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Needs Improvement

#9381 of 9,539 schools in CA

Mountain Empire Junior High

Middle School · Mountain Empire Unified · Pine Valley, CA

A Mountain Empire Unified middle school where students score 24 points below what's typical for similar communities.

3305 Buckman Springs Rd., Pine Valley, CA 91962

  • Math 9% vs CA 34% (2024)
  • Reading 21% vs CA 47% (2024)
  • 27.1:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.0Needs Improvement40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data11
Annual Change-2.97 pts/yr
Data Period2012–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics2.4Needs Improvement35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency8.6% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency20.7% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-25.3 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-26.6 pts
Overall Proficiency15% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)39% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-24.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile7th
Resources & Environment4.5Below Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio27.1:1
District spending per student$18,531
Chronic Absenteeism20.1%

Students at Mountain Empire Junior High score 15% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 39%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency9%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
34%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency21%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
47%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 35 points across the 13-year record (2012–2024) and has held near 15% recently.

Show all 11 years
2012
Math
45%
ELA
55%
2014
Math
45%
ELA
35%
2015
Math
25%
ELA
35%
2016
Math
15%
ELA
45%
2017
Math
12%
ELA
27%
2018
Math
12%
ELA
22%
2019
Math
12%
ELA
22%
2020*
Math
3%
ELA
27%
2021*
Math
3%
ELA
27%
2022
Math
5%
ELA
20%
2024
Math
9%
ELA
21%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 15% (multi-year average, 2012-2024) · reading/ELA 29% (multi-year average, 2012-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 26 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

62.8%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Mountain Empire Junior High sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the San Diego map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 5Car-Dependent
  • Bike 24Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Low114/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$140,270

Median home value

$496,800

Median rent

$2,222/mo

College educated

41%

Homeownership

92.6%

Poverty rate

7.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 91962; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

0 from verified nearby records

No verified same-level alternatives

The available nearby set has no same-level school with a verified grade span.

Mountain Empire Unified

Schools in district
10
Rank in district
#7 of 7
District spending per student
$18,531NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
12.3%Census SAIPE · 2024

Mountain Empire Junior High is listed in Mountain Empire Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Mountain Empire Junior High

Mountain Empire Junior High is a public middle school in Pine Valley, CA, part of Mountain Empire Unified, serving approximately 298 students in grades 7th-8th with a 27.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 2.8 out of 10 and ranks #9,381 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 15% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2012-2024) and 29% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2012-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Mountain Empire Junior High

What grades does Mountain Empire Junior High serve?

Mountain Empire Junior High serves students in grades 7th through 8th.

How many students attend Mountain Empire Junior High?

Mountain Empire Junior High has an enrollment of approximately 298 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Mountain Empire Junior High?

The student-teacher ratio at Mountain Empire Junior High is 27.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Mountain Empire Junior High rank in CA?

Mountain Empire Junior High ranks #9,381 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Mountain Empire Junior High's MySchoolScout rating?

Mountain Empire Junior High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 2.8 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Mountain Empire Junior High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Mountain Empire Junior High has 15% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2012-2024) and 29% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2012-2024).

Is Mountain Empire Junior High a charter school?

No, Mountain Empire Junior High is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Mountain Empire Junior High a Title I school?

No, Mountain Empire Junior High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Mountain Empire Junior High?

62.8% of students at Mountain Empire Junior High qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
7th – 8th
Enrollment
298
Student-Teacher Ratio
27.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
11
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Rural
County
San Diego County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
20.1%
Area population (ZIP 91962)
2,457
Area median age
57.6
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 91962; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2012-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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