Total enrollment
36,513
-2,259 (-6%) vs SY 2017-18
Imperial County
California · Public K-12
Imperial County in California has 76 public K-12 schools in service today, collectively responsible for roughly 36,513 students with Calexico Unified the largest district. The level mix is 39 elementary, 11 middle, and 22 high schools.
7-year change in Imperial County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
72
+1 (+1%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
4%
was 5%
% Hispanic
94%
was 92%
% Black
1%
was 1%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
180,202
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
76
20 districts
Enrollment
36,513
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$57,681
Below California avg
Free/reduced lunch
77.4%
Above California avg
Elementary
39
18,010 students
Middle
11
6,026 students
High
22
12,239 students
Combined / other
4
238 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Calexico Unified
8,022 students · 20 districts in Imperial County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Imperial County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
16.1%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
17.3%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
12.5%
civilian labor
Median age
33
28.3% under 18
Test scores in Imperial County
Latest 2023-24 ELA proficiency, 55 schools ranked. California state average: 47.6%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Mulberry Elementary· 62.8%
- Imperial High· 62.6%
- Pine Elementary· 61.7%
- Central Union High· 61.4%
- Brawley Union High· 61.2%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Rockwood Elementary· 14.7%
- Dool Elementary· 15.6%
- Kennedy Gardens Elementary· 17.4%
- San Pasqual Valley Elementary· 18.3%
- Sea View Elementary· 19.6%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calexico High | Calexico | High | 09-12 | 2,746 | · |
| Central Union High | El Centro | High | 09-12 | 2,006 | · |
| Brawley Union High | Brawley | High | 09-12 | 1,863 | · |
| Southwest High | El Centro | High | 09-12 | 1,846 | · |
| Imperial High | Imperial | High | 09-12 | 1,439 | · |
| Frank M. Wright Middle | Imperial | Middle | 06-08 | 1,116 | · |
| McCabe Elementary | El Centro | Elementary | KG-08 | 1,109 | · |
| Barbara Worth Junior High | Brawley | Middle | 06-08 | 881 | · |
| Ben Hulse Elementary | Imperial | Elementary | KG-05 | 838 | · |
| Cesar Chavez Elementary | Calexico | Elementary | KG-06 | 765 | · |
| Imperial Cross Elementary | Imperial | Elementary | KG-05 | 760 | · |
| Myron D. Witter Elementary | Brawley | Elementary | KG-05 | 741 | · |
| Phil D. Swing Elementary | Brawley | Elementary | KG-05 | 725 | · |
| Sea View Elementary | Salton City | Elementary | KG-06 | 682 | · |
| Enrique Camarena Jr. High | Calexico | Middle | 07-08 | 674 | · |
| J. W. Oakley Elementary | Brawley | Elementary | KG-05 | 654 | · |
| Jefferson Elementary | Calexico | Elementary | KG-06 | 625 | · |
| William Moreno Junior High | Calexico | Middle | 07-08 | 618 | · |
| Rockwood Elementary | Calexico | Elementary | KG-06 | 617 | · |
| T. L. Waggoner Elementary | Imperial | Elementary | KG-05 | 613 | · |
| Dogwood Elementary | Heber | Elementary | KG-04 | 606 | · |
| Wilson Jr. High | El Centro | Middle | 07-08 | 605 | · |
| Harding Elementary | El Centro | Elementary | KG-06 | 601 | · |
| Dool Elementary | Calexico | Elementary | KG-06 | 568 | · |
| Emmett S. Finley Elementary | Holtville | Elementary | KG-05 | 559 | · |
| Heber | Heber | Middle | 05-08 | 549 | · |
| Holtville High | Holtville | High | 09-12 | 516 | · |
| De Anza Magnet | El Centro | Elementary | KG-08 | 504 | · |
| West Shores High | Salton City | High | 07-12 | 503 | · |
| Kennedy Gardens Elementary | Calexico | Elementary | KG-06 | 484 | · |
| McKinley Elementary | El Centro | Elementary | KG-06 | 456 | · |
| Margaret Hedrick Elementary | El Centro | Elementary | KG-06 | 446 | · |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary | El Centro | Elementary | KG-06 | 445 | · |
| Padilla-Pace Middle | Brawley | Middle | 06-08 | 445 | · |
| Miguel Hidalgo Elementary | Brawley | Elementary | KG-05 | 437 | · |
| Kennedy Middle | El Centro | Middle | 07-08 | 434 | · |
| Sunflower Elementary | El Centro | Elementary | KG-06 | 427 | · |
| Blanche Charles Elementary | Calexico | Elementary | KG-06 | 419 | · |
| Mains Elementary | Calexico | Elementary | KG-06 | 408 | · |
| Lincoln Elementary | El Centro | Elementary | KG-06 | 399 | · |
| Desert Garden Elementary | El Centro | Elementary | KG-06 | 358 | · |
| Meadows Elementary | El Centro | Elementary | KG-08 | 352 | · |
| Booker T. Washington Elementary | El Centro | Elementary | KG-06 | 351 | · |
| Fremont Primary | Calipatria | Elementary | KG-04 | 348 | · |
| Calipatria High | Calipatria | High | 09-12 | 345 | · |
| Seeley Elementary | Seeley | Elementary | KG-08 | 325 | · |
| Bill E. Young Jr. Middle | Calipatria | Middle | 05-08 | 322 | · |
| Westmorland Elementary | Westmorland | Elementary | KG-08 | 304 | · |
| San Pasqual Valley Elementary | Winterhaven | Elementary | KG-05 | 259 | · |
| Holtville Middle | Holtville | Middle | 06-08 | 257 | · |
| Imperial Pathways Charter | El Centro | High | 09-12 | 246 | · |
| Ballington Academy for the Arts and Sciences | El Centro | Elementary | KG-06 | 230 | · |
| Pine Elementary | Holtville | Elementary | KG-08 | 210 | · |
| Valley Academy | El Centro | Combined | KG-12 | 205 | · |
| San Pasqual Valley High | Winterhaven | High | 09-12 | 177 | · |
| Desert Valley High (Continuation) | Brawley | High | 09-12 | 162 | · |
| Desert Oasis High (Continuation) | El Centro | High | 09-12 | 138 | · |
| Imperial Valley Home School Academy | El Centro | Elementary | KG-08 | 131 | · |
| Magnolia Union Elementary | Brawley | Elementary | KG-08 | 128 | · |
| San Pasqual Middle | Winterhaven | Middle | 06-08 | 125 | · |
| Aurora High (Continuation) | Calexico | High | 09-12 | 96 | · |
| Grace Smith Elementary | Niland | Elementary | KG-04 | 65 | · |
| Mulberry Elementary | Brawley | Elementary | KG-08 | 61 | · |
| Mt. Signal Virtual Academy | El Centro | High | 09-12 | 60 | · |
| Imperial Ave. Holbrook High | Imperial | High | 09-12 | 28 | · |
| Freedom Academy of Imperial Valley | Holtville | Combined | KG-12 | 22 | · |
| Renaissance | Brawley | High | 09-12 | 22 | · |
| Phoenix Rising High | El Centro | High | 09-10 | 20 | · |
| Bill M. Manes High | Winterhaven | High | 09-12 | 14 | · |
| Imperial County Juvenile Hall/Community | El Centro | Combined | KG-12 | 11 | · |
| Sam Webb Continuation | Holtville | High | 09-12 | 10 | · |
| Pinnacle Hall Community Day | Calexico | High | 06-12 | 2 | · |
| Imperial Valley ROP | El Centro | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
| San Pasqual Vocational Academy | Winterhaven | High | 07-12 | 0 | · |
| El Centro District Wide Preschool | El Centro | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| Imperial County Special Education | El Centro | Combined | KG-12 | · | · |
Cities in Imperial County
About Imperial County
Across the middle-population California county of Imperial County of about 180,202 residents, the public-school footprint covers 76 schools and about 36,513 students.
Looking at the broader picture, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $57,681, roughly 16% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the federal-poverty share is near 17%. That income level is 35% meaningfully below the California median.
In terms of grade levels, Imperial County covers 39 elementary schools (18,010 students), 11 middle schools (6,026), 22 high schools (12,239), and 4 combined or other schools.
Calexico Unified is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 8,022 students across Imperial County.
Trend over the past 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment contracted 6%: 38,772 students in SY 2017-18 versus 36,513 in SY 2024-25. Over that span, Imperial County opened 1 school, going from 71 to 72.
On allk12, the community for Imperial County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
Imperial County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data