- Enrollment
- 2,331
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
High school (grades 9-12) · El Cajon, CA
Idea Center
Federal NCES profile for Idea Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 061623013915
👥 S:T ratio 68
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 87
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Idea Center earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 97% of California schools.
- #3 of 9
- high schools in El Cajon · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 7.9:1
- small classes for California
- 36.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Idea Center has class sizes smaller than 97% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Idea Center ranks #3 of 9 high schools in El Cajon, CA.
School address
District: Grossmont Union High · California
NCES ID 061623013915 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-2 students YoY
Idea Center held near 138 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-2 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 16.8 → 2.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-2 students YoY 061623013915 · El Cajon, CA High · SMALL · TRAD
127 enr · 7.9:1 · 36.4% lunch · RII 46
Nearest enrollment peer: Granite Hills High (2,331 students)
Idea Center held near 138 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-2 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 16.8 → 2.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Idea Center in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Granite Hills
Granite Hills High
2,331 students
- Grossmont High
Grossmont High
2,172 students
- El Capitan Hig
El Capitan High
1,810 students
- Valhalla High
Valhalla High
1,728 students
- El Cajon Valle
El Cajon Valley High
1,701 students
- This school 127
Idea Center
127 students
What this shows Idea Center reports 127 students on the CCD universe file.
How Idea Center compares
Idea Center 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 | 7.9:1 | ▼ 63% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.4% | ▼ 34% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 127 | top 88% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
7.9:1
Leaner classes than 95% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
127
Bigger than 12% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
36.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% 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
7.9:1
students per teacher
- 63% below state mean
Top 3% in California - lower ratio than 97% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
84.3%
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
$18,330
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 64 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 34 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 26.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 48.0%
Hispanic or Latino 40.8%
Two or More 6.4%
African American 2.4%
Asian 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Largest group: White at 48.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.8, Idea Center is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 1
District finance for Grossmont Union High reports $18,330 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Idea Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Granite Hills High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Grossmont High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| El Capitan High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Valhalla High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| El Cajon Valley High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Idea Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,172
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,810
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,728
- Students per teacher
- 22.2:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,701
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar high schools in El Cajon
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Granite Hills High
Standard public school
2,331 students 24:1 students per teacher
Valhalla High
Standard public school
1,728 students 22.2:1 students per teacher
El Cajon Valley High
Standard public school
1,701 students 22.4:1 students per teacher
Merit Academy
Special-education school
68 students 11.3:1 students per teacher
Chaparral High
Alternative education program
45 students 6.4:1 students per teacher
Grossmont Middle College High
Alternative education program
37 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Nationwide high 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 (~127 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~7.9:1)
Frequently asked questions about Idea Center
How many students attend Idea Center?
Idea Center has 127 students enrolled. It is a high school in El Cajon, CA. CCD year-over-year: 140 (2022-23) → 138 (2023-24), nearly flat (-2).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Idea Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Idea Center is 7.9:1, which is 63% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 50% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Idea Center?
36.4% of students at Idea Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Idea Center?
The largest demographic group at Idea Center is White at 48.0% of enrollment, in El Cajon, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Idea Center?
Idea Center has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Idea Center rank among high schools in El Cajon?
By Resource Investment Index, Idea Center ranks #3 of 9 high 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 high schools in El Cajon on the city page.
What other schools are in Grossmont Union High?
Besides Idea Center, Grossmont Union High also operates Granite Hills High (2,331 students), Grossmont High (2,172 students), and El Capitan High (1,810 students). See the Grossmont Union High district page for the complete list.