- Enrollment
- 1,481
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · El Cajon, CA
Fuerte Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Fuerte Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060681000614
👥 S:T ratio 2
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Fuerte Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of California schools.
- #4 of 24
- elementary schools in El Cajon · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 24.5:1
- large classes for California
- 27.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Fuerte Elementary has class sizes larger than 76% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Fuerte Elementary ranks #4 of 24 elementary schools in El Cajon, CA.
School address
District: Cajon Valley Union · California
NCES ID 060681000614 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-22 students YoY
Fuerte Elementary held near 653 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-22 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 28.0 → 26.2 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-22 students YoY 060681000614 · El Cajon, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
686 enr · 24.5:1 · 27.1% lunch · RII 40
Nearest enrollment peer: Hillsdale Middle (1,481 students)
Fuerte Elementary held near 653 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-22 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 28.0 → 26.2 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Fuerte Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Hillsdale Midd
Hillsdale Middle
1,481 students
- Naranca Elemen
Naranca Elementary
985 students
- Cajon Valley M
Cajon Valley Middle
942 students
- Montgomery Mid
Montgomery Middle
929 students
- Lexington Elem
Lexington Elementary
878 students
- This school
Fuerte Elementary
686 students
What this shows Fuerte Elementary reports 686 students on the CCD universe file.
How Fuerte Elementary compares
Fuerte Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 24.5:1 | ▲ 14% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 27.1% | ▼ 51% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 686 | top 25% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.5:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
686
Bigger than 79% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
27.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
24.5:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 76% in California - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
18.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$17,631
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 343 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
8
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 64.7%
Hispanic or Latino 17.5%
Two or More 9.2%
Asian 5.2%
African American 2.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 64.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.9, Fuerte Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Cajon Valley Union reports $17,631 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Fuerte Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsdale Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Naranca Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cajon Valley Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Montgomery Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lexington Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Fuerte Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 985
- Students per teacher
- 30.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 942
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 929
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 878
- Students per teacher
- 27.4:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
Similar elementary schools in El Cajon
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Naranca Elementary
Standard public school
985 students 30.8:1 students per teacher
Lexington Elementary
Standard public school
878 students 27.4:1 students per teacher
Johnson Elementary
Standard public school
766 students 28.4:1 students per teacher
Chase Avenue Elementary
Standard public school
757 students 24.4:1 students per teacher
Flying Hills School of Arts
Standard public school
742 students 26.5:1 students per teacher
Magnolia Elementary
Standard public school
703 students 29.3:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~686 students)
Frequently asked questions about Fuerte Elementary
How many students attend Fuerte Elementary?
Fuerte Elementary has 686 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in El Cajon, CA. CCD year-over-year: 675 (2022-23) → 653 (2023-24), nearly flat (-22).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Fuerte Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Fuerte Elementary is 24.5:1, which is 14% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 56% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Fuerte Elementary?
27.1% of students at Fuerte Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Fuerte Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Fuerte Elementary is White at 64.7% of enrollment, in El Cajon, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Fuerte Elementary?
Fuerte Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Fuerte Elementary rank among elementary schools in El Cajon?
By Resource Investment Index, Fuerte Elementary ranks #4 of 24 elementary schools in El Cajon, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in El Cajon on the city page.
What other schools are in Cajon Valley Union?
Besides Fuerte Elementary, Cajon Valley Union also operates Hillsdale Middle (1,481 students), Naranca Elementary (985 students), and Cajon Valley Middle (942 students). See the Cajon Valley Union district page for the complete list.