La Mesa-Spring Valley

La Mesa, California — 22 schools

10,745
Total Enrollment
22
Schools
$16,211
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

La Mesa-Spring Valley operates 22 public schools serving 10,745 students, placing it in the mid-size range in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 20 elementary, 2 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 10,560 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in San Diego County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $16,211 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 30.8% local, 50.7% state, and 18.5% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $85,766 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 37/100, ranked #1118 of 1547 in California against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

a 697.8:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 42.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 54.0% Hispanic or Latino, 22.8% White, 7.9% African American across the district's schools.

La Mesa-Spring Valley school enrollment varies 8.8× across entities

La Mesa-Spring Valley school enrollment ranges from 121 students (lowest) to 1,059 students (highest), a spread of 938 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

La Mesa-Spring Valley has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 52.8% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

La Mesa-Spring Valley student-counselor ratio is 698:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment — districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

La Mesa-Spring Valley chronic absenteeism rate is 42.3% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason — illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

18.5%
Federal
50.7%
State
30.8%
Local

Funding Equity

37
Equity Score
1118 / 1547
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in San Diego County county, where this district is located.

$2,288
Studio/mo
$2,459
1 BR/mo
$3,001
2 BR/mo
$3,998
3 BR/mo
$4,845
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$85,766
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 22 schools in La Mesa-Spring Valley.

White 22.8%
Hispanic or Latino 54.0%
African American 7.9%
Asian 5.3%
Multiracial 9.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

697.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
42.3%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in La Mesa-Spring Valley

School Enrollment
La Mesa Arts Academy
1,059
Parkway Sports and Health Science Academy
897
Sci Tech Engr Arts and Math Acad at La Presa
800
Murdock Elementary
608
Spring Valley Academy
597
Fletcher Hills Elementary
540
Murray Manor Elementary
530
Lemon Avenue Elementary
502
Kempton Street Literacy Academy
480
La Mesa Dale Elementary
460
Maryland Avenue Elementary
451
Northmont Elementary
422
Bancroft Elementary
391
Sweetwater Springs Elementary
378
Rolando Elementary
371
Highlands Elementary
357
La Presa Elementary
346
Rancho Elementary
324
Casa De Oro Elementary
320
Loma Elementary
315
Avondale Elementary
291
Trust Blended Learning
121

Nearby Districts in California

Top districts in the same state — compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Los Angeles Unified
427,795 students · 785 schools · $25,877/pupil
Compare vs La Mesa-Spring Valley →
San Diego Unified
93,893 students · 175 schools · $26,901/pupil
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Fresno Unified
69,668 students · 101 schools · $20,737/pupil
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Long Beach Unified
65,554 students · 84 schools · $19,558/pupil
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Elk Grove Unified
62,061 students · 67 schools · $16,975/pupil
Compare vs La Mesa-Spring Valley →

Compare La Mesa-Spring Valley

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Los Angeles Unified →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in La Mesa-Spring Valley?

La Mesa-Spring Valley has 22 schools, including 20 elementary, 2 middle. Total enrollment is 10,745 students.

How much does La Mesa-Spring Valley spend per student?

La Mesa-Spring Valley spends $16,211 per student. The district has an equity score of 37/100, ranking #1118 in California.

What is the average teacher salary in La Mesa-Spring Valley?

The average teacher salary in La Mesa-Spring Valley is $85,766 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near La Mesa-Spring Valley?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in San Diego County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of La Mesa-Spring Valley?

La Mesa-Spring Valley students are 54.0% Hispanic or Latino, 22.8% White, 7.9% African American, 5.3% Asian, averaged across 22 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for La Mesa-Spring Valley?

La Mesa-Spring Valley has an equity score of 37/100, ranking #1118 out of 1547 districts in California. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

Coverage

50 states + DC

Full national footprint

Update cadence

Quarterly

Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

Source agency

Federal

Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation

Page reliability score 94.0%
Industry baseline

Composite score weighing source authority, update freshness, and methodological transparency. 1.0 = full federal-source coverage with documented methodology and recent update.