Mountain Empire Unified School District

3305 Buckman Springs Rd.
Pine Valley, CA 91962-4003
(District boundaries shown in map)
3/
10
Bottom 50%
For the 2026 school year, there are 10 public schools serving 1,738 students in Mountain Empire Unified School District. This district's average testing ranking is 2/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public schools in California.
Public Schools in Mountain Empire Unified School District have an average math proficiency score of 18% (versus the California public school average of 34%), and reading proficiency score of 28% (versus the 47% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 74% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the California public school average of 80% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (CA)
# Schools
10 Schools
10,347 Schools
# Students
1,738 Students
5,790,405 Students
# Teachers
82 Teachers
267,593 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
21:1
21:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Mountain Empire Unified School District, which is ranked #1543 of all 1,904 school districts in California (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 70% has decreased from 85-89% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (CA)
#1536 out of 1932 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
17%
34%
29%
47%
16%
29%
70%
87%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.52
0.63
% American Indian
4%
1%
% Asian
n/a
12%
% Hispanic
65%
56%
% Black
1%
5%
% White
26%
20%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
4%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $19,695 in this school district is less than the state median of $20,100. The school district revenue/student has grown by 11% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $15,502 is less than the state median of $18,511. The school district spending/student has declined by 5% over four school years.
This School District
This State (CA)
Total Revenue
$34 MM
$116,387 MM
Spending
$27 MM
$107,188 MM
Revenue / Student
$19,695
$20,100
Spending / Student
$15,502
$18,511

Best Mountain Empire Unified School District Public Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Descanso Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
24842 Viejas Blvd.
Descanso, CA 91916
(619) 445-2126
Gr: K-6 | 188 students Student-teacher ratio: 21:1 Minority enrollment: 46%
Rank: #22.
Sunrise High (Continuation School)
Alternative School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
7454 Pine Blvd.
Pine Valley, CA 91962
(619) 473-8693
Gr: 9-12 | 13 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 85%
Rank: #33.
Campo Elementary School
(Math: 21% | Reading: 31%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
1654 Buckman Springs Rd.
Campo, CA 91906
(619) 478-5583
Gr: K-6 | 359 students Student-teacher ratio: 22:1 Minority enrollment: 69%
Rank: #44.
Hillside Junior/senior High School
Alternative School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: 21-39%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
7454 Pine Blvd.
Pine Valley, CA 91962
(619) 473-8693
Gr: 7-12 | 31 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 74%
Rank: #55.
Mountain Empire High School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 25-29%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
3305 Buckman Springs Rd.
Pine Valley, CA 91962
(619) 473-8601
Gr: 9-12 | 412 students Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 70%
Rank: #6 - 76. - 7.
Clover Flat Elementary School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
39639 Old Highway 80
Boulevard, CA 91905
(619) 766-4655
Gr: K-6 | 190 students Student-teacher ratio: 24:1 Minority enrollment: 77%
Rank: #6 - 76. - 7.
Mountain Empire Junior High School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
3305 Buckman Springs Rd.
Pine Valley, CA 91962
(619) 326-6662
Gr: 7-8 | 245 students Student-teacher ratio: 20:1 Minority enrollment: 78%
Rank: #88.
Potrero Elementary School
(Math: 6% | Reading: 15-19%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
24875 Potrero Valley Rd.
Potrero, CA 91963
(619) 478-5930
Gr: K-6 | 300 students Student-teacher ratio: 25:1 Minority enrollment: 99%
Rank: n/an/a
Cottonwood Community Day
Alternative School
3291 Buckman Springs Rd.
Pine Valley, CA 91962
(619) 473-8693
Gr: 7-12
3291 Buckman Springs Rd.
Pine Valley, CA 91962
(619) 473-9022

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools belong to Mountain Empire Unified School District?
Mountain Empire Unified School District manages 10 public schools serving 1,738 students.
What is the rank of Mountain Empire Unified School District?
Mountain Empire Unified School District is ranked #1543 out of 1,904 school districts in California (bottom 50%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2022-2023 school year.
What is the racial composition of students in Mountain Empire Unified School District?
65% of Mountain Empire Unified School District students are Hispanic, 26% of students are White, 4% of students are American Indian, 4% of students are Two or more races, and 1% of students are Black.
What is the student/teacher ratio of Mountain Empire Unified School District?
Mountain Empire Unified School District has a student/teacher ratio of 21:1, which is lower than the California state average of 22:1.
What is Mountain Empire Unified School District's spending/student ratio?
The school district's spending/student of $15,502 is less than the state median of $18,511. The school district spending/student has declined by 5% over four school years.

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 10 schools
  • Grades: K-12
  • Enrollment: 1,738 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 21:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 74%
  • : 70% (Btm 50% in CA)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 17% (Btm 50%)
  • : 29% (Btm 50%)
  • : 16% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), CA Dept. of Education

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