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Mountain Empire High

Summary:

Mountain Empire High is a public high school located in Pine Valley, California, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 433 students. The school is part of the Mountain Empire Unified School District, which is ranked 1327 out of 1568 districts in California and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Mountain Empire High has maintained high four-year graduation rates, ranging from 96.8% to 98.9% over the past five years, which are significantly higher than the district and state averages. The school's dropout rates have also been relatively low, ranging from 0.0% to 3.2% over the same period, which is better than the district and state averages. However, the school has struggled with high chronic absenteeism rates, reaching as high as 54.2% in the 2022-2023 school year, which is significantly higher than the district and state averages. The school's performance on standardized tests, such as the Smarter Balanced Assessments and the California Science Test (CAST), has been below the district and state averages in both English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics.

Interestingly, the two nearby schools, Sunrise High (Continuation) and Hillside Junior/Senior High, both within the same Mountain Empire Unified School District, have significantly lower performance metrics than Mountain Empire High. Additionally, Mountain Empire High's statewide ranking has declined over the past several years, from 978 out of 2017 California high schools in 2017-2018 to 1342 out of 2323 in 2023-2024, suggesting that the school's performance may be declining relative to other schools in the state. The school's relatively high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 48.04% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch in the 2022-2023 school year, may be a contributing factor to the school's lower academic performance compared to the state average.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 3305 Buckman Springs Rd.
       Pine Valley, CA  91962-4005

(619) 473-8601

District: Mountain Empire Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
1342nd of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,673 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  19.8 Help
Number of students:  433

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
61.4%
White:
27.7%
American Indian:
3.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  48% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Mountain Empire High ranks worse than 57.8% of high schools in California. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 32.84. (See more...)
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The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Mountain Empire High freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Mountain Empire High has the largest high school student body size in the Mountain Empire Unified School District. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (61.4%), White (27.7%), American Indian (3.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 48% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Mountain Empire High is 19.8. 2 high schools in the Mountain Empire Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Mountain Empire High employs 21.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Mountain Empire High is $11,673, which is the 2nd highest among 2 high schools in the Mountain Empire Unified School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Mountain Empire High:

SchoolDigger ranks Mountain Empire High 1342nd of 2323 California public high schools. (See Mountain Empire High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Mountain Empire Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Mountain Empire Unified 1327th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Mountain Empire High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Mountain Empire High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 34.34 822nd 1653 50.3%
2005 49.94 590th 1901 69.0%
2006 47.30 686th 1968 65.1%
2007 42.39 811th 2063 60.7%
2008 36.23 1012th 2117 52.2%
2009 32.11 1294th 2238 42.2%
2010 29.05 1299th 2281 43.1%
2011 32.93 1231st 2367 48.0%
2012 31.90 1257th 2354 46.6%
2013 34.14 1207th 2426 50.2%
2015 39.60 1186th 1994 40.5%
2016 39.99 1197th 2039 41.3%
2017 44.31 1144th 2021 43.4%
2018 51.79 978th 2017 51.5%
2019 38.11 1257th 2133 41.1%
2021 31.21 878th 1290 31.9%
2022 30.40 1422nd 2123 33.0%
2023 29.05 1446th 2348 38.4%
2024 32.84 1342nd 2323 42.2%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Mountain Empire High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.40 739th 938 21.2%
2019 32.21 687th 941 27.0%
2021 31.14 330th 467 29.3%
2022 52.62 292nd 1044 72.0%
2023 54.17 207th 1323 84.4%
2024 24.88 1050th 1350 22.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Mountain Empire High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 40.46 684th 1547 55.8%
2024 52.90 446th 1534 70.9%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Mountain Empire High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.91 897th 1862 51.8%
2019 39.69 1170th 1937 39.6%
2021 29.39 831st 1126 26.2%
2022 29.22 1378th 1943 29.1%
2023 31.53 1375th 2247 38.8%
2024 36.59 1246th 2235 44.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Mountain Empire High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.87 877th 1760 50.2%
2019 49.63 858th 1833 53.2%
2021 22.61 847th 1054 19.6%
2022 30.53 1260th 1858 32.2%
2023 28.48 1367th 2118 35.5%
2024 39.50 1090th 2098 48.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Mountain Empire High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 66.02 230th 1117 79.4%
2022 35.93 662nd 1161 43.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Mountain Empire High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.47 966th 1834 47.3%
2019 28.95 1297th 1880 31.0%
2021 34.62 737th 1122 34.3%
2022 27.08 1356th 1916 29.2%
2023 27.20 1416th 2207 35.8%
2024 25.57 1447th 2172 33.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Mountain Empire High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.12 933rd 1742 46.4%
2019 36.65 1156th 1814 36.3%
2022 28.97 1338th 1861 28.1%
2023 25.95 1465th 2142 31.6%
2024 29.40 1383rd 2125 34.9%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Mountain Empire High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.14 615th 1173 47.6%
2019 37.35 791st 1222 35.3%
2022 26.37 896th 1204 25.6%
2023 23.47 1038th 1434 27.6%
2024 36.12 816th 1406 42.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Mountain Empire High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Mountain Empire High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 349 3 6 95 8 n/a n/a 0 461
1989 337 4 6 125 12 n/a n/a 0 484
1990 329 5 7 152 12 n/a n/a 0 505
1991 328 5 8 164 9 n/a n/a 0 514
1992 345 3 16 166 12 n/a n/a 0 542
1993 357 5 12 205 15 n/a n/a 0 594
1994 352 4 9 170 22 n/a n/a 0 557
1995 319 2 5 104 14 n/a n/a 0 444
1996 319 2 5 104 14 n/a n/a 0 444
1997 308 3 6 101 23 n/a n/a 0 441
1998 304 4 3 122 20 n/a n/a 0 453
1999 298 3 3 135 31 n/a n/a 0 470
2000 304 4 3 129 24 n/a n/a 0 464
2001 318 4 4 120 21 n/a n/a 2 469
2002 316 11 8 116 31 n/a n/a 2 484
2003 316 11 8 116 31 n/a n/a 2 484
2004 320 6 7 124 28 n/a n/a 2 487
2005 281 7 13 140 35 n/a n/a 0 476
2006 271 4 14 156 33 n/a n/a 0 478
2007 257 7 17 168 24 n/a n/a 1 474
2008 238 9 14 189 28 n/a n/a 0 478
2009 213 13 10 182 27 3 5 0 453
2010 208 12 8 190 27 3 1 0 449
2011 198 9 3 176 12 3 6 0 407
2012 202 9 2 195 17 2 7 0 434
2013 186 10 1 194 16 2 7 0 416
2014 172 10 2 181 13 5 9 0 392
2015 166 11 4 183 11 4 13 0 392
2016 146 11 3 197 17 4 6 0 384
2017 124 8 1 201 10 3 4 0 351
2018 134 5 3 213 19 0 15 0 389
2019 133 5 6 218 17 1 10 0 390
2020 127 5 6 244 25 0 14 0 421
2021 121 8 7 261 22 0 13 0 432
2022 124 10 4 264 15 1 8 0 426
2023 120 13 3 266 15 1 15 0 433

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Mountain Empire High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 461 24.7 18.6 n/a
1989 484 25.1 19.2 n/a
1990 505 26.6 18.9 n/a
1991 514 25.2 20.3 n/a
1992 542 25.6 21.1 34.5
1993 594 24.8 24.0 38.6
1994 557 26.3 21.2 34.5
1995 444 20.7 21.4 46.4
1996 444 20.7 21.4 46.4
1997 441 20.0 22.1 46.9
1998 453 21.0 21.6 44.4
1999 470 22.6 20.8 47.9
2000 464 20.4 22.7 49.6
2001 469 21.6 21.7 43.7
2002 484 22.2 21.8 38.4
2003 484 22.2 21.8 38.4
2004 487 22.5 21.6 47.8
2005 476 24.6 19.3 43.9
2006 478 24.7 19.4 45.2
2007 474 24.7 19.2 45
2008 478 27.3 17.5 54.2
2009 453 24.7 16.3 71.3
2010 449 22.3 20.1 66.6
2011 407 n/a n/a 70.5
2012 434 25.4 17.0 n/a
2013 416 26.0 16.0 45.9
2014 392 27.4 14.3 61.5
2015 392 27.0 14.5 54.3
2016 384 25.0 15.3 63.3
2017 351 23.0 15.2 68.1
2018 389 22.2 17.4 67.1
2019 390 23.2 16.7 55.4
2020 421 n/a n/a 64.8
2021 432 21.6 19.9 53.7
2022 426 20.1 21.1 51.9
2023 433 21.7 19.8 48

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Mountain Empire High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 461 24.7 18.6 n/a
1989 484 25.1 19.2 n/a
1990 505 26.6 18.9 n/a
1991 514 25.2 20.3 n/a
1992 542 25.6 21.1 34.5
1993 594 24.8 24.0 38.6
1994 557 26.3 21.2 34.5
1995 444 20.7 21.4 46.4
1996 444 20.7 21.4 46.4
1997 441 20.0 22.1 46.9
1998 453 21.0 21.6 44.4
1999 470 22.6 20.8 47.9
2000 464 20.4 22.7 49.6
2001 469 21.6 21.7 43.7
2002 484 22.2 21.8 38.4
2003 484 22.2 21.8 38.4
2004 487 22.5 21.6 47.8
2005 476 24.6 19.3 43.9
2006 478 24.7 19.4 45.2
2007 474 24.7 19.2 45
2008 478 27.3 17.5 54.2
2009 453 24.7 16.3 71.3
2010 449 22.3 20.1 66.6
2011 407 n/a n/a 70.5
2012 434 25.4 17.0 n/a
2013 416 26.0 16.0 45.9
2014 392 27.4 14.3 61.5
2015 392 27.0 14.5 54.3
2016 384 25.0 15.3 63.3
2017 351 23.0 15.2 68.1
2018 389 22.2 17.4 67.1
2019 390 23.2 16.7 55.4
2020 421 n/a n/a 64.8
2021 432 21.6 19.9 53.7
2022 426 20.1 21.1 51.9
2023 433 21.7 19.8 48

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Mountain Empire High

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $11,673

Data source: California Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Mountain Empire High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Ranks 1257th of 2133 High schoolsRanks 1446th of 2348 High schools
 2.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Mountain Empire High)43.234.1
 9.1%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Mountain Empire Unified)42.928.7
 14.2%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Mountain Empire High)15.813.2
 2.6%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Mountain Empire Unified)14.411.3
 3.1%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
12th Grade Science (Mountain Empire High)10.513.4
 2.9%
   12th Grade Science (Mountain Empire Unified)8.311.7
 3.4%
   12th Grade Science (California)25.626.9
 1.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students390433
 11%
African American513
 160%
American Indian1715
 11.8%
Asian63
 50%
Hispanic218266
 22%
Pacific Islander11
White133120
 9.8%
Two or More Races1015
 50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients55.4%48%
 7.3%

Schools Near Mountain Empire High








Frequently Asked Questions about Mountain Empire High

Students at Mountain Empire High are 61% Hispanic, 28% White, 3% American Indian, 3% Two or more races, 3% African American.

Mountain Empire High ranks 1342nd of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 433 students attended Mountain Empire High.

Mountain Empire High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Campo Elementary
Elementary : Clover Flat Elementary
Elementary : Descanso Elementary
Elementary : Potrero Elementary
Middle : Mountain Empire Junior High


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.




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