- Enrollment
- 913
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Santee, CA
Santee Alternative
Federal NCES profile for Santee Alternative, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063588001222
👥 S:T ratio 78
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Santee Alternative earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of California schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in California.
- #2 of 10
- elementary schools in Santee · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 5.5:1
- small classes for California
- 36.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Santee Alternative has class sizes smaller than 99% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Santee Alternative ranks #2 of 10 elementary schools in Santee, CA.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-5 students YoY
Santee Alternative shrank from 19 students in 2022-23 to 14 in 2023-24 (-26.3%).
Teacher FTE held 2.0 → 2.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-5 students YoY 063588001222 · Santee, CA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
11 enr · 5.5:1 · 36.8% lunch · RII 49
Nearest enrollment peer: Rio Seco Elementary (913 students)
Santee Alternative shrank from 19 students in 2022-23 to 14 in 2023-24 (-26.3%). Teacher FTE held 2.0 → 2.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Santee Alternative in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Rio Seco Eleme
Rio Seco Elementary
913 students
- Cajon Park Ele
Cajon Park Elementary
830 students
- Carlton Oaks E
Carlton Oaks Elementary
823 students
- Hill Creek Ele
Hill Creek Elementary
695 students
- Pepper Drive E
Pepper Drive Elementary
661 students
- This school 11
Santee Alternative
11 students
What this shows Santee Alternative reports 11 students on the CCD universe file.
How Santee Alternative compares
Santee Alternative is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 5.5:1 | ▼ 74% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.8% | ▼ 34% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 11 | top 98% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
5.5:1
Leaner classes than 98% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
11
Bigger than 2% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
36.8%
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
5.5:1
students per teacher
- 74% below state mean
Top 1% in California - lower ratio than 99% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
81.8%
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
$14,532
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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.
Student demographics
White 54.5%
Hispanic or Latino 36.4%
Two or More 9.1%
Largest group: White at 54.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.2, Santee Alternative is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Santee reports $14,532 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Santee Alternative Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Seco Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cajon Park Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Carlton Oaks Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hill Creek Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pepper Drive Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Santee Alternative's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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
- 695
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 661
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
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
Hill Creek Elementary
Standard public school
695 students 24:1 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
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 (~11 students)
Frequently asked questions about Santee Alternative
How many students attend Santee Alternative?
Santee Alternative has 11 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Santee, CA. CCD year-over-year: 19 (2022-23) → 14 (2023-24), down 5.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Santee Alternative?
The student-teacher ratio at Santee Alternative is 5.5:1, which is 74% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 65% 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 Santee Alternative?
36.8% of students at Santee Alternative are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Santee Alternative?
The largest demographic group at Santee Alternative is White at 54.5% of enrollment, in Santee, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Santee Alternative?
Santee Alternative has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Santee Alternative rank among elementary schools in Santee?
By Resource Investment Index, Santee Alternative ranks #2 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.
What other schools are in Santee?
Besides Santee Alternative, 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.