Enrollment
703
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · El Cajon, CA
Magnolia Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Magnolia Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060681000620
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Magnolia Elementary earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #12 of 24
- elementary schools in El Cajon · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 29.3:1
- large classes for California
- 76.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Magnolia Elementary has class sizes larger than 95% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Magnolia Elementary ranks #12 of 24 elementary schools in El Cajon, CA.
School address
District: Cajon Valley Union · California
NCES ID 060681000620 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
29.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+36% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
76.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
+38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Magnolia Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Magnolia Elementary
Magnolia Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in El Cajon, California, enrolling 703 students.
Class loads run heavy: 29.3:1 is larger than about 95% of California schools and 36% 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 76.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 703 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 1,884 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #843.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (44%) and White (21%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 352 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 42.0% 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): Magnolia Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (29.3:1 vs 30.8:1).
Cajon Valley Union also operates Hillsdale Middle (1,481 students) and Naranca Elementary (985 students) alongside Magnolia 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 Magnolia Elementary compares
Magnolia 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 | 29.3:1 | ▲ 36% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 76.4% | ▲ 38% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 703 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
29.3:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
703
Bigger than 80% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
76.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% 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
29.3:1
students per teacher
- 36% above state mean
Top 95% in California - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
42.0%
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 352 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 20.8%
African American 13.9%
Asian 12.1%
Two or More 7.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 44.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.3, Magnolia 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 Magnolia 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 Magnolia 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 | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Montgomery Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lexington Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Magnolia 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
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
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 (~703 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~29.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Magnolia Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Magnolia 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 Magnolia Elementary
How many students attend Magnolia Elementary?
Magnolia Elementary has 703 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in El Cajon, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Magnolia Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Magnolia Elementary is 29.3:1, which is 36% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 87% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Magnolia Elementary?
76.4% of students at Magnolia Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Magnolia Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Magnolia 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 72.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Magnolia Elementary?
Magnolia Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (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 Magnolia Elementary rank among elementary schools in El Cajon?
By Resource Investment Index, Magnolia Elementary ranks #12 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 Magnolia Elementary a good school?
Magnolia Elementary earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% 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 Magnolia 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.