Plumas Unified, CA - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Plumas Unified

Plumas Unified serves a small rural school district spanning Plumas County in the northern Sierra Nevada. The district enrolls a mid-sized population of students across kindergarten through twelfth grade, spread across several towns including Quincy, Chester, Greenville, and Portola. The student body is predominantly white, with meaningful representation from Hispanic, multiracial, and American Indian students. Free-and-reduced-price-lunch data was not available in the district records reviewed.

Academic performance across the district is below state proficiency benchmarks across tested subjects and grade levels. In English language arts, proficiency rates range from about one-third of students in grades three through six to slightly lower rates in middle school. Math proficiency is lower still, starting around one-third in the earliest tested grades and declining as students progress, reaching the low teens in eighth grade. Science proficiency in grade five is around one-quarter of students, and in grade eight falls to the high teens. These results reflect broad academic challenges across the district. One-year trend data does not yet show a directional pattern; parents seeking more context on instruction, curriculum changes, or intervention plans may want to speak with the district directly.

The district operates from multiple small schools rather than large consolidated campuses. Chester, Greenville, and Quincy each host their own elementary and secondary schools, while Portola has a junior-senior high. The district also operates two continuation high schools, Almanor High and Jim Beckwourth High, which serve students in transition or alternative pathways.

The Plumas Unified footprint was significantly reshaped by the 2021 Dixie Fire, which destroyed much of Greenville and damaged school infrastructure there. The Plumas Charter School's Greenville Learning Center was destroyed in that fire, and instruction was relocated to portable classrooms in Taylorsville, roughly ten miles away, a change that created ongoing access barriers for Greenville-area families. Rebuilding in Greenville remains slow, a fact that weighs on school enrollment and community stability in that part of the district.

In autumn 2024, the district adopted new developer impact fees on all new construction countywide, effective November 2024. These fees increase the cost of building a house. The decision drew particular objection from Greenville officials, where families are rebuilding homes lost in the Dixie Fire. For prospective residents considering a move into the district, especially those planning to build, this policy raises housing costs and reflects the district's fiscal pressures.

Chronic absenteeism in the district sits above the midpoint among the three districts in Plumas County, a concern that correlates with rural isolation, transportation challenges, and the ongoing disruptions from fire recovery. Housing in the district is relatively affordable compared to California state averages, though values have edged downward year-over-year, reflecting broader regional economic headwinds and uncertainty around rebuild timelines in fire-affected communities.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

1,687

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 19%

Black 1%

White 62%

Asian 1%

Two+ 14%

Am. Indian / AK Native 3%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

31%

—

Gr 3

30%

55%

Gr 4

27%

32%

Gr 5

27%

53%

Gr 6

28%

43%

Gr 7

31%

33%

Gr 8

29%

36%

Gr 11

48%

—

Math

Gr ALL

16%

—

Gr 3

23%

51%

Gr 4

27%

45%

Gr 5

13%

36%

Gr 6

11%

30%

Gr 7

15%

18%

Gr 8

18%

Gr 11

10%

—

Science

Gr ALL

14%

—

Gr 5

18%

33%

Gr 8

15%

20%

Gr 11

17%

—

Gr HS

18%

—

Gr UG_SEC

19%

—

Schools in this District

10 schools are officially reported under this district.

Chester Elementary

Chester Junior/Senior High

Greenville Elementary

Greenville High

Portola Junior/Senior High

Quincy Elementary

Quincy Junior/Senior High

Almanor High (Continuation)

Beckwourth (Jim) High (Continuation)

C. Roy Carmichael Elementary

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

34%

Grade 3

34%

Grade 4

22%

Grade 5

19%

Grade 6

17%

Grade 7

13%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

40%

Grade 3

29%

Grade 4

37%

Grade 5

34%

Grade 6

32%

Grade 7

32%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

24%

Grade 5

18%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

61%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$325,824

Year-over-year change-2.4%

Range across 14 ZIP codes$203K to $616K

vs. state typical0.42x

vs. national typical0.88x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (14 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
95971	Quincy	$320K	-1.7%	16.4%
96103	Graeagle	$403K	-2.1%	10.6%
95947	Greenville	$245K	-6.7%	9.3%
95983	Taylorsville	$265K	-3.6%	9.3%
96122	Portola	$262K	+0.7%	7.0%
95956	Meadow Valley	$280K	-4.3%	6.5%
96137	Westwood	$443K	+0.3%	6.3%
96020		$346K	-0.5%	6.1%
96129	Chilcoot	$370K	+0.8%	5.7%
95981		$280K	-6.1%	4.4%
96106	Portola	$616K	-3.6%	2.4%
95934	Taylorsville	$203K	-1.6%	2.4%
95923		$343K	-2.4%	1.1%
96105		$331K	-2.2%	0.5%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,644/mo

Home price / national median income3.9x

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.