Santa Paula simplified its school picture in 2013: where buyers once had to track two separate districts, today a single K-12 district - Santa Paula Unified - serves the whole city.
How the district formed
Voters approved the merger (Measure M, November 2012); the California State Board of Education signed off in May 2012, and the unified Santa Paula Unified School District (SPUSD) began operating July 1, 2013. It combined the Santa Paula Elementary School District (founded 1876) and the Santa Paula Union High School District. Those two predecessor districts no longer operate as separate entities - so when older listings or records reference them, the current district is SPUSD.
The schools
SPUSD operates six K-5 elementary schools, one middle school, and one comprehensive high school (plus a continuation high school and early-childhood programs):
- Elementary (K-5): Barbara Webster, Thelma Bedell, Blanchard, Glen City, McKevett, and Grace Thille.
- Middle (6-8): Isbell Middle School.
- High: Santa Paula High School (comprehensive); Renaissance High School (continuation).
The Santa Paula market
As of April 2026, the median sale price in Santa Paula was approximately $735,120 (Redfin), down about 1.6% year-over-year, with a median around $415 per square foot. Santa Paula sits in the Santa Clara River Valley along Highway 126, between Ventura to the west and Fillmore to the east - part of the citrus-rich “Heritage Valley.”
See also: Santa Paula real estate overview · Historic Downtown Santa Paula homes.
