Track Every Dollar · California

San Diego City Unified School District

Every dollar this school system reported for the 2023-24 school year: where it came from and where it went.

Where the money comes from

Select federal, state or local to see every line.

Federal $347 million11.5%
  • All other federal money$194 million55.9%
  • School meals$49.3 million14.2%
  • Title I: schools with many low-income families$36.8 million10.6%
  • Special education (IDEA)$30.0 million8.7%
  • Impact Aid$23.7 million6.8%
  • Teacher and principal training (Title II)$4.4 million1.3%
  • English learners (Title III)$3.3 million0.9%
  • After-school programs (21st Century)$2.2 million0.6%
  • Student support and enrichment (Title IV-A)$1.9 million0.5%
  • Career and technical education$1.1 million0.3%
  • Indian, Native Hawaiian and Alaska Native education$96,000under 0.1%

Inside the federal total: $170 million of pandemic relief (ESSER and related funds), which ended in 2024.

State $796 million26.5%
  • General formula aid$311 million39.1%
  • All other state money$195 million24.4%
  • Special education$86.1 million10.8%
  • Buildings and debt payments$71.0 million8.9%
  • Paid by the state for the district (benefits and other costs)$64.4 million8.1%
  • School meals$35.7 million4.5%
  • Staff improvement$18.3 million2.3%
  • Compensatory and basic skills programs$9.3 million1.2%
  • Career and technical education$5.8 million0.7%
Local $1.9 billion61.9%
  • Property taxes$1.5 billion81.9%
  • Interest, rents, donations and other$192 million10.3%
  • From cities and counties$143 million7.7%
  • Tuition, fees, meals and other charges$497,000under 0.1%

Where it goes

  • Teaching (instruction)$1.3 billion42.5%
  • Support services Details$708 million24.0%
    • Student support: attendance, guidance, health and psychological services$180 million25.5%
    • Running and maintaining buildings$153 million21.5%
    • School administration: principals' offices$130 million18.4%
    • Teacher support: curriculum, training, libraries$98.9 million14.0%
    • Business office and central services$72.5 million10.2%
    • Student transportation$46.1 million6.5%
    • District administration: the board and superintendent's office$14.5 million2.1%
    • Other support services and benefits paid by the state$12.9 million1.8%
  • Buildings and equipment Details$708 million24.0%

    Of this, construction: $696 million.

  • Food service and other$72.0 million2.4%
  • Interest on debt$198 million6.7%
  • Community services and adult education$3.5 million0.1%
  • Payments to state and local governments$17,000under 0.1%
  • Payments to other school districts$5.1 million0.2%

Inside these totals: $1.2 billion in salaries and wages, $561 million in employee benefits. Long-term debt at year end: $6.3 billion.

Lottery money, 2025-26 school year

  • General lottery money$18.2 million
  • Instructional materials (Proposition 20)$8.8 million
  • Total paid$27.0 million

Paid per student in average daily attendance (92,088).

Source: California State Controller's Office, Lottery Education Apportionment Master Register, fiscal year 2025-26, year to date. sco.ca.gov the payment register

The record

Day-to-day spending per student is current spending (teaching, support and food service) divided by fall enrollment (95,492). Amounts are reported by the school system to the U.S. Census Bureau. Census ID 210076, NCES ID 0634320.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, Public Elementary-Secondary Education Finances: Fiscal Year 2024. School year 2023-24. census.gov the data file

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