South Bay Union
South Bay Union is a public school district based in Imperial Beach, California, serving 5,450 students in 12 schools. By enrollment it ranks #241 of the 554 California districts with 1,000 or more students, larger than about 57% of them. Its schools average 454 students each, fewer than the California median of 533. Its superintendent is Jose Espinoza. It spends about $15,460 per student on day-to-day operations, 13% more than the California median. It has roughly 24.9 students per teacher.
How South Bay Union compares
Spending and staffing
| Measure | South Bay Union | California median | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current spending per student | $15,460 | $13,724 | FY2020-21 |
| Instruction spending per student | $9,651 | $8,321 | FY2020-21 |
| Total spending | $115.4 million | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Total revenue | $115.4 million | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Teachers (full-time equivalent) | 219 | n/a | 2024-25 |
| Total staff (full-time equivalent) | 581 | n/a | 2024-25 |
| Students per teacher | 24.9 | 21.7 | 2024-25 |
| Students per counselor | 606 | 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 →Jose Espinoza
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanford ElementaryHanford | 5,463 | 12 | $13,510 | 22.7 | #240 |
| South Bay UnionImperial Beach · this district | 5,450 | 12 | $15,460 | 24.9 | #241 |
| Acalanes Union HighLafayette | 5,425 | 5 | $16,341 | 19.4 | #242 |
| Travis UnifiedFairfield | 5,405 | 10 | $11,683 | 22.9 | #243 |
| Union ElementarySan Jose | 5,379 | 8 | $12,626 | 24.2 | #244 |
Similar-size districts nationally
| District | Students | Spending per student | Students per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-EaganMendota Heights, MN | 5,452 | $14,548 | 14.8 |
| Centennial School District 28JPortland, OR | 5,451 | $12,379 | 20.5 |
| Cheatham CountyAshland City, TN | 5,451 | $9,166 | n/a |
| Commack Union Free School DistrictEast Northport, NY | 5,449 | $30,592 | 11.7 |
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-south-bay-union