Mountain Empire Unified School District

3305 Buckman Springs Rd.
Pine Valley, CA 91962-4003
(District boundaries shown in map)
2/
10
Bottom 50%
For the 2025 school year, there are 10 public schools serving 1,867 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 17% (versus the California public school average of 33%), and reading proficiency score of 28% (versus the 47% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 73% 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
10,369 Schools
# Students
1,867 Students
5,826,838 Students
# Teachers
86 Teachers
268,018 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
22:1
22:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Mountain Empire Unified School District, which is ranked #1592 of all 1,925 school districts in California (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 90-94% has increased from 80-84% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (CA)
#1589 out of 1941 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
15%
33%
29%
47%
16%
29%
90-94%
87%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.53
0.63
% American Indian
4%
1%
% Asian
n/a
12%
% Hispanic
63%
56%
% Black
1%
5%
% White
27%
20%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
5%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $18,334 in this school district is less than the state median of $19,974. The school district revenue/student has declined by 10% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $14,431 is less than the state median of $18,396. The school district spending/student has declined by 10% 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
$18,334
$19,974
Spending / Student
$14,431
$18,396

Best Mountain Empire Unified School District Public Schools (2025)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
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
Grades: 9-12
| 17 students
Rank: #22.
Descanso Elementary School
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
24842 Viejas Blvd.
Descanso, CA 91916
(619) 445-2126
Grades: K-6
| 214 students
Rank: #33.
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
Grades: 7-12
| 41 students
Rank: #44.
Clover Flat Elementary School
(Math: 20-24% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
39639 Old Highway 80
Boulevard, CA 91905
(619) 766-4655
Grades: K-6
| 192 students
Rank: #55.
Campo Elementary School
(Math: 14% | Reading: 31%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
1654 Buckman Springs Rd.
Campo, CA 91906
(619) 478-5583
Grades: K-6
| 394 students
Rank: #66.
Mountain Empire High School
(Math: 6-9% | Reading: 25-29%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
3305 Buckman Springs Rd.
Pine Valley, CA 91962
(619) 473-8601
Grades: 9-12
| 422 students
Rank: #77.
Potrero Elementary School
(Math: 14% | Reading: 15-19%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
24875 Potrero Valley Rd.
Potrero, CA 91963
(619) 478-5930
Grades: K-6
| 289 students
Rank: #88.
Mountain Empire Junior High School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
3305 Buckman Springs Rd.
Pine Valley, CA 91962
(619) 326-6662
Grades: 7-8
| 298 students
Rank: n/an/a
Cottonwood Community Day
Alternative School
3291 Buckman Springs Rd.
Pine Valley, CA 91962
(619) 473-9022
Grades: 7-12
| n/a students
3291 Buckman Springs Rd.
Pine Valley, CA 91962
(619) 473-9022
Grades: n/a
| n/a students

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools belong to Mountain Empire Unified School District?
Mountain Empire Unified School District manages 10 public schools serving 1,867 students.
What is the rank of Mountain Empire Unified School District?
Mountain Empire Unified School District is ranked #1592 out of 1,925 school districts in California (bottom 50%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2021-2022 school year.
What is the racial composition of students in Mountain Empire Unified School District?
63% of Mountain Empire Unified School District students are Hispanic, 27% of students are White, 5% of students are Two or more races, 4% of students are American Indian, 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 22:1, which is equal to 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 $14,431 is less than the state median of $18,396. The school district spending/student has declined by 10% over four school years.

Recent Articles

Texas Schools: The Voucher/School Choice Debate
Texas Schools: The Voucher/School Choice Debate
The issue of school choice and a voucher system is currently being revisited in Houston and across the state of Texas, with strong opinions on both sides of the debate.
Fuel Up to Play 60 Focuses on Integrating Fitness and Wellness into the School Day
Fuel Up to Play 60 Focuses on Integrating Fitness and Wellness into the School Day
What if NFL players came to your school? With the Fuel Up to Play 60 program, sponsored by the National Dairy Council and the NFL, nutrition and exercise are promoted during the school day. NFL players participate in the program by coming to schools and talking to students about fitness. Learn more about the program and some of the schools that are implementing it.
What Parents Need to Know About Lunch Shaming
What Parents Need to Know About Lunch Shaming
Students all over the nation go hungry every day not because their schools don’t offer lunch, but because they refuse them to children with outstanding debts. Read on to learn about the horror that is lunch shaming and what can be done about it.

Quick Stats (2025)

  • District size: 10 schools
  • Grades: KG-12
  • Enrollment: 1,867 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 22:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 73%
  • : 90-94% (Top 30% in CA)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 15% (Btm 50%)
  • : 29% (Btm 50%)
  • : 16% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), CA Dept. of Education

Quick Links