Enrollment
695
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Santee, CA
Hill Creek Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Hill Creek Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063588006141
👥 S:T ratio 4
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 7
📋 Attendance 22
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hill Creek Elementary earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of California schools.
- #8 of 10
- elementary schools in Santee · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24:1
- large classes for California
- 30.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Hill Creek Elementary has class sizes larger than 71% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hill Creek Elementary ranks #8 of 10 elementary schools in Santee, CA.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.2%
vs 55.5% California avg
-46% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hill Creek Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hill Creek Elementary
Hill Creek Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Santee, California, enrolling 695 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 30.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 695 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,351 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #938.
Its student body is led by White (52%) and Hispanic or Latino (32%) (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 463 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Santee spends $13,289 per pupil, 20% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Santee's elementary schools, it stands alongside Rio Seco Elementary (913 students): Hill Creek Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (24:1 vs 23.4:1).
Santee also operates Rio Seco Elementary (913 students) and Cajon Park Elementary (830 students) alongside Hill Creek Elementary.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Hill Creek Elementary compares
Hill Creek Elementary on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 24:1 | ▲ 12% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.2% | ▼ 46% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 695 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
695
Bigger than 80% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 46% 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
24:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 71% in California - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
31.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$13,289
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 463 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 52.4%
Hispanic or Latino 31.5%
Two or More 11.2%
Asian 4.2%
African American 0.7%
Largest group: White at 52.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.2, Hill Creek Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Santee, which includes Hill Creek Elementary.
$13,289
Per student
-20%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.8%
State 54.5%
Federal 9.7%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Hill Creek Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Seco Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cajon Park Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Carlton Oaks Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pepper Drive Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chet F. Harritt Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hill Creek Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 913
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 830
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 823
- Students per teacher
- 22.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 661
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 606
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar elementary schools in Santee
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Rio Seco Elementary
Standard public school
913 students 23.4:1 students per teacher
Cajon Park Elementary
Standard public school
830 students 23.1:1 students per teacher
Carlton Oaks Elementary
Standard public school
823 students 22.2:1 students per teacher
Chet F. Harritt Elementary
Standard public school
606 students 24.2:1 students per teacher
Carlton Hills Elementary
Standard public school
601 students 23.1:1 students per teacher
Pride Academy at Prospect Avenue
Standard public school
548 students 24.9:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~695 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hill Creek Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Hill Creek Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Santee's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Hill Creek Elementary
How many students attend Hill Creek Elementary?
Hill Creek Elementary has 695 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Santee, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hill Creek Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Hill Creek Elementary is 24:1, which is 12% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 53% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hill Creek Elementary?
30.2% of students at Hill Creek Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hill Creek Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Hill Creek Elementary is White at 52.4% of enrollment, in Santee, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hill Creek Elementary?
Hill Creek Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Hill Creek Elementary rank among elementary schools in Santee?
By Resource Investment Index, Hill Creek Elementary ranks #8 of 10 elementary schools in Santee, 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 Santee on the city page.
Is Hill Creek Elementary a good school?
Hill Creek Elementary earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of California schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Santee?
Besides Hill Creek Elementary, Santee also operates Rio Seco Elementary (913 students), Cajon Park Elementary (830 students), and Carlton Oaks Elementary (823 students). See the Santee district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.