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Below Average

#8253 of 9,539 schools in CA

Pepper Drive Elementary

Elementary School · Santee · EL Cajon, CA

A Santee elementary school serving grades Kindergarten – 8th.

1935 Marlinda Way, EL Cajon, CA 92020

  • Math 36% vs CA 37% (2024)
  • Reading 53% vs CA 46% (2024)
  • 25.2:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress3.2Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-2.29 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics7.0Very Good30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency35.8% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency53% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-9.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+10.2 pts
Overall Proficiency44% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)46% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-1.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile56th
Resources & Environment2.8Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio25.2:1
District spending per student$14,555
Chronic Absenteeism28.1%

Students at Pepper Drive Elementary score 44% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 46%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency36%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
37%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency53%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
46%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 27 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 44% recently.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
71%
ELA
71%
2010
Math
69%
ELA
66%
2011
Math
75%
ELA
75%
2012
Math
73%
ELA
69%
2014
Math
46%
ELA
56%
2015
Math
52%
ELA
55%
2016
Math
44%
ELA
49%
2017
Math
47%
ELA
51%
2018
Math
44%
ELA
48%
2019
Math
44%
ELA
48%
2020*
Math
46%
ELA
49%
2021*
Math
46%
ELA
49%
2022
Math
38%
ELA
39%
2024
Math
36%
ELA
53%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 47% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 55% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

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

Based on 40 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

50.5%

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 Pepper Drive Elementary 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 20Car-Dependent
  • Bike 25Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High1,952/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (EL Cajon), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

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

Median income

$72,822

Median home value

$741,600

Median rent

$1,793/mo

College educated

26%

Homeownership

43.1%

Poverty rate

16.6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 92020; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Magnolia ElementaryEnrollment path unverified2.0K–50.9 mi650Compare →
W. D. Hall ElementaryEnrollment path unverified3.1K–51.4 mi542Compare →
Winter Gardens ElementaryEnrollment path unverified3.5K–11.4 mi298Compare →
Carlton Hills ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.6K–8Not available576Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Santee

Schools in district
11
Rank in district
#9 of 9
District spending per student
$14,555NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
7.9%Census SAIPE · 2024

Pepper Drive Elementary is listed in Santee; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Pepper Drive Elementary

Pepper Drive Elementary is a public elementary school in EL Cajon, CA, part of Santee, serving approximately 655 students in grades Kindergarten-8th with a 25.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.3 out of 10 and ranks #8,253 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 47% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 55% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Pepper Drive Elementary

What grades does Pepper Drive Elementary serve?

Pepper Drive Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 8th.

How many students attend Pepper Drive Elementary?

Pepper Drive Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 655 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Pepper Drive Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Pepper Drive Elementary is 25.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Pepper Drive Elementary rank in CA?

Pepper Drive Elementary ranks #8,253 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Pepper Drive Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Pepper Drive Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.3 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 Pepper Drive Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Pepper Drive Elementary has 47% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 55% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Pepper Drive Elementary a charter school?

No, Pepper Drive Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Pepper Drive Elementary a Title I school?

No, Pepper Drive Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Pepper Drive Elementary?

50.5% of students at Pepper Drive Elementary 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
Kindergarten – 8th
Enrollment
655
Student-Teacher Ratio
25.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
26
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
San Diego County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
28.1%
Area population (ZIP 92020)
58,490
Area average commute
24.6 min
Area median age
36.3
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 92020; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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