Enrollment
766
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · El Cajon, CA
Johnson Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Johnson Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 18/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060681000617
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Johnson Elementary earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #20 of 24
- elementary schools in El Cajon · Resource Index
- 18
- Resource Index · Lower
- 28.4:1
- large classes for California
- 82.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Johnson Elementary has class sizes larger than 94% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Johnson Elementary ranks #20 of 24 elementary schools in El Cajon, CA.
School address
District: Cajon Valley Union · California
NCES ID 060681000617 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
28.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+32% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
82.5%
vs 55.5% California avg
+49% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Johnson Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Johnson Elementary
Johnson Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in El Cajon, California, enrolling 766 students.
Class loads run heavy: 28.4:1 is larger than about 94% of California schools and 32% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 82.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 766 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.
Among 1,522 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,138, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (44%) and White (24%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 766 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 51.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among El Cajon's elementary schools, it stands alongside Naranca Elementary (985 students): Johnson Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (28.4:1 vs 30.8:1).
Cajon Valley Union also operates Hillsdale Middle (1,481 students) and Naranca Elementary (985 students) alongside Johnson 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 Johnson Elementary compares
Johnson 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 | 28.4:1 | ▲ 32% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 82.5% | ▲ 49% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 766 | top 19% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
28.4:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
766
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
82.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 49% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
28.4:1
students per teacher
- 32% above state mean
Top 94% in California - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
51.8%
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
$17,179
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 766 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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
Hispanic or Latino 44.0%
White 23.5%
Asian 17.1%
African American 12.5%
Two or More 2.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 44.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.6, Johnson Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cajon Valley Union, which includes Johnson Elementary.
$17,179
Per student
+4%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.3%
State 58.5%
Federal 13.2%
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 Johnson Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsdale Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Naranca Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cajon Valley Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Montgomery Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lexington Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Johnson Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,481
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- 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
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
Anza Elementary
Standard public school
687 students 28.6:1 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 (~766 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~28.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Johnson Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Johnson Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Cajon Valley Union'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 Johnson Elementary
How many students attend Johnson Elementary?
Johnson Elementary has 766 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in El Cajon, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Johnson Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Johnson Elementary is 28.4:1, which is 32% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 81% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Johnson Elementary?
82.5% of students at Johnson Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Johnson Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Johnson Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 44.0% of enrollment, in El Cajon, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Johnson Elementary?
Johnson Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 18/100 (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 Johnson Elementary rank among elementary schools in El Cajon?
By Resource Investment Index, Johnson Elementary ranks #20 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.
Is Johnson Elementary a good school?
Johnson Elementary earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Cajon Valley Union?
Besides Johnson 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.
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.