schoolsbycounty

Plumas County Schools & Education

School Score

44/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

87.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

87.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 87.5%

Per-Pupil Spending

$7,580

National avg $13,239

State avg $8,762

School Score

44/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 55/100

State Score Position

#51

of 58 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Plumas County

Measured School Summary

Plumas County performs at an average level with a school score of 44/100 and a solid graduation rate of 87.0%.

Funding Context

At $7,580 per pupil, Plumas County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 20% below the California average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 0.5 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 13% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Plumas County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

15 public schools and 4 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

44/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #51 of 58 California counties with school score data.

Completion

87.0%

0.5 pts below the state average

Funding context

$7,580

$1,182 below the state average

School coverage

15

4 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Plumas County has 15 public schools across 4 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

Parent decision brief

What Plumas County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Dominant-district county

Plumas Unified carries most of the listed public-school system, with 10 of 15 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#51

of 58 California counties with school score data. The county score is 11 points below the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

Plumas Unified

Elementary and high visible

1,749 students

Elementary 4Middle 0High 6Other 0

10 listed schools in this county slice.

Plumas Charter District

Other grade structure

346 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 0Other 1

1 listed school in this county slice.

Plumas County Office of Education

Elementary to high school visible

9 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

Plumas County ROP

High school only in this slice

0 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 1Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

Plumas Unified is the largest listed district slice, with 10 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Plumas County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Plumas County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Plumas County, California

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

Personalized Learning in Plumas County

Plumas County operates 15 public schools serving 2,104 students across 4 districts. The system is compact, featuring 5 elementary schools and 8 high schools, often serving geographically isolated communities.

Plumas Unified Anchors the Region

Plumas Unified is the primary district, managing 10 of the county's schools and 1,749 students. Plumas Charter provides a flexible alternative, serving 346 students and making up about 6.7% of the school landscape.

Quiet Rural and Town Campuses

With 9 rural schools and 6 in town locales, the average enrollment is just 150 students per campus. Schools like Quincy Junior/Senior High provide a small-town atmosphere where the largest campuses barely exceed 340 students.

School Overview

Total Schools

15

in Plumas County

Reported Enrollment

2,104

15 schools reporting

School Districts

4

districts

Charter Schools

1

7% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary5
Middle1
High8
Other1

4 School Districts in Plumas County

Plumas Unified

10 schools
1,749 students

Plumas Charter District

1 school
346 students

Plumas County Office of Education

3 schools
9 students

Plumas County ROP

1 school
0 students

15 Public Schools in Plumas County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Level

Showing 15 of 15 matching schools

C. Roy Carmichael Elementary

Plumas Unified

Portola, 96122 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–6Primary346 students

Plumas Charter

Plumas Charter District

Quincy, 95971 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–12Charter346 students

Quincy Elementary

Plumas Unified

Quincy, 95971 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–6Primary345 students

Quincy Junior/Senior High

Plumas Unified

Quincy, 95971 / Rural: Fringe

Record7–12High340 students

Portola Junior/Senior High

Plumas Unified

Portola, 96122 / Rural: Fringe

Record7–12High284 students

Chester Elementary

Plumas Unified

Chester, 96020 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–6Primary164 students

Chester Junior/Senior High

Plumas Unified

Chester, 96020 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High132 students

Greenville Elementary

Plumas Unified

Greenville, 95947 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–6Primary91 students

Greenville Junior/Senior High

Plumas Unified

Greenville, 95947 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High32 students

Beckwourth (Jim) High (Continuation)

Plumas Unified

Portola, 96122 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12Alternative12 students

Plumas County Community

Plumas County Office of Education

Quincy, 95971 / Town: Remote

Record7–12Alternative5 students

Almanor High (Continuation)

Plumas Unified

Chester, 96020 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12Alternative3 students

Portola Opportunity

Plumas County Office of Education

Quincy, 95971 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–8Alternative3 students

Plumas County Opportunity

Plumas County Office of Education

Quincy, 95971 / Town: Remote

Record7–9Alternative1 students

Plumas County ROP

Plumas County ROP

Quincy, 95971 / Town: Remote

Record11–12Vocational0 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$7,580

State avg $8,762

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Plumas County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which California counties have the highest graduation rates?
Sierra County (95.0%), El Dorado County (93.3%), and Colusa County (92.5%) currently lead California among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in California?
Across California counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $8,762. The highest current county values are Alpine County ($23,219), Mono County ($10,800), and Marin County ($10,425). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Plumas County?
Plumas County has a school score of 44/100, which is a midrange measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in Plumas County?
The high school graduation rate in Plumas County is 87.0%, which is below the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does Plumas County spend per student?
Plumas County spends $7,580 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Plumas County, California — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Plumas County, California?

Plumas County operates 15 public schools serving 2,104 students across 4 districts. The system is compact, featuring 5 elementary schools and 8 high schools, often serving geographically isolated communities.

What are the major school districts in Plumas County, California?

Plumas Unified is the primary district, managing 10 of the county's schools and 1,749 students. Plumas Charter provides a flexible alternative, serving 346 students and making up about 6.7% of the school landscape.

What is the school experience like in Plumas County?

With 9 rural schools and 6 in town locales, the average enrollment is just 150 students per campus. Schools like Quincy Junior/Senior High provide a small-town atmosphere where the largest campuses barely exceed 340 students.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.