About Our District and County
Plumas County Office of Education
Plumas Unified School District
Fast Facts:
- 4 Communities
- 12 Schools, 121 Certificated and 160 Classified Staff
- The student population includes approximately: 78% Caucasian, 12.6% Hispanic, 1.2% Asian, 1.9% African American, and 6.3% other students.
- The District’s annual general fund budget is approximately $26 million.
- As of September 2023, PUSD enrollment is 1678 students.
Plumas Unified School District and Plumas County Office of Education are proud to serve the students, families, and communities in four distinct communities, in our rural northeastern California mountain county. PUSD and PCOE serve the students in the 2,613 square miles through four elementary schools, four comprehensive high schools, and eight alternative education sites.
Our county and schools range from Chester in the Lake Almanor north-west region, to Greenville in Indian Valley, to the county seat in Quincy in American Valley and to Portola in the East in Sierra Valley. The driving distance between Chester and Portola is 78 miles with an estimated drive time of approximately two hours. Each community has a TK-6th-grade elementary school and a 7-12th-grade junior/senior high school.
PUSD/PCOE believes strongly that schools in each community are the best way to educate our students and is committed to maintaining the highest quality education in each of our small school settings. Besides our beautiful location and strong communities, PUSD and PCOE are unique in that one county office of education (PCOE) serves one school district (PUSD). Only eight other counties are structured like this in the state of California. Furthermore, PUSD is a Basic Aid district, referring to the way the school district receives funding through county property taxes and not through the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF).
PUSD Programs Include:
- One to One Technology
- Advanced Placement Courses
- CTE Courses including:
Woodshop, Auto Shop, Culinary, Welding, Gardening, and more.
- Art, Theater, & Music
- Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports
- Business and Finance
- Maker Space Class
- Distinct Outdoor Education Programs
- Unique Place-Based NGSS Curriculum
Mountain Living
The population of Plumas County is approximately 20,000. The county boasts more than 100 lakes and 1,000 miles of rivers and streams with over a million acres of national forest. This rural, four-season mountain retreat offers beauty, solitude, clean air, safety, and endless outdoor recreational adventures including mountain biking, rock climbing, skiing, and water sports. We also have a vibrant visual and performing arts scene and unlimited community activities.
Affordable Housing Prices:
Plumas County: $236 per sq. ft.
CA Average: $392 per sq. ft.
Community Information
Plumas County Information
Innovative, Integrated Outdoor Education
Our location combined with our community relationships create boundless outdoor hands-on learning opportunities for PUSD students.
Programs Include:
- Feather River Outdoor School
- Watershed field trips
- Plumas to the Pacific 5-day field trip to San Francisco
- Learning Landscapes Projects with the Feather River Land Trust
- Outdoor Classrooms at every campus
- Fire Ecology and Restoration projects with the US Forest Service - Plumas National Forest
- School Gardens
See the Outdoor Core Page for More Information.
Our Board of Education has committed to the following:
Mission Statement: Our Mission is to collectively inspire every child in every classroom every day.
Vision Statement: We ensure an exemplary education with diverse opportunities and we accept no limits on the learning potential of any child.
Our Core Values:
Learning – We support continuous learning first and foremost as the foundation for success.
Fiscal Responsibility – We fulfill our stewardship to provide for the students of today and tomorrow.
Compassion – We treat ourselves and others with compassion and respect.
Teamwork – We work together in a supportive and positive manner.
Individuality – We honor the unique gifts and contributions of each student, staff and community member.
Accountability – We follow through on our commitments. We are responsible and accountable for our actions and results.
Communication – We listen, respond, and follow through with open and respectful two-way communication.
Strategic Goals:
1. Student Achievement - All students will graduate from high school with academic and social-emotional skills, prepared for continuing education and career opportunities.
2. Fiscal Responsibility - The District will have a balanced budget.
3. Staff – Recruit and retain the most talented, student-centered staff and invest in their professional growth.
4. Family/Community – Engage and enhance family and community partnerships, home-to-school connections and establish our schools as community centers.
5. Facilities – All School facilities will be 21st Century teaching and learning environments.
6. Leadership- Accept leadership, responsibility, and accountability for implementing the vision, mission, values, goals and policies of the Board of Trustees and determine each leader’s commitment to providing excellent service to our communities. These six goals are represented in our Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP).
The Strategic Plan can also be found Here.