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Mountain Empire Junior High

Summary:

Mountain Empire Junior High is a public middle school located in Pine Valley, California, serving grades 7-8 with a total enrollment of 114 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 Junior High consistently performs significantly below the state and district averages in academic assessments, with proficiency rates of just 20.7% in English Language Arts, 8.56% in Math, and 6.92% in Science, compared to the state averages of 47.04%, 35.54%, and 30.7%, respectively. The school's performance has been declining over the years, with its statewide ranking dropping from 1111 out of 2477 California middle schools in 2014-2015 to 2530 out of 2777 in 2023-2024. Additionally, the school has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 22.2% in 2017-2018 to 49.2% in 2022-2023, which is notably higher than the state average.

The school's student population is predominantly Hispanic, with a high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, as 72.81% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch in 2022-2023. The school's performance varies significantly among different student subgroups, with White students ranking 1417 out of 1535 California middle schools, while English Language Learners rank 1187 out of 1477. However, the school's performance for students with disabilities is relatively stronger, with a ranking of 391 out of 1531 California middle schools in 2021-2022.


Detail:

Public 7-8

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

(619) 326-6662

District: Mountain Empire Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
2530th of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,501 Help


Students who attend Mountain Empire Junior High usually attend:

High:    Mountain Empire High

Feeder schools for Mountain Empire Junior High:

Elementary:    Campo Elementary
    Clover Flat Elementary
    Potrero Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  17.8 Help
Number of students:  114

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
88.6%
White:
8.8%
African American:
0.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  72.8% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Mountain Empire Junior High ranks worse than 91.1% of middle schools in California. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 13.42. (See more...)
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 Racial makeup is: Hispanic (88.6%), White (8.8%), American Indian (0.9%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 72.8% 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 Junior High is 17.8. (See more...)
Help
Compare Mountain Empire Junior High employs 6.4 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Mountain Empire Junior High is $9,501.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Mountain Empire Junior High:

SchoolDigger ranks Mountain Empire Junior High 2530th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Mountain Empire Junior High in the ranking list.)

Middle 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 Junior High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Mountain Empire Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2015 49.52 1111th 2477 55.1%
2016 40.29 1353rd 2497 45.8%
2017 32.29 1609th 2508 35.8%
2018 17.42 2091st 2480 15.7%
2019 18.01 2274th 2715 16.2%
2021 13.42 835th 894 6.6%
2022 14.79 2462nd 2740 10.1%
2023 15.01 2510th 2802 10.4%
2024 13.42 2530th 2777 8.9%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Mountain Empire Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.42 566th 1364 58.5%
2019 42.45 602nd 1442 58.3%
2021 32.59 285th 363 21.5%
2022 32.59 1111th 1540 27.9%
2023 45.92 550th 1529 64.0%
2024 30.81 1187th 1477 19.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Mountain Empire Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 20.66 1440th 1550 7.1%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 17.90 1969th 2230 11.7%
2019 16.12 2138th 2369 9.8%
2021 21.14 632nd 721 12.3%
2022 13.32 2322nd 2458 5.5%
2023 18.76 2221st 2549 12.9%
2024 14.21 2373rd 2575 7.8%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Mountain Empire Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 14.58 2017th 2262 10.8%
2019 12.56 2188th 2380 8.1%
2021 14.47 686th 738 7.0%
2022 16.70 2203rd 2509 12.2%
2023 16.29 2258th 2547 11.3%
2024 12.57 2374th 2546 6.8%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Mountain Empire Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 60.90 391st 1531 74.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Mountain Empire Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.09 1828th 2273 19.6%
2019 22.66 1883rd 2407 21.8%
2021 14.83 714th 763 6.4%
2022 15.32 2277th 2527 9.9%
2023 14.64 2328th 2558 9.0%
2024 14.73 2294th 2547 9.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Mountain Empire Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.45 1770th 2072 14.6%
2019 19.21 1908th 2213 13.8%
2022 16.45 2143rd 2359 9.2%
2023 18.01 2093rd 2391 12.5%
2024 13.04 2239th 2383 6.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Mountain Empire Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 10.08 1417th 1535 7.7%
See the entire list of Best California Middle 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 Junior 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 Junior High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2013 20 4 1 25 5 1 2 0 58
2014 27 2 1 16 7 0 1 0 54
2015 25 2 1 24 8 0 1 0 61
2016 24 0 1 16 11 0 1 0 53
2017 21 0 2 23 10 1 3 0 60
2018 27 1 1 107 5 1 4 0 146
2019 11 0 1 90 3 0 4 0 109
2020 14 4 0 100 1 0 4 0 123
2021 10 3 0 102 2 0 7 0 124
2022 9 1 0 90 3 0 4 0 107
2023 10 1 0 101 1 0 1 0 114

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 Junior High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2013 58 3.0 19.3 74.1
2014 54 3.0 18.0 64.8
2015 61 3.0 20.3 65.6
2016 53 2.0 26.5 54.7
2017 60 2.8 20.9 56.7
2018 146 6.3 22.9 77.4
2019 109 5.1 21.0 74.3
2020 123 n/a n/a 82.1
2021 124 5.2 23.8 61.3
2022 107 5.5 19.4 72
2023 114 6.4 17.8 72.8

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 Junior High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2013 58 3.0 19.3 74.1
2014 54 3.0 18.0 64.8
2015 61 3.0 20.3 65.6
2016 53 2.0 26.5 54.7
2017 60 2.8 20.9 56.7
2018 146 6.3 22.9 77.4
2019 109 5.1 21.0 74.3
2020 123 n/a n/a 82.1
2021 124 5.2 23.8 61.3
2022 107 5.5 19.4 72
2023 114 6.4 17.8 72.8

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 Junior High

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $9,501

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Mountain Empire Junior 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 2274th of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 2510th of 2802 Middle schools
 5.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Mountain Empire Junior High)21.118.5
 2.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Mountain Empire Unified)27.931.3
 3.4%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Mountain Empire Junior High)12.39.2
 3.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Mountain Empire Unified)19.914
 5.9%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Mountain Empire Junior High)27.122.5
 4.7%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Mountain Empire Unified)27.228.8
 1.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Mountain Empire Junior High)13.610.2
 3.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Mountain Empire Unified)11.111.7
 0.6%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Mountain Empire Junior High)21.712.2
 9.4%
   8th Grade Science (Mountain Empire Unified)18.312.6
 5.6%
   8th Grade Science (California)30.828.8
 2.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students109114
 4.6%
African American01
American Indian31
 66.7%
Asian10
 100%
Hispanic90101
 12.2%
Pacific Islander00
White1110
 9.1%
Two or More Races41
 75%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients74.3%72.8%
 1.5%

Schools Near Mountain Empire Junior High








Frequently Asked Questions about Mountain Empire Junior High

Students who attend Mountain Empire Junior High usually go on to attend Mountain Empire High

Mountain Empire Junior High ranks in the bottom 8.9% of California middle schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 114 students attended Mountain Empire Junior High.

Students at Mountain Empire Junior High are 89% Hispanic, 9% White.


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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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