CaliforniaSchoolsWalden Academy

Walden Academy

PublicRegularCharter
Willows, California · Walden Academy District
Students186enrolled
FRL58%Free/Reduced Lunch
Ratio16.9:1students:teacher
LevelPrimary0–8
SCHOOL SNAPSHOT
Students186
Grade Span0–8
Student:Teacher16.9:1
Free/Reduced Lunch58%
Title INo
SectorCharter

Finance

School finance is reported at the district (LEA) level. The figures below cover the full Walden Academy District.

Per-pupil spending (2022)
$13,276
Total district expenditure
$2,164,000
Total district revenue
$2,291,000
District enrollment
163

Revenue sources

Federal$394,000(17.2%)
State$1,240,000(54.1%)
Local$657,000(28.7%)

Spending breakdown

Instruction (teacher salaries, classroom materials)$1,095,000
Support services (admin, transport, building ops)$967,000

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, FY 2022. Figures cover the entire district; individual school-level spending is not published.

US public school funding 101

  • Local revenue (property taxes) is typically the largest source in most states, though this varies widely.
  • State revenue equalization formulas aim to reduce disparities between wealthy and poor districts.
  • Federal revenue is usually 6-10% of budget — Title I (poverty), IDEA (special education), ESSER (COVID relief).
  • Per-pupil spending varies from under $10,000 to over $30,000 across states; California averages around $15,000, New York around $28,000.