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List of School Districts

Current and historical information about the number and type of school districts in California.

School districts are government entities that provide public elementary and/or secondary education to students within a specific territory. For purposes of this page, “school district” does not refer to a county office of education, a charter school, a joint powers authority, or any other entity or organizational structure in the field of education. The number of school districts change as school districts are divided or combined with their neighbors, and some school districts are terminated.

A school district typically is configured as an elementary school district (kindergarten through grade 8), a high school district (grades 9 through 12), or a unified school district (kindergarten through grade twelve). Furthermore, elementary school districts are components of either a high school district or a unified school district (Education Code [EC] Section 35515) with the boundaries of the high school district or the unified school district coextensive with the boundaries of its component districts (EC Section 35540). However, legislation, State Board of Education (SBE) approved waivers of the Education Code, or other circumstances have created exceptions to typical configuration of school districts.

The table below provides information on the number of school districts in California for current fiscal year and prior fiscal years.

Other information about school district organization is available on the California Department of Education’s School District Organization web page.

Number of School Districts in California by Type

Fiscal Year Elementary High School High School with Jr. High Program Unified Total
2024-25
516
66
10
345
937
2023-24
517
66
10
345
938
2022-23
518
66
10
345
939
2021–22
519
66
10
345
940
2020–21
522
66
10
344
942
2019–20
523
66
10
344
943
2018–19
524
66
10
344
944
2017–18
524
66
10
344
944
2016–17
525
66
10
344
945

List of School Districts in California

Provides a list of school districts in the state of California for the current and prior fiscal years. The information on this page will be updated annually.

Questions:   School District Organization | sdo@cde.ca.gov | 916-322-2470
Last Reviewed: Tuesday, July 23, 2024
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