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Public school systems play a crucial role in shaping local economies, influencing everything from property values to workforce development. The economic impact of local public schools extends far beyond education, affecting businesses, government budgets, and community well-being. Below are key ways in which public schools contribute to local economic health.

  1. Boosting Property Values and Municipal Revenue A strong public school system increases demand for housing in the district, driving up property values. Studies consistently show that homes in high-performing school districts command higher prices than comparable homes in weaker districts. Higher property values, in turn, generate more property tax revenue for local governments, which can be reinvested in infrastructure, public safety, and other community services.

    Additionally, businesses are more likely to establish themselves in areas with well-regarded schools, knowing that educated communities attract skilled workers and stable families. This creates a positive feedback loop where better schools lead to economic growth, which then further supports school funding.

  2. Workforce Development and Economic Competitiveness Public schools are the primary source of skilled labor for local industries. By providing foundational education, vocational training, and college preparation, schools ensure that businesses have access to qualified employees. Areas with strong school systems tend to have lower unemployment rates and higher average incomes because educated workers are more productive and adaptable to changing job markets.

    Investments in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs, career and technical education (CTE), and partnerships with local businesses further enhance workforce readiness. Companies often consider school quality when deciding where to locate, as they need a pipeline of talent to sustain operations.

  3. Direct Employment and Local Spending Public schools are among the largest employers in many communities, providing jobs for teachers, administrators, custodians, and support staff. These employees spend their salaries locally, supporting restaurants, retail stores, and service providers. The multiplier effect means that every dollar spent on school payroll circulates through the economy multiple times, stimulating additional business activity.

    Beyond salaries, schools also contribute to local economies through construction projects (e.g., building new facilities or renovating old ones), purchasing supplies from area vendors, and contracting services like transportation and food supply. These expenditures create jobs and generate tax revenue.

  4. Reducing Long-Term Public Costs Quality education correlates with lower crime rates, reduced reliance on social welfare programs, and better public health outcomes. Students who graduate from strong school systems are less likely to require government assistance, engage in criminal activity, or face chronic unemployment. This reduces the burden on taxpayers, who would otherwise fund prisons, healthcare for the uninsured, and social services.

    Early childhood education programs, in particular, have been shown to yield high long-term returns by improving graduation rates and future earnings while decreasing incarceration costs.

  5. Attracting and Retaining Families and Businesses Families with children prioritize school quality when choosing where to live. Communities with reputable schools experience population growth, which sustains local businesses and services. Conversely, declining school performance can lead to outmigration, shrinking the tax base and harming economic vitality.

    Similarly, corporations evaluating relocation opportunities assess school systems to ensure employees will have access to good education for their children. A weak school system can deter investment, while a strong one can attract high-paying jobs and stimulate economic diversification.

Conclusion

The local public school system is not just an educational institution but a cornerstone of economic stability and growth. By enhancing property values, developing a skilled workforce, employing residents, reducing public costs, and attracting businesses, schools create a thriving economic ecosystem. Policymakers and community leaders must recognize that investing in education yields broad economic benefits, making it one of the most impactful ways to ensure long-term prosperity.

The following report contains those school districts that are completely or partially within the county. The school districts are sorted in a left to right order based on the number of students that are estimated to live in the county, although they may actually attend a school outside the county boundary. Except where noted all figures are for the entire disctrict population and not just that portion that are in the county.

Where available, the district's name contains a link to that district's website.
 
San Jacinto Unified School District
Beaumont Unified School District  
Coachella Valley Unified School District  
Alvord Unified School District  
Jurupa Unified School District  
Val Verde Unified School District  
Palm Springs Unified School District  
Lake Elsinore Unified School District  
Murrieta Valley Unified School District  
Hemet Unified School District  
Desert Sands Unified School District  
Temecula Valley Unified School District  
Moreno Valley Unified School District  
Riverside Unified School District  
Corona-Norco Unified School District  
Grade Span of Agency
Number of Schools
Total Classroom Teachers
Student/Teachers

    Prekindergarten
    Kindergarten
    Grade 1
    Grade 2
    Grade 3
    Grade 4
    Grade 5
    Grade 6
    Grade 7
    Grade 8
    Grade 9
    Grade 10
    Grade 11
    Grade 12
PK thru 12 Students
Ungraded Students
Adult Education and Other Students
Special Ed IEP Students
Total Students

White
Black
Asian
Hispanic
Native American
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Undefined or Multiple Races

Prekindergarten Teachers
Kindergarten Teachers
Elementary Teachers
Secondary Teachers
Ungraded Class Teachers
Total FTE Teachers

Elementary School Counselors
Secondary School Counselors
School Counselors
Total Counselors

School Administrators
School Administrative Support Staff
Instr. Coord. and Super. to Staff
Student Support Services Staff
Librarians/media specialists
Library/Media Support Staff
School Psychologists
Paraprofessionals/Instructional Aides
Total School Staff

LEA Administrators
LEA Administrative Support Staff
Total LEA Staff

All Other Support Staff
Total Other Staff
KG-12
53
2,047
24.87

0
4,029
3,341
3,366
3,493
3,605
3,680
3,819
3,970
3,923
4,025
4,262
4,240
4,503
50,256
0
0
662
50,918

10,328
2,719
8,234
26,715
148
170
1,922

0
187
1,158
702
0
2,047

10
49
48
107

132
235
1
110
2
0
48
662
1,190

51
83
135

855
855
KG-12
49
1,676
23.30

0
3,362
2,639
2,813
2,718
2,782
2,820
2,878
3,052
2,915
3,078
3,266
3,132
3,400
38,855
0
0
203
39,058

6,254
2,215
1,919
26,787
105
120
1,421

0
167
947
562
0
1,676

33
33
6
72

106
573
45
63
3
0
42
203
989

25
71
141

1,028
1,028
KG-12
39
1,431
22.21

0
2,826
2,175
2,320
2,155
2,345
2,333
2,351
2,376
2,412
2,323
2,622
2,446
2,660
31,344
0
0
434
31,778

1,729
3,647
959
23,563
59
197
1,187

0
128
815
488
0
1,431

46
30
7
83

114
218
56
43
0
0
32
434
840

15
152
223

727
727
KG-12
30
1,117
24.35

0
2,143
1,581
1,705
1,804
1,958
1,897
1,983
2,074
2,033
2,235
2,351
2,348
2,379
26,491
0
0
711
27,202

9,830
913
2,908
9,943
160
71
2,665

0
101
639
377
0
1,117

23
26
9
58

64
139
2
78
0
0
30
711
1,022

28
89
119

624
624
KG-12
35
1,088
24.06

0
2,022
1,723
1,834
1,820
1,856
1,810
1,908
2,049
1,978
2,115
2,222
2,243
2,318
25,898
0
0
280
26,178

3,949
356
746
19,611
84
27
1,123

0
98
614
376
0
1,088

35
24
18
77

69
159
9
35
1
0
24
280
568

15
88
112

623
623
KG-12
27
1,009
23.04

0
1,936
1,567
1,667
1,722
1,717
1,673
1,723
1,762
1,705
1,695
1,813
1,831
1,925
22,736
0
0
508
23,244

3,855
1,798
404
15,476
159
82
940

0
93
574
342
0
1,009

19
15
8
42

58
97
19
31
0
0
17
508
711

14
113
146

880
880
KG-12
21
929
24.32

0
1,846
1,259
1,484
1,426
1,510
1,563
1,669
1,775
1,703
1,964
2,014
1,938
2,166
22,317
0
0
275
22,592

7,439
1,164
1,701
9,538
59
125
2,266

0
77
490
362
0
929

21
16
5
42

51
80
11
59
1
0
22
275
488

16
51
78

415
415
KG-12
25
886
23.97

0
1,796
1,428
1,506
1,504
1,516
1,524
1,530
1,583
1,605
1,607
1,635
1,752
1,783
20,769
0
0
468
21,237

4,132
931
704
14,007
39
63
890

0
84
518
284
0
886

16
15
1
32

55
100
31
44
1
0
19
468
687

21
88
140

345
345
KG-12
28
999
20.70

0
1,663
1,417
1,429
1,532
1,571
1,610
1,522
1,506
1,554
1,559
1,579
1,683
1,791
20,416
0
0
259
20,675

1,729
774
507
16,706
75
32
570

0
97
577
325
0
999

31
27
3
61

69
127
33
36
0
0
20
259
511

9
47
89

617
617
KG-12
23
897
21.86

0
1,550
1,298
1,335
1,352
1,354
1,472
1,348
1,456
1,486
1,599
1,552
1,695
1,864
19,361
0
0
248
19,609

679
2,079
501
15,507
46
44
498

0
66
492
339
0
897

22
18
1
41

55
122
7
31
1
0
19
248
476

13
105
125

388
388
KG-12
25
837
21.76

0
1,585
1,277
1,349
1,360
1,279
1,396
1,344
1,392
1,359
1,352
1,382
1,408
1,532
18,015
0
0
199
18,214

1,246
377
446
15,503
37
37
362

0
84
488
265
0
837

8
22
2
32

49
106
8
34
0
0
21
199
409

20
78
106

521
521
KG-12
26
772
21.84

0
1,446
1,167
1,189
1,162
1,217
1,222
1,196
1,335
1,316
1,307
1,387
1,230
1,489
16,663
0
0
201
16,864

1,210
647
841
13,556
30
83
285

0
77
429
266
0
772

25
14
0
39

54
74
19
30
6
0
20
201
385

9
53
81

381
381
KG-12
22
807
20.38

0
1,360
1,078
1,216
1,217
1,240
1,279
1,237
1,246
1,272
1,144
1,186
1,236
1,335
16,046
0
0
404
16,450

143
30
22
15,697
58
1
86

0
73
476
258
0
807

4
12
3
19

48
87
25
12
0
0
16
404
567

11
90
126

496
496
KG-12
15
525
23.31

0
1,215
830
868
905
947
975
852
869
915
926
950
941
928
12,121
0
0
117
12,238

2,538
856
697
7,218
73
36
689

0
55
311
159
0
525

19
12
11
42

30
39
15
26
1
0
13
117
226

2
44
61

305
305
KG-12
16
474
22.32

0
855
761
756
749
791
792
860
843
811
772
790
797
824
10,401
0
0
179
10,580

759
844
148
8,139
147
48
313

0
44
278
152
0
474

12
10
3
25

23
74
9
31
0
0
10
179
317

10
90
108

197
197


Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus

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