Track Every Dollar · California

Santa Barbara 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 $22.5 million7.9%
  • All other federal money$12.2 million54.2%
  • School meals$3.7 million16.4%
  • Special education (IDEA)$3.3 million14.6%
  • Title I: schools with many low-income families$2.6 million11.7%
  • Teacher and principal training (Title II)$408,0001.8%
  • Career and technical education$154,0000.7%
  • English learners (Title III)$108,0000.5%
  • Student support and enrichment (Title IV-A)$19,000under 0.1%

Inside the federal total: $10.0 million of pandemic relief (ESSER and related funds), which ended in 2024.

State $49.1 million17.3%
  • All other state money$16.2 million33.0%
  • General formula aid$14.7 million30.0%
  • Paid by the state for the district (benefits and other costs)$8.4 million17.0%
  • School meals$3.3 million6.8%
  • Buildings and debt payments$2.4 million4.8%
  • Career and technical education$1.6 million3.2%
  • Compensatory and basic skills programs$1.4 million2.8%
  • Staff improvement$806,0001.6%
  • Special education$323,0000.7%
Local $212 million74.7%
  • Property taxes$190 million89.7%
  • Interest, rents, donations and other$17.7 million8.3%
  • From cities and counties$3.4 million1.6%
  • Tuition, fees, meals and other charges$766,0000.4%

Where it goes

  • Teaching (instruction)$129 million45.8%
  • Support services Details$95.9 million34.0%
    • Running and maintaining buildings$23.2 million24.2%
    • Student support: attendance, guidance, health and psychological services$22.6 million23.6%
    • Teacher support: curriculum, training, libraries$17.7 million18.4%
    • School administration: principals' offices$15.5 million16.1%
    • Business office and central services$10.2 million10.7%
    • Student transportation$3.4 million3.5%
    • District administration: the board and superintendent's office$3.4 million3.5%
  • Buildings and equipment Details$28.9 million10.2%

    Of this, construction: $27.7 million.

  • Food service and other$7.6 million2.7%
  • Interest on debt$11.8 million4.2%
  • Community services and adult education$7.1 million2.5%
  • Payments to other school districts$1.7 million0.6%

Inside these totals: $143 million in salaries and wages, $48.2 million in employee benefits. Long-term debt at year end: $358 million.

Lottery money, 2025-26 school year

  • General lottery money$2.2 million
  • Instructional materials (Proposition 20)$1.1 million
  • Total paid$3.3 million

Paid per student in average daily attendance (11,455).

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 (12,491). Amounts are reported by the school system to the U.S. Census Bureau. Census ID 137606, NCES ID 0601414.

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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