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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.
 
Warner Unified School District
Borrego Springs Unified School District  
Mountain Empire Unified School District  
Bonsall Unified School District  
Coronado Unified School District  
Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District  
Ramona City Unified School District  
Carlsbad Unified School District  
Oceanside Unified School District  
Vista Unified School District  
San Marcos Unified School District  
Poway Unified School District  
San Diego City 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
175
4,288
22.81

0
11,865
7,492
7,640
7,382
7,381
7,394
6,394
6,286
6,146
6,640
6,890
6,718
7,264
95,492
0
0
2,337
97,829

23,082
6,670
13,651
42,451
227
341
9,003

0
571
2,444
1,273
0
4,288

139
87
73
299

263
621
35
356
1
0
141
2,337
3,719

66
783
884

2,006
2,006
KG-12
39
1,503
23.78

0
3,121
2,284
2,475
2,601
2,618
2,641
2,583
2,639
2,585
2,688
2,784
2,808
3,108
34,935
0
0
807
35,742

13,246
592
10,633
6,140
46
56
4,163

0
145
881
477
0
1,503

45
32
5
82

78
133
13
87
6
0
53
807
1,164

24
153
190

423
423
KG-12
19
795
24.65

0
1,699
1,345
1,320
1,368
1,391
1,454
1,423
1,546
1,471
1,433
1,573
1,606
1,745
19,374
0
0
219
19,593

7,091
201
1,564
8,944
25
53
1,490

0
81
473
241
0
795

17
17
5
39

46
66
3
63
0
0
28
219
422

8
49
60

292
292
KG-12
28
867
21.59

0
1,693
1,287
1,407
1,440
1,428
1,391
1,270
1,260
1,264
1,456
1,429
1,514
1,630
18,469
0
0
250
18,719

4,166
275
594
12,230
46
94
1,036

0
77
484
306
0
867

35
22
1
58

68
59
17
62
3
0
31
250
473

11
16
44

495
495
KG-12
23
682
22.75

0
1,556
1,093
1,154
1,112
1,140
1,054
1,128
1,106
1,186
1,125
1,164
1,229
1,250
15,297
0
0
220
15,517

3,225
600
623
9,231
43
263
1,281

0
75
387
220
0
682

12
14
2
28

49
59
1
48
1
0
30
220
406

7
63
71

370
370
KG-12
16
484
22.58

0
797
718
753
688
792
816
795
835
803
965
884
930
1,056
10,832
0
0
97
10,929

6,070
128
676
2,824
22
17
1,080

0
36
279
169
0
484

5
9
4
18

22
50
3
32
0
0
20
97
220

9
33
45

194
194
KG-12
11
227
22.74

0
484
352
337
369
363
378
343
370
386
428
395
411
461
5,077
0
0
84
5,161

2,278
33
31
2,389
21
4
321

0
23
127
77
0
227

5
4
1
10

12
39
5
13
0
0
9
84
156

3
25
33

132
132
KG-12
8
169
22.28

0
344
279
241
270
268
249
263
286
293
242
301
331
344
3,711
0
0
54
3,765

765
20
51
2,337
307
3
228

0
17
95
57
0
169

6
4
0
10

10
22
1
11
1
0
7
54
105

7
23
30

87
87
KG-12
5
135
20.80

0
204
158
173
176
179
209
180
240
214
234
256
257
259
2,739
0
0
69
2,808

1,566
49
69
684
5
7
357

0
9
69
57
0
135

1
5
0
6

8
15
1
7
0
0
3
69
102

5
13
19

60
60
KG-12
5
101
22.53

0
301
179
236
194
219
198
207
179
182
71
84
95
86
2,231
0
0
45
2,276

891
21
92
832
108
12
272

0
14
67
20
0
101

1
2
0
3

7
20
4
6
0
0
2
45
80

1
11
16

93
93
KG-12
10
85
22.59

0
185
165
137
161
139
157
147
149
153
111
133
111
123
1,871
0
0
49
1,920

500
19
11
1,179
69
0
92

0
9
51
25
0
85

3
2
1
6

7
12
4
4
0
0
4
49
76

1
9
14

53
53
KG-12
3
21
16.86

0
28
21
26
19
24
32
28
26
24
28
28
28
33
345
0
0
9
354

32
1
3
300
0
0
9

0
1
11
9
0
21

1
0
0
1

1
3
0
1
0
0
0
9
14

0
3
3

23
23
KG-12
3
14
14.86

0
21
14
13
8
15
15
16
20
21
15
14
16
11
199
0
0
9
208

34
5
1
73
68
0
17

0
1
7
6
0
14

0
0
1
1

1
1
0
0
0
0
0
9
11

0
3
3

10
10


Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus

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