Santee

Santee, California — 11 schools

6,151
Total Enrollment
11
Schools
$14,439
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Santee operates 11 public schools serving 6,151 students, placing it among the smaller districts in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 11 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 6,066 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 $14,439 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 35.8% local, 54.5% state, and 9.7% 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 $82,299 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 38/100, ranked #1094 of 1547 in California against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

a 501.7:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 40.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 49.2% White, 33.1% Hispanic or Latino, 4.3% Asian across the district's schools.

Rio Seco Elementary accounts for 15.1% of all Santee student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Santee-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: elementary. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

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

Santee school enrollment varies 183× across entities

Santee school enrollment ranges from 5 students (lowest) to 913 students (highest), a spread of 908 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity — the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. 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

Santee student-counselor ratio is 502:1 — 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

Santee chronic absenteeism rate is 40.8% — 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?

9.7%
Federal
54.5%
State
35.8%
Local

Funding Equity

38
Equity Score
1094 / 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

$82,299
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 11 schools in Santee.

White 49.2%
Hispanic or Latino 33.1%
African American 1.4%
Asian 4.3%
Multiracial 11.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

501.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
40.8%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Santee

School Enrollment
Rio Seco Elementary
913
Cajon Park Elementary
830
Carlton Oaks Elementary
823
Hill Creek Elementary
695
Pepper Drive Elementary
661
Chet F. Harritt Elementary
606
Carlton Hills Elementary
601
Pride Academy at Prospect Avenue
548
Sycamore Canyon Elementary
373
Santee Alternative
11
Santee Success Program
5

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 Santee →
San Diego Unified
93,893 students · 175 schools · $26,901/pupil
Compare vs Santee →
Fresno Unified
69,668 students · 101 schools · $20,737/pupil
Compare vs Santee →
Long Beach Unified
65,554 students · 84 schools · $19,558/pupil
Compare vs Santee →
Elk Grove Unified
62,061 students · 67 schools · $16,975/pupil
Compare vs Santee →

Compare Santee

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 Santee?

Santee has 11 schools, including 11 elementary. Total enrollment is 6,151 students.

How much does Santee spend per student?

Santee spends $14,439 per student. The district has an equity score of 38/100, ranking #1094 in California.

What is the average teacher salary in Santee?

The average teacher salary in Santee is $82,299 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Santee?

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 Santee?

Santee students are 49.2% White, 33.1% Hispanic or Latino, 4.3% Asian, 1.4% African American, averaged across 11 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Santee?

Santee has an equity score of 38/100, ranking #1094 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

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