Public schools in El Cajon, CA
43 open public schools with an address in El Cajon, operated by 12 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
43
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
28,054
41 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
23.4:1
California median 21.6:1
Charter schools
7
4 magnet · 1 virtual
An overview of El Cajon public schools
The federal directory lists 43 public schools in El Cajon, CA: 24 elementary, 6 middle, 9 high, 4 combined or other. The 41 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 28,054 students, an average of 684 per school. The largest campus is Granite Hills High (2,331 students), and the largest elementary school is Naranca Elementary (985).
Cajon Valley Union operates the most schools here (25), and 5 regular districts have at least one El Cajon campus, plus 7 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 23.4:1, higher than the statewide school median of 21.6:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 7 charter schools, 4 magnet schools, 1 virtual school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 11 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 5 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 5 of 11 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 76% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving El Cajon
Cajon Valley Union
Public school district
25 schools in El Cajon · 26 total
Grossmont Union High
Public school district
8 schools in El Cajon · 14 total
Altus Schools East County District
Independent charter agency
1 school in El Cajon
Bostonia Global District
Independent charter agency
1 school in El Cajon
Dehesa Elementary
Public school district
1 school in El Cajon
EJE Elementary Academy Charter District
Independent charter agency
1 school in El Cajon
EJE Middle Academy District
Independent charter agency
1 school in El Cajon
Kidinnu Academy District
Independent charter agency
1 school in El Cajon
La Mesa-Spring Valley
Public school district
1 school in El Cajon · 21 total
Literacy First Charter District
Independent charter agency
1 school in El Cajon
Method Summit Academy District
Independent charter agency
1 school in El Cajon
Santee
Public school district
1 school in El Cajon · 11 total
Elementary schools in El Cajon
24| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anza Elementary Cajon Valley Union | KG–06 | 687 | 25:1 | |
| Blossom Valley Elementary Cajon Valley Union | KG–05 | 533 | 23.7:1 | |
| Cajon Valley Home Cajon Valley Union · Virtual · Alternative School | KG–08 | 117 | 17.2:1 | |
| Chase Avenue Elementary Cajon Valley Union | KG–06 | 757 | 24.4:1 | |
| Crest Elementary Cajon Valley Union · Magnet | KG–08 | 271 | 22.6:1 | |
| Dehesa Elementary Dehesa Elementary | KG–08 | 399 | 14.5:1 | |
| EJE Elementary Academy Charter EJE Elementary Academy Charter District · Charter | KG–05 | 582 | 23.3:1 | |
| Empower Cajon Valley Union · Special Education School | KG–08 | 21 | 7:1 | |
| Fletcher Hills Elementary La Mesa-Spring Valley | KG–05 | 540 | 25.7:1 | |
| Flying Hills School of Arts Cajon Valley Union · Magnet | KG–08 | 742 | 28:1 | |
| Fuerte Elementary Cajon Valley Union | KG–05 | 686 | 25.7:1 | |
| Jamacha Elementary Cajon Valley Union | KG–05 | 415 | 22.9:1 | |
| Johnson Elementary Cajon Valley Union | KG–05 | 766 | 24.7:1 | |
| Kidinnu Academy Kidinnu Academy District · Charter | KG–08 | 433 | 25.5:1 | |
| Lexington Elementary Cajon Valley Union | KG–05 | 878 | 25.3:1 | |
| Madison Avenue Elementary Cajon Valley Union | KG–05 | 670 | 24.5:1 | |
| Magnolia Elementary Cajon Valley Union | KG–05 | 703 | 26.3:1 | |
| Meridian Elementary Cajon Valley Union | KG–05 | 570 | 23.4:1 | |
| Naranca Elementary Cajon Valley Union | KG–06 | 985 | 27.4:1 | |
| Pepper Drive Elementary Santee | KG–08 | 661 | 24.6:1 | |
| Rancho San Diego Elementary Cajon Valley Union | KG–05 | 533 | 25.2:1 | |
| Rios Elementary Cajon Valley Union · Magnet | KG–05 | 255 | 21.3:1 | |
| Vista Grande Elementary Cajon Valley Union | KG–05 | 633 | 25.2:1 | |
| W. D. Hall Elementary Cajon Valley Union | KG–05 | 579 | 25:1 |
Middle schools in El Cajon
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cajon Valley Middle Cajon Valley Union | 06–08 | 942 | 20.2:1 | |
| EJE Middle Academy EJE Middle Academy District · Charter | 06–08 | 254 | 16.8:1 | |
| Greenfield Middle Cajon Valley Union | 06–08 | 730 | 22.7:1 | |
| Hillsdale Middle Cajon Valley Union | 06–08 | 1,481 | 22.1:1 | |
| Los Coches Creek Middle Cajon Valley Union | 06–08 | 518 | 19.5:1 | |
| Montgomery Middle Cajon Valley Union · Magnet | 06–08 | 929 | 22.1:1 |
High schools in El Cajon
9| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altus Schools East County Altus Schools East County District · Charter | 07–12 | 287 | 35.3:1 | |
| Chaparral High Grossmont Union High · Alternative School | 09–12 | 45 | 7.2:1 | |
| El Cajon Valley High Grossmont Union High | 09–12 | 1,701 | 20.8:1 | |
| Elite Academy Grossmont Union High · Special Education School | 09–12 | 34 | 10.8:1 | |
| Granite Hills High Grossmont Union High | 09–12 | 2,331 | 24.1:1 | |
| Grossmont Middle College High Grossmont Union High · Alternative School | 11–12 | 37 | 14.5:1 | |
| IDEA Center Grossmont Union High · Alternative School | 09–12 | 127 | 7.8:1 | |
| MERIT Academy Grossmont Union High · Special Education School | 09–12 | 68 | 9.7:1 | |
| Valhalla High Grossmont Union High | 09–12 | 1,728 | 23.5:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in El Cajon
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bostonia Global Bostonia Global District · Charter | KG–12 | 1,266 | 23.5:1 | |
| Literacy First Charter Literacy First Charter District · Charter | KG–12 | 2,160 | 22.5:1 | |
| Method Summit Academy Method Summit Academy District · Charter | KG–12 | — | — | |
| Sevick Special Education Cajon Valley Union | Not reported | — | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White42.1%
- Hispanic35.6%
- Black4.8%
- Asian10.2%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.4%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.6%
- Multiracial6.2%
Enrollment-weighted across 41 El Cajon schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (28,054 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in El Cajon
How many public schools are in El Cajon, CA?
The current NCES directory lists 43 open public schools with a location address in El Cajon: 24 elementary, 6 middle, 9 high, 4 combined or other. Together they reported 28,054 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve El Cajon?
Schools with an address in El Cajon belong to 12 education agencies, led by Cajon Valley Union (25 schools), Grossmont Union High (8 schools), Altus Schools East County District (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in El Cajon?
Granite Hills High reported the largest high-school enrollment in El Cajon, with 2,331 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in El Cajon?
Yes. 7 of the 43 public schools in El Cajon are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Altus Schools East County, Bostonia Global, EJE Elementary Academy Charter. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in El Cajon schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across El Cajon public schools is 23.4:1, higher than the California school median of 21.6:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in El Cajon guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby California cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All California cities