National Elementary
National Elementary is a public school district based in National City, California, serving 3,967 students in 11 schools. By enrollment it ranks #304 of the 554 California districts with 1,000 or more students, larger than about 45% of them. Its schools average 361 students each, fewer than the California median of 533. Its superintendent is Laura Philyaw. It spends about $15,490 per student on day-to-day operations, 13% more than the California median. It has roughly 23.6 students per teacher.
How National Elementary compares
Spending and staffing
| Measure | National Elementary | California median | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current spending per student | $15,490 | $13,724 | FY2020-21 |
| Instruction spending per student | $9,811 | $8,321 | FY2020-21 |
| Total spending | $83.3 million | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Total revenue | $97.3 million | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Teachers (full-time equivalent) | 168 | n/a | 2024-25 |
| Total staff (full-time equivalent) | 488 | n/a | 2024-25 |
| Students per teacher | 23.6 | 21.7 | 2024-25 |
| Students per counselor | 361 | 474 | 2024-25 |
Spending: NCES school district finance survey (F-33), FY2020-21. Staffing and enrollment: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25. Via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. The California median compares districts with 1,000 or more students.
Leadership
Moves tracker →Laura Philyaw
Source: California Department of Education, School Directory, checked 2026-10-19. Report a change
In the news
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Peer districts in California
Compare side by side →| District | Students | Schools | Spending per student | Students per teacher | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Canada UnifiedLa Canada | 3,988 | 4 | $12,648 | 23.7 | #301 |
| Konocti UnifiedLower Lake | 3,986 | 11 | $14,048 | 23.2 | #302 |
| Mendota UnifiedMendota | 3,977 | 7 | $13,345 | 22.7 | #303 |
| National ElementaryNational City · this district | 3,967 | 11 | $15,490 | 23.6 | #304 |
| Tahoe-Truckee UnifiedTruckee | 3,959 | 11 | $18,885 | 18.9 | #305 |
Similar-size districts nationally
| District | Students | Spending per student | Students per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickens CountyJasper, GA | 3,970 | $13,244 | 13.8 |
| Claiborne CountyTazewell, TN | 3,967 | $10,325 | n/a |
| Watertown City School DistrictWatertown, NY | 3,964 | $17,580 | 12.8 |
| Hereford ISDHereford, TX | 3,964 | $10,492 | 15.1 |
Peers are the districts closest in enrollment, so they can still differ in many other ways. Enrollment, school counts and phone numbers are from the NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25.
Printed from Superintendent's Corner: https://superintendentscorner.com/district-ca-national-elementary