Pierce Joint Unified, CA

Original Research by School Decision on Pierce Joint Unified

Pierce Joint Unified is a small rural school district in Colusa County, California, serving students from kindergarten through 12th grade across five schools: two elementary buildings, a junior high, a high school, and a continuation high school for students needing an alternative pathway. The district enrolls approximately 1,500 students, the majority of whom are Hispanic, with a sizable white population and smaller numbers of students from other backgrounds. About four-fifths of the student body is Hispanic.

The district's current academic performance shows consistent weakness across tested subjects. In English language arts, students achieve proficiency at rates ranging from the low to mid-range depending on grade, with a few grades notably higher. Grade 8 performs above other grades in ELA. Mathematics proficiency is markedly lower, with middle elementary grades showing particular difficulty, though proficiency rates generally remain below one-third across the tested grades. Science proficiency is similarly low. These test results place Pierce among the stronger performers within Colusa County's four districts on the overall proficiency index, though this reflects relative positioning rather than strong absolute performance. A parent may want to look into what the district is doing to support students in mathematics, where results are considerably weaker.

The district's chronic absenteeism rate sits slightly above the median for its county peers, suggesting attendance is a factor schools are managing but not excelling at. The district spends less per pupil than the county median, positioning it in the lower range of spending among its neighbors.

Housing values in the district's area are modest by California standards, with a weighted average home value in the low-to-mid range. The area spans several small communities, including Arbuckle, Williams, Knights Landing, and parts near Woodland. Mortgage affordability in the region is somewhat stretched relative to national benchmarks, though homeownership remains more achievable here than in many other parts of California. The local economic context reflects rural employment conditions, with unemployment near national levels and median household income below the state average.

The district operates a continuation high school for students who need a non-traditional pathway, indicating an effort to serve students for whom traditional high school settings do not work. Beyond this feature, specific information on advanced coursework, career pathways, special services, or recent district strategic initiatives is not readily available in public reporting. Parents seeking details on program offerings, curriculum choices, or district priorities may need to contact the district directly.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

1,494

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 80%

Black 1%

White 17%

Asian 1%

Two+ 1%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

40%

—

Gr 3

42%

41%

Gr 4

26%

52%

Gr 5

30%

36%

Gr 6

40%

39%

Gr 7

31%

45%

Gr 8

42%

66%

Gr 11

63%

—

Math

Gr ALL

26%

—

Gr 3

38%

45%

Gr 4

25%

43%

Gr 5

12%

21%

Gr 6

34%

36%

Gr 7

23%

38%

Gr 8

30%

45%

Gr 11

20%

—

Science

Gr ALL

14%

—

Gr 5

25%

28%

Gr 8

25%

50%

Gr 11

49%

—

Gr HS

34%

—

Gr UG_SEC

49%

—

Schools in this District

5 schools are officially reported under this district.

Arbuckle Alternative High (Continuation)

Arbuckle Elementary

Grand Island Elementary

Pierce High

Lloyd G. Johnson Junior High

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

40%

Grade 3

29%

Grade 4

15%

Grade 5

34%

Grade 6

27%

Grade 7

34%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

42%

Grade 3

32%

Grade 4

31%

Grade 5

40%

Grade 6

35%

Grade 7

49%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

26%

Grade 5

32%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

46%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$413,315

Year-over-year change+0.0%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$375K to $456K

vs. state typical0.53x

vs. national typical1.12x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
95912	Arbuckle	$417K	+1.4%	39.6%
95987	Williams	$375K	+1.1%	21.4%
95645	Knights Landing	$427K	-0.7%	15.6%
95937	Woodland	$456K	-6.1%	10.7%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,086/mo

Home price / national median income4.9x

Comparison

State typical home value$776,233 (-1.1% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.