2,529 California middle schools we score · spring 2026 tests
Brookside: 78th percentile, Strong
Sierra Middle: 51st percentile, Solid
John McCandless Charter: 46th percentile, Developing
Claudia Landeen: 31st percentile, Developing
Mable Barron: 20th percentile, Needs Support
Tully C. Knoles: 19th percentile, Needs Support
Colonial Heights: 10th percentile, Needs Support
3Needs Support
2Developing
1Solid
1Strong
High · 1 school
at 45th · among 1,498 California high schools we score · spring 2025 tests
Lincoln High: 45th percentile, Developing
0Needs Support
1Developing
0Solid
0Strong
← lower percentilehigher →
One dot per school. Each stage is placed only among California schools at its own level. 6 of the 11 ranked schools teach two levels, so they appear in more than one picture.
The average elementary school in Lincoln Unified had 25 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 Lincoln Unified score highest?
Brookside is highest, at the 78th percentile.
That’s higher than 78 in 100 of the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests).
Highest in Lincoln Unified
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.
The average middle school in Lincoln Unified had 23 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.
High schools
Where does the high school we score in Lincoln Unified stand?
Lincoln High is at the 45th percentile.
That’s higher than 45 in 100 of the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). It’s the only public high school we score in Lincoln Unified.
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.
Village Oaks HighContinuation high school: compared only with other continuation schools
The district
Where does Lincoln Unified’s money go, and what does it plan?
Lincoln Unified spent $19,185 per student in the 2024–25 school year.
That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 61 cents of every Lincoln 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
Instruction61%
Instruction support7%
Student services13%
Administration5%
Buildings & maintenance13%
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
$120.0 million
planned in its 2026–27 plan for 35 funded actions in 6 goals. That’s 76% of its $158.4 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, 119 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.
Where the money goes
Three actions take 80% of the money. The plan itself puts 78% of it toward staff.
Core Services $59.2 million
Special Education Program $21.7 million
Additional Supplemental Services $14.7 million
32 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help
7 of the plan’s 35 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 $117,000
Math $130,000
Catch-up help $692,000
English learners $45,000
An action naming two of these appears under both.
Largest of these
Credit Recovery$550,000
Reading Intervention$117,000
Professional Development - Math$60,000
For high-need students (English learners, low-income students and foster youth) and what changed
For high-need students
It plans $35.0 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025–26, it planned $35.7 million and estimates it spent $35.2 million, $0.5 million (1%) less than planned (our arithmetic).
$35.2 million spent (estimated)$35.7 million planned
What changed
The total is $1.6 million (1%) higher than in the 2025–26 plan. The biggest change in dollars is Special Education Program, which went from $19.1 million to $21.7 million.
Largest cuts
Technology−$1.1 million
Curriculum and Guidance Alignment PD−$524,239
Instructional Materials−$450,000
Largest increases
Special Education Program+$2.6 million
Core Services+$1.2 million
Ask: What did Technology pay for, and what changes now that the 2026–27 plan gives it $1.1 million less?
The plan’s own titles and amounts
Core Services · $59,245,029
Special Education Program · $21,700,331
Additional Supplemental Services · $14,679,280
The full plan6 goals 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 ($120.0 million).
Where does the money go?
55% to Goal 4. 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 1Provide all students with access to broad and challenging curriculum to ensure all students graduate…$16.0 million13% of action budgets
“Provide all students with access to broad and challenging curriculum to ensure all students graduate college/career ready” p. 16 ↗
5 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $17.4 million (−$1.5 million)
Largest funded actions
Additional Supplemental Services$14.7 millionaction 1.4 · p. 75 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Technology$0.6 millionaction 1.2 · p. 75 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Credit Recovery$0.6 millionaction 1.3 · p. 75 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $275,000 is state funding counted toward those services
Instructional Materialsunder $0.1 millionaction 1.1 · p. 75 ↗
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Technology−$1.1 million$1.7 million → $0.6 million · p. 75 ↗
Instructional Materials−$450,000$500,000 → $50,000 · p. 75 ↗
Additional Supplemental Services+$0.3 million$14.4 million → $14.7 million · p. 75 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Credit Recovery · $600,000 → $550,000 · p. 75 ↗−$50,000
Textbooks · $250,000 → $100,000 · p. 75 ↗−$150,000
We couldn’t read this goal’s measures from the plan. They start near page 16. p. 16 ↗
Goal 2Accelerate student learning with high expectations for all to increase student achievement for all student groups$24.1 million20% of action budgets
5 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $21.5 million (+$2.6 million) · p. 24 ↗
Largest funded actions
Special Education Program$21.7 millionaction 2.4 · p. 76 ↗
Assessment$1.1 millionaction 2.1 · p. 75 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Summer Programs$1.0 millionaction 2.2 · p. 75 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Curriculum Alignment$0.2 millionaction 2.3 · p. 76 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Reading Intervention$0.1 millionaction 2.5 · p. 76 ↗
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Special Education Program+$2.6 million$19.1 million → $21.7 million · p. 76 ↗
Reading Intervention−$23,000$140,000 → $117,000 · p. 76 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Assessment · $1.1 million → $1.1 million · p. 75 ↗unchanged
Summer Programs · $1.0 million → $1.0 million · p. 75 ↗unchanged
Curriculum Alignment · $200,000 → $200,000 · p. 76 ↗unchanged
We couldn’t read this goal’s measures from the plan. They start near page 24. p. 24 ↗
Goal 3Cultivate safe, engaging, and inclusive classrooms, schools and District to support the whole child$11.4 million9% of action budgets
7 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $11.3 million (+$102,501) · p. 32 ↗
Largest funded actions
Counseling and Mental Health Services$5.3 millionaction 3.4 · p. 76 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
School Climate$5.0 millionaction 3.1 · p. 76 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Tiered Re-Engagement$1.0 millionaction 3.5 · p. 76 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Instructional Time$5.0 millionaction 4.2 · p. 76 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Special Program Teachers$0.8 millionaction 4.12 · p. 77 ↗
Professional Development$0.6 millionaction 4.11 · p. 77 ↗
Curriculum and Guidance Alignment PD$0.4 millionaction 4.8 · p. 77 ↗
5 more funded actions in this goal
Professional Development - Math · action 4.5 · p. 77 ↗$0.1 million
Summer Math Institute · action 4.13 · p. 77 ↗$0.1 million
Professional Development and Coaching - English Language Development · action 4.4 · p. 77 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Curriculum Implementation · action 4.3 · p. 76 ↗under $0.1 million
Orenda Travel · action 4.9 · p. 77 ↗under $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Core Services+$1.2 million$58.1 million → $59.2 million · p. 76 ↗
Curriculum and Guidance Alignment PD−$524,239$966,239 → $442,000 · p. 77 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Instructional Time · $5.0 million → $5.0 million · p. 76 ↗unchanged
Special Program Teachers · $780,000 → $780,000 · p. 77 ↗unchanged
Professional Development · $625,000 → $625,000 · p. 77 ↗unchanged
Professional Development - Math · $60,000 → $60,000 · p. 77 ↗unchanged
Summer Math Institute · $60,000 → $60,000 · p. 77 ↗unchanged
Professional Development and Coaching - English Language Development · $45,000 → $45,000 · p. 77 ↗unchanged
Curriculum Implementation · $30,000 → $30,000 · p. 76 ↗unchanged
Orenda Travel · $4,000 → $4,000 · p. 77 ↗unchanged
We couldn’t read this goal’s measures from the plan. They start near page 41. p. 41 ↗
Goal 5Include families and community and create learning environments worthy of our students to ensure students…$2.1 million2% of action budgets
“Include families and community and create learning environments worthy of our students to ensure students want to attend and feel safe at school” p. 54 ↗
4 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $2.0 million (+$26,751)
Largest funded actions
Behavioral Supports$1.9 millionaction 5.3 · p. 77 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Safe Campuses in Good Repair$0.1 millionaction 5.5 · p. 78 ↗
Parent Educator$0.1 millionaction 5.2 · p. 77 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Parent Communicationunder $0.1 millionaction 5.1 · p. 77 ↗
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Behavioral Supports+$36,751$1.8 million → $1.9 million · p. 77 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Safe Campuses in Good Repair · $85,000 → $85,000 · p. 78 ↗unchanged
Parent Educator · $60,878 → $60,878 · p. 77 ↗unchanged
Parent Communication · $41,840 → $41,840 · p. 77 ↗unchanged
We couldn’t read this goal’s measures from the plan. They start near page 54. p. 54 ↗
Goal 6 · Equity Multiplier Focus GoalBy graduation 2027, Village Oaks High School will increase the percentage of graduating students meeting…$222,408under 1% of action budgets
“By graduation 2027, Village Oaks High School will increase the percentage of graduating students meeting California School Dashboard criteria for College and/or Career readiness to at least 15%. To support the goal, there will be emphasis on targeting socioeconomically disadvantaged students in the area of mathematics and ELA” p. 60 ↗
4 funded actions · reworded since the 2025–26 plan
Largest funded actions
Counseling and Mentorship$115,987action 6.2 · p. 78 ↗
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, 8,744 students
1Hispanic or Latino55%
2White14%
3Black or African American11%
4Asian9%
5Two or more races6%
6Filipino3%
7Not reported<1%
8Pacific Islander<1%
9American Indian or Alaska Native<1%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools.
Free or reduced-price meals
74%
Across California, 63% of students qualify.
2024–25 · 6,487 of 8,719 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 Lincoln 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, 44% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (325 of 734 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.
4 schools getting state support, 2025–26
4 in extra targeted support
Colonial HeightsExtra targeted support: Black or African American students
Don RiggioExtra targeted support: homeless students
Mable BarronExtra targeted support: students of two or more races
Tully C. KnolesExtra targeted support: Black or African American students, Asian students and homeless students
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 Lincoln Unified rank highest?
Elementary: Brookside, 78th percentile (Strong). Middle: Brookside, 78th percentile (Strong). High: Lincoln High, 45th 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 Lincoln 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 Lincoln Unified good?
Lincoln Unified’s 9 public elementary schools run from the 10th to the 78th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Strong, 1 Solid, 2 Developing and 5 Needs Support. Lincoln Unified’s 7 public middle schools run from the 10th to the 78th percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Strong, 1 Solid, 2 Developing and 3 Needs Support. Lincoln Unified has one public high school we score, Lincoln High, at the 45th 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 does chronic absence in Lincoln Unified compare with California?
The average elementary school in Lincoln Unified had 25 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 Lincoln Unified had 23 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 Lincoln Unified spend per student?
Lincoln Unified spent $19,185 per student in the 2024–25 school year. That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 61 cents of every Lincoln 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 Lincoln Unified’s 2026–27 spending plan?
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $120.0 million into 35 funded actions in 6 goals, 76% of its $158.4 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $66.3 million, 55% 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 Lincoln 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.