Central Union High School District

What Central Union High School District does

Central Union High School District (CUHSD) is a public school district organized under the California Education Code and headquartered at 351 W Ross Ave, El Centro, California. The district operates four high schools — Central Union High School, Southwest High School, Desert Oasis High School, and Phoenix Rising High School (a continuation/alternative campus) — plus Central Union Adult School, serving public secondary and adult education students across Imperial County, including the communities of El Centro, Heber, Seeley, and Meadows. CUHSD employs 251-500 staff and reports no private ownership structure; it is governed by an elected Board of Trustees and administered by a Superintendent.

The district's core product is comprehensive public high school education, including A-G college preparatory coursework, Advanced Placement courses, Career Technical Education pathways, Special Education, and English Learner programs, augmented by support services such as transportation, nutrition (district-wide free meals via the Community Eligibility Provision), health services, and a Family Resource Center for homeless and foster youth. The underlying technology stack is entirely composed of third-party platforms: Aeries (student information system) for grades, schedules, attendance, and parent/student portals; Google Workspace for Education (Chromebooks, Gmail, Google Classroom) for classroom delivery and digital identity; ParentSquare for family communication; ClassLink for single sign-on; Frontline for HR/absence management; GoGuardian for content filtering; and CALPADS for state-mandated longitudinal data reporting.

CUHSD is funded through a mix of California state education funding (primarily the Local Control Funding Formula), federal grants, and local property taxes, with additional participation in federal nutrition programs (National School Lunch/Breakfast, CEP, SUN Bucks Summer EBT at $120 per eligible child). Education is tuition-free for resident students; the only discretionary fees noted are optional Chromebook insurance and limited supplementary service fees. Customer segments are organized by student need rather than by purchasing power and include traditional high school students, adult learners, economically disadvantaged households, homeless and foster youth, military dependents from NAF El Centro, and English learners. Go-to-market is non-commercial: outreach occurs via the district website, ParentSquare announcements, and online registration through the Aeries Parent Portal.

Name

Central Union High School District

Legal name

Central Union High School District

Website

https://cuhsd.net

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Central Union High School District is a public school district in Imperial County, California operating four high schools and one adult school, funded by state allocations, federal grants, and local taxes to provide tuition-free secondary and adult education with full support services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

akta.pro primary industry

Public High Schools (EDAJAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Career & Technical Education (CTE) Centers & Programs (EDAJAAAJ), Public Alternative, Continuation & Credit-Recovery Schools (EDAJAAAG)

Keywords

• Public secondary education
• Adult education services
• Special education programs
• Career technical education
• Student support services

Headquarters

HQ city

El Centro

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: Funded by California state education funding, federal grants, and local property taxes. Revenue supports instructional programs, staff salaries, facilities, and student services.
2. Federal Nutrition Programs: Participates in National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, including Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) providing free meals to all students at participating schools.
3. SUN Bucks Program: Summer EBT program providing $120 per eligible child to purchase groceries during summer break. Administered through California Department of Social Services.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Central Union High School District (CUHSD) is a public K-12 secondary school district operating four high schools and one adult education school in Imperial County, California. The district delivers comprehensive educational programs including college preparatory (A-G), Advanced Placement, career technical education, special education, English learner programs, and adult education/GED preparation, supplemented by student support services such as transportation, free nutrition meals, health services, and a Family Resource Center.

Product overview

Central Union High School District is a public school district operating five educational institutions: four high schools (Central Union High School, Southwest High School, Desert Oasis High School, and Phoenix Rising High School for alternative education) plus Central Union Adult School. The district provides comprehensive educational services including a robust technology program with district-issued Chromebooks and Google Workspace integration, the Aeries Student Information System for academic management, Career Technical Education pathways, Special Education, English Learner programs, and student support services including transportation, nutrition (free meals via CEP), health services, and a Family Resource Center. Summer school programs support credit recovery and A-G requirement completion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Central Union High School Traditional high school serving the El Centro community with comprehensive academic programs, A-G college prep curriculum, AP courses, career pathways, athletics, and extracurricular activities.
• Southwest High School Traditional high school within the district serving students with college preparatory and career technical education programs.
• Desert Oasis High School Traditional high school offering standard academic curriculum and vocational programs.
• Phoenix Rising High School Continuation high school providing alternative education pathways and flexible options for students needing non-traditional pathways to graduation.
• Central Union Adult School Adult education program offering GED preparation, high school equivalency, and continuing education courses.
• Career Technical Education (CTE) Career-focused educational programs preparing students for workforce readiness through technical skills training and industry partnerships.
• Special Education Services Comprehensive special education programs providing individualized education plans and support services for students with disabilities.
• English Learner Program Language development programs supporting English learners including DELAC/ELAC parent committees and California State Seal of Biliteracy preparation.
• Summer School Program Credit recovery and academic enrichment program held at Central Union High School for all district students during summer months.
• Nutrition Services (Free Meals Program) Free breakfast and lunch program for all students through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), providing healthy meals daily at all participating schools.
• Transportation Services

Quantifiable outcome

• All students have access to free breakfast and lunch through Community Eligibility Provision
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, standard and minor.

• Imperial County Office of Education (ICOE)coreOthersRegional educational service agency providing support, resources, and coordination for Imperial Valley school districts including employee portal access and professional development.
• CalSTRS (California State Teachers' Retirement System)coreOthersState retirement system providing retirement, disability, and survivor benefits for certificated employees. CUHSD employees participate in the CalSTRS defined benefit plan.
• CalPERS (California Public Employees' Retirement System)coreOthersState retirement system providing retirement and health benefits for classified employees. CUHSD classified staff participate in CalPERS defined benefit plan.
• ParentSquarecoreTechnology or IntegrationFamily engagement platform used for district-wide communication including announcements, messages, calendars, and emergency notifications to parents and staff.
• Aeries (Tularosa Software)coreTechnology or IntegrationStudent information system managing student data, grades, schedules, enrollment, and parent/student portals across all district schools.
• Frontline EducationcoreTechnology or IntegrationAbsence management and time tracking platform for employee attendance, substitute placement, and HR processes.
• SchoolsFirst Federal Credit UnionstandardOthersProvides tax-sheltered annuity (403b) plan administration for employee retirement savings through PlanVue platform.
• ClassLinkstandardTechnology or IntegrationSingle sign-on platform providing students and staff unified access to district applications and resources.
• GoGuardianstandardTechnology or IntegrationDigital citizenship and web filtering platform for student Chromebooks ensuring safe online learning environments.
• NAF El Centro (Naval Air Facility)standardOthersMilitary installation serving families in Imperial Valley. District provides educational support and services for students of military families.
• The Holman GroupstandardOthersManaged behavioral health care services providing employee assistance program (EAP) with counseling and support services for CUHSD employees.
• El Centro Education FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit foundation supporting district educational programs through fundraising, grants, and community partnerships to enhance student opportunities.
• Anthem Blue CrosscoreOthersHealth insurance provider offering PPO plans (100%, 80%, HSA, Proactive Care) to district employees through SISC consortium.
• SIMNSAcoreOthersHealth maintenance organization providing medical and dental plans as an alternative to Anthem for employees in the Imperial Valley region.
• Delta DentalstandardOthersDental insurance provider offering PPO dental plans for district employees.
• VSP (Vision Service Plan)standardOthersVision insurance provider offering eye care benefits and eyewear coverage for district employees.
• The HartfordstandardOthersLife insurance provider offering group life insurance coverage for district employees.
• EdJoinstandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCalifornia education job board used by CUHSD for posting employment opportunities and recruiting certificated and classified staff.
• UC San Diego Extension Futures ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership program enabling students to explore interests and gain hands-on experience before entering workforce or college.
• Imperial Valley CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal community college providing transfer pathways and concurrent enrollment opportunities for district students.
• SISC (Schools Insurance Authority)coreOthersJoint powers authority providing health, dental, and vision insurance pools for California school districts, offering negotiated rates through consortium purchasing.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Calexico Unified School District: Immediately adjacent K-12 district in Calexico, California serving the Imperial Valley border region. Operates in the same labor market, faces similar demographic and economic conditions, and serves many of the same families that feed into CUHSD.
• Coachella Valley Unified School District: Neighboring K-12 district in Riverside County serving Coachella Valley communities with overlapping demographics, large English learner population, and significant migrant/seasonal worker enrollment. Operates in adjacent geography to CUHSD with similar equity-driven programming.

Direct peers

• Sweetwater Union High School District: Large California public high school district in the South Bay area with similar multi-campus structure, significant English learner population, and college/career pathway programs. Comparable in scale and operational complexity to CUHSD.
• Kern Union High School District: Large California agricultural-region high school district serving Bakersfield and surrounding communities with similar demographics, CTE emphasis, and continuation high schools. Closely comparable to CUHSD in scale, student population, and rural/agricultural economic context.
• Tulare Joint Union High School District: California Central Valley high school district operating multiple comprehensive high schools plus continuation/independent study options in a high-poverty agricultural community. Comparable to CUHSD in mission, demographics, and rural service area.

Others

• Imperial County Office of Education: Regional educational service agency providing coordination, professional development, and administrative support to all Imperial Valley school districts including CUHSD. Functions as a peer ecosystem participant and existing strategic partner.
• Imperial Valley College: Local community college and existing CUHSD partner providing transfer pathways and concurrent enrollment for district graduates. Represents the natural postsecondary transition point and partnership channel for CUHSD students.

Broad incumbents

• Grossmont Union High School District: Larger, more established San Diego County high school district operating multiple comprehensive and alternative high schools. Broader and more resourced than CUHSD but operates the same multi-campus high school district model in California.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Central Union High School District