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Long Beach Unified School District, California
| Long Beach Unified School District |
|---|
 |
| Los Angeles County, California |
| District details |
| Superintendent: Jill Baker |
| # of school board members: 5 |
| Website: Link |
Long Beach Unified School District is a school district in California.
Click on the links below to learn more about the school district’s…
- Superintendent
- School board
- Elections
- Budget
- Teacher salaries
- Academic performance
- Students
- Staff
- Schools
- Contact information
Superintendent
 |
This information is updated as we become aware of changes. Please contact us with any updates. |
Jill Baker is the superintendent of the Long Beach Unified School District. Baker was appointed superintendent effective August 1, 2020. Her previous career experience includes working as a vice-principal, principal, and assistant superintendent.[1]
Past superintendents
- Christopher J. Steinhauser was the superintendent of the Long Beach Unified School District from 2002 to 2020. Steinhauser's previous career experience includes working as an elementary school teacher, principal, and deputy superintendent.[2]
School board
The Long Beach Unified School District Board of Education consists of five members elected to four-year terms. Board members are elected by district.[3]
| Office | Name | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|
| Long Beach Unified School District school board District 1 | Maria Isabel López | December 9, 2022 |
| Long Beach Unified School District school board District 2 | Erik Miller | December 11, 2020 |
| Long Beach Unified School District school board District 3 | Juan Benitez | 2018 |
| Long Beach Unified School District school board District 4 | Doug Otto | December 11, 2020 |
| Long Beach Unified School District school board District 5 | Diana Craighead | 2014 |
Elections
Board members are elected on a staggered basis every even-numbered year.
Two seats on the board were up for general election on November 5, 2024. A primary was scheduled for March 5, 2024.
Ballotpedia covered school board elections in 367 school districts in 29 states in 2024. Those school districts had a total student enrollment of 12,203,404 students. Click here to read an analysis of those elections.
Join the conversation about school board politics
Public participation in board meetings
The Long Beach Unified School District Board of Education maintains the following policy on public testimony during board meetings:[4]
| “ |
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION (PARTICIPACIÓN PÚBLICA) The Board of Education values public input and encourages members of the public to make public comments during its meetings. Any member of the public wishing to address the board may approach the microphone when called upon. Addressing the Board Regarding Agenda Items You may address the Board on agenda items, before action is taken, by filing a written request with the assistant secretary (forms are available near the entrance prior to the meeting). Persons will be allowed to speak in the order in which the requests are received. Addressing the Board Regarding Items Not on the Agenda If you request to speak about a matter of school district business not on the agenda, you will be invited to make your remarks during the "Public Testimony on Items Not Listed on Agenda" portion of the agenda. Limited discussion may take place on the part of the Board of Education on an item which has not received public notice by being listed on the agenda. However, after receiving public testimony, any member of the Board may recommend placing such item(s) on the agenda of a future meeting or refer the item(s) to staff for a report. When You Are Recognized to Speak Please step to the microphone, state your name and address for the record, and direct your remarks to the chair. Remarks by persons addressing the Board of Education shall be limited to three (3) minutes per person for agenda items (30 minutes total) and three (3) minutes for non-agenda items (30 minutes total), unless the Board agrees to extend the time. Charges or complaints against individual employees should be submitted as a personnel complaint with Human Resource Services in writing so that complaints may be heard in closed session in conformity with the Brown Act. Remarks by any person addressing the Board which denigrate the religious, racial or personal characteristics of any person are discouraged. Please remember that young children often watch these board meetings, so we invite commenters to use language that is suitable for young children. Available for Public Review Agenda and minutes of previous meetings are available on this website or at the Board of Education office. Placing an Item on the Agenda You may place matters directly related to school district business on the agenda by filing a request form, available from the assistant secretary of the Board of Education. Please include available back-up material. The Superintendent or designee will determine whether the matter is directly related to school district business. Written requests must be received at least 10 working days prior to the meeting date.[5] |
” |
District map
Budget
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[6]
| SOURCE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal: | $166,770,000 | $2,403 | 13% |
| Local: | $314,775,000 | $4,535 | 25% |
| State: | $784,916,000 | $11,308 | 62% |
| Total: | $1,266,461,000 | $18,245 |
| TYPE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Expenditures: | $1,163,778,000 | $16,765 | |
| Total Current Expenditures: | $936,903,000 | $13,497 | |
| Instructional Expenditures: | $601,799,000 | $8,669 | 52% |
| Student and Staff Support: | $109,130,000 | $1,572 | 9% |
| Administration: | $95,017,000 | $1,368 | 8% |
| Operations, Food Service, Other: | $130,957,000 | $1,886 | 11% |
| Total Capital Outlay: | $121,580,000 | $1,751 | |
| Construction: | $118,776,000 | $1,711 | |
| Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: | $50,020,000 | $720 | |
| Interest on Debt: | $54,618,000 | $786 |
Teacher salaries
The following salary information was pulled from the district's teacher salary schedule. A salary schedule is a list of expected compensations based on variables such as position, years employed, and education level. It may not reflect actual teacher salaries in the district.
| Year | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-2025[7] | $65,703 | $127,821 |
| 2023-2024[8] | $69,479 | $121,569 |
| 2019-2020[9] | $59,439 | $103,600 |
Academic performance
Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements.[10]
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 34 | 52 | 19 | 27 | 30-39 | 53 | 60 |
| 2018-2019 | 45 | 61 | 28 | 39 | 40-49 | 64 | 68 |
| 2017-2018 | 42 | 59 | 26 | 36 | 35-39 | 60 | 66 |
| 2016-2017 | 39 | 54 | 23 | 31 | 25-29 | 59 | 64 |
| 2015-2016 | 34 | 50 | 20 | 27 | 20-24 | 50 | 60 |
| 2014-2015 | 30 | 46 | 17 | 23 | 20-24 | 48 | 56 |
| 2013-2014 | 59 | 72 | 45 | 53 | >=50 | 70-74 | 78 |
| 2012-2013 | 60 | 74 | 47 | 54 | 40-44 | 66 | 79 |
| 2011-2012 | 61 | 76 | 47 | 55 | 50-54 | 70 | 79 |
| 2010-2011 | 58 | 72 | 45 | 53 | 45-49 | 67 | 77 |
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 50 | 67 | 34 | 43 | 40-59 | 68 | 74 |
| 2018-2019 | 54 | 67 | 40 | 48 | 40-49 | 71 | 77 |
| 2017-2018 | 51 | 66 | 37 | 44 | 45-49 | 68 | 75 |
| 2016-2017 | 48 | 63 | 35 | 40 | 40-44 | 67 | 74 |
| 2015-2016 | 44 | 60 | 32 | 37 | 35-39 | 63 | 70 |
| 2014-2015 | 42 | 57 | 31 | 33 | 40-44 | 58 | 68 |
| 2013-2014 | 54 | 65 | 42 | 46 | <50 | 70-74 | 78 |
| 2012-2013 | 53 | 66 | 46 | 45 | 45-49 | 67 | 78 |
| 2011-2012 | 55 | 67 | 46 | 47 | 40-44 | 68 | 80 |
| 2010-2011 | 53 | 64 | 44 | 45 | 40-44 | 68 | 78 |
The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-2020 | 89 | 93 | 87 | 89 | >=50 | 85-89 | 91 |
| 2018-2019 | 87 | 93 | 86 | 86 | >=80 | 85-89 | 91 |
| 2017-2018 | 85 | 91 | 84 | 82 | >=50 | 85-89 | 90 |
| 2016-2017 | 86 | 92 | 86 | 84 | >=50 | 90-94 | 88 |
| 2015-2016 | 84 | 91 | 82 | 82 | 60-79 | 85-89 | 89 |
| 2014-2015 | 84 | 89 | 82 | 81 | >=50 | 85-89 | 90 |
| 2013-2014 | 81 | 89 | 73 | 79 | >=80 | 85-89 | 89 |
| 2012-2013 | 81 | 88 | 79 | 77 | 60-79 | 70-79 | 88 |
| 2011-2012 | 80 | 87 | 80 | 75 | >=50 | 80-89 | 89 |
| 2010-2011 | 78 | 87 | 75 | 74 | >=80 | 50-59 | 86 |
Students
| Year | Enrollment | Year-to-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-2023 | 65,554 | -2.7 |
| 2021-2022 | 67,292 | -3.2 |
| 2020-2021 | 69,413 | -3.3 |
| 2019-2020 | 71,712 | -1.7 |
| 2018-2019 | 72,935 | -2.4 |
| 2017-2018 | 74,681 | -2.3 |
| 2016-2017 | 76,428 | -1.8 |
| 2015-2016 | 77,812 | -2.4 |
| 2014-2015 | 79,709 | -1.8 |
| 2013-2014 | 81,155 | -1.4 |
| 2012-2013 | 82,256 | -1.7 |
| 2011-2012 | 83,691 | -1.3 |
| 2010-2011 | 84,812 | -1.7 |
| 2009-2010 | 86,283 | -1.4 |
| 2008-2009 | 87,509 | -0.8 |
| 2007-2008 | 88,186 | -2.8 |
| 2006-2007 | 90,663 | -3.2 |
| 2005-2006 | 93,589 | -2.9 |
| 2004-2005 | 96,319 | -1.3 |
| 2003-2004 | 97,560 | 0.4 |
| 2002-2003 | 97,212 | 0.7 |
| 2001-2002 | 96,488 | 2.9 |
| 2000-2001 | 93,694 | 2.4 |
| 1999-2000 | 91,465 | 0.0 |
| RACE | Long Beach Unified School District (%) | California K-12 STUDENTS (%) |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 10.2 | 0.0 |
| Black | 12.4 | 0.0 |
| Hispanic | 59.1 | 0.0 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Two or More Races | 5.1 | 0.0 |
| White | 12.0 | 0.0 |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Staff
As of the 2022-2023 school year, Long Beach Unified School District had 2,733.97 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 23.98.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF TEACHERS |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten: | 0.00 |
| Kindergarten: | 230.16 |
| Elementary: | 1,544.77 |
| Secondary: | 959.04 |
| Total: | 2,733.97 |
Long Beach Unified School District employed 48.00 district administrators and 152.24 school administrators as of the 2022-2023 school year.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS |
|---|---|
| District Administrators: | 48.00 |
| District Administrative Support: | 167.83 |
| School Administrators: | 152.24 |
| School Administrative Support: | 231.91 |
| TYPE | NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF |
|---|---|
| Instructional Aides: | 391.28 |
| Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: | 80.00 |
| Total Guidance Counselors: | 143.80 |
| Elementary Guidance Counselors: | 63.40 |
| Secondary Guidance Counselors: | 66.80 |
| Librarians/Media Specialists: | 29.66 |
| Library/Media Support: | 0.00 |
| Student Support Services: | 226.00 |
| Other Support Services: | 1,398.11 |
Schools
Noteworthy events
2016: District named as model in state's 'California College Promise' package
The Long Beach Unified School District and its partners, Long Beach City College and California State University at Long Beach (Long Beach State), were cited as models in AB 1721, a proposed bill in the California State Assembly aimed to send more students to college. For two decades, the three Long Beach educational institutions set up initiatives, such as college tours for elementary students and targeted professional development for teachers, to help their students go to college and graduate with a degree. AB 1721 was ultimately placed on suspension in the California State Senate, but if the legislation had passed, California would have implemented similar initiatives at the state level.[11][12]
When the district first began collaborating with the city college and university in the mid-1990s, it had a high dropout rate and was "known as a home base for gangs," according to The Atlantic. From that point until 2016, test scores, advanced placement class enrollment, high school graduation rates, and college attendance rates rose. During the same time period, close to 68 percent of students qualified for free or reduced-price lunch each year, and the number of minority students attending school in the district also rose.[11]
District students performed nearly as well as the state as a whole on the Common Core-aligned state assessments that were first administered in 2015, despite having a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students than the whole of California. A total of 36 percent of Long Beach Unified students met or exceeded third-grade reading standards, compared to 38 percent statewide.[11]
Jane Close Conoley, the president of Long Beach State, said changes involving human behavior cannot happen overnight, but that shifts can be made with focused attention. “We’ve been in it for a long time and we’re in it for the long run,” she said.[11]
2016: Moody's gives district Aa2 credit rating
| Moody's Investor Service Global Long-Term Rating Scale | |
|---|---|
| Rating | Description from Moody's |
| Aaa | "Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk." |
| Aa | "Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk." |
| A | "Obligations rated A are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk." |
| Baa | "Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics." |
| Ba | "Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk." |
| B | "Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk." |
| Caa | "Obligations rated Caa are judged to be speculative of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk." |
| Ca | "Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest." |
| C | "Obligations rated C are the lowest rated and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest." |
| Source: Moody's Investor Services, "Rating Symbols and Definitions," January 26, 2021 | |
Moody's Investor Service assigned an Aa2 rating to the Long Beach Unified School District for its 2016 general obligation refunding bonds and its outstanding parity debt.[13] The table to the right details all of Moody's ratings and what they signify. The only rating category higher than Aa in Moody's rating system is Aaa. The rankings Aa through Caa can have the numbers 1 through 3 added to them to indicate their ranking within the general letter category.[14]
Moody's explained the reason for the district's rating in a press release.
| “ | The rating incorporates the district's exceptionally large-sized tax base with below average wealth levels, sound financial position supported by solid reserve levels, moderate debt and pension burdens as well as its strong management team. The rating further incorporates the above average strengths of California school districts' general obligation bonds. Not only are these GOs secured by a voter-approved, unlimited property tax pledge, the proceeds of which are constitutionally restricted for debt service payment, the county, rather than the district, will levy, collect, and disburse the GO tax proceeds.[5] | ” |
| —Moody's Investor Service (March 24, 2016)[13] | ||
The press release also listed two factors that could lead to an upgrade in the district's rating:[13]
- "Substantial improvement in socioeconomic measures"
- "Large and sustained increases in reserves and material improvement in liquidity"
The following three factors were listed as possibilities that could cause a downgrade to the district's rating:[13]
- "Weakening in the district's financial and liquidity position"
- "Significant deterioration in socioeconomic measures"
- "Protracted large decline in assessed valuation"
Contact information
Long Beach Unified School District
1515 Hughes Way
Long Beach, CA 90810
Phone: 562-997-8000
About school boards
Education legislation in California
Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.
See also
| California | School Board Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
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 |
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External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Long Beach Unified School District
- California School Boards Association
- California Department of Education
Footnotes
- ↑ Long Beach Unified School District, "Superintendent of Schools," accessed April 5, 2021
- ↑ EdSource, "Chris Steinhauser to retire after 18 years leading Long Beach Unified," December 19, 2019
- ↑ Long Beach Unified School District, "Board of Education," accessed March 23, 2021
- ↑ BoardDocs, "Public Participation (Participación Pública)," accessed April 16, 2025
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
- ↑ Long Beach Unified School District, "SCHEDULE A1," accessed April 16, 2025
- ↑ Long Beach Unified School District, "SCHEDULE A4," accessed February 5, 2024
- ↑ Long Beach Unified School District, "SCHEDULE A4," accessed May 18, 2021
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2018-19 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed February 25, 2021
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 The Atlantic, "The Long Beach Miracle," February 2, 2016
- ↑ Open States, "AB 1721," accessed November 18, 2016
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Moody's Investors Service, "Rating Action: Moody's assigns Aa2 to Long Beach USD, CA's GO Bonds; outlook remains stable," March 24, 2016
- ↑ Moody's Investors Service, "Rating Symbols and Definitions," January 26, 2021
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