Alpine Union Elementary, CA

Original Research by School Decision on Alpine Union Elementary

Alpine Union Elementary serves kindergarten through eighth grade across five schools in San Diego County's Alpine area. The district currently enrolls students at a modest but declining population. The student body is about half white, with substantial representation from Hispanic and multiracial families, and a meaningful population of American Indian and Alaska Native students, a less common demographic presence in most California districts.

The district's academic performance shows uneven results across grade levels and subjects. In English language arts, proficiency hovers near the middle of the range, with third grade performing closest to solid ground and sixth and eighth grades showing similar strength, while fourth through fifth grades sit lower. Math is the clearer weak point. Proficiency declines notably as students progress through the grades, dropping from moderate performance in third grade to substantially lower results by sixth grade and eighth grade. Fifth-grade science sits below the midpoint, and eighth-grade science shows similar weakness. This grade-progression pattern is common where foundational gaps accumulate, and a parent may want to look into what support structures exist for students who fall behind early.

Within San Diego County's districts, Alpine Union's overall proficiency sits above the median, an encouraging position given that the county is diverse in school quality. However, the district reports a chronic absenteeism rate above the county median, suggesting attendance is a concern that may affect student outcomes. Per-pupil current spending falls in the lower-middle range for the county, a factor that can constrain resources.

Two recent developments shape the district's near-term context. In November 2024, voters rejected a school facilities bond, leaving aging infrastructure at the district's five schools without dedicated repair funding. The measure would have addressed leaky roofs and inefficient heating, cooling, and electrical systems. The defeat removed both the proposed improvements and any new local property-tax obligation. Separately, the district has experienced sustained, multi-year enrollment decline, a structural pressure that affects budget planning and facility utilization.

The Alpine area's housing market is characterized by weighted home values somewhat above the state benchmark and rental costs in line with the regional pattern. The affordability picture is moderate; monthly mortgage estimates run substantially higher than rent, placing the housing cost burden in the middle range for the state.

Alpine Union is a small, traditional public school district serving a stable community with mixed academic performance. The grade-level patterns and attendance concerns are worth exploring directly with the schools. The enrollment decline and facility questions are real factors families weighing the district would want to understand more fully.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

1,539

Grades

KG–08

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 30%

Black 1%

White 53%

Asian 1%

Two+ 11%

Am. Indian / AK Native 4%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

36%

—

Gr 3

32%

64%

Gr 4

37%

54%

Gr 5

50%

65%

Gr 6

20%

42%

Gr 7

31%

55%

Gr 8

40%

49%

Math

Gr ALL

30%

—

Gr 3

52%

68%

Gr 4

31%

63%

Gr 5

35%

47%

Gr 6

18%

39%

Gr 7

16%

53%

Gr 8

21%

31%

Science

Gr 5

37%

44%

Gr 8

23%

27%

Gr HS

30%

—

Schools in this District

5 schools are officially reported under this district.

Joan MacQueen Middle

Mountain View Learning Academy

Shadow Hills Elementary

Boulder Oaks Elementary

Creekside Early Learning Center

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

61%

Grade 3

50%

Grade 4

43%

Grade 5

31%

Grade 6

41%

Grade 7

27%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

50%

Grade 3

46%

Grade 4

60%

Grade 5

33%

Grade 6

47%

Grade 7

46%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

42%

Grade 5

26%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

66%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$960,632

Year-over-year change+0.3%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$678K to $973K

vs. state typical1.24x

vs. national typical2.61x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
91901	Alpine	$973K	+0.4%	93.8%
91916	Descanso	$678K	-1.4%	2.7%
92019	El Cajon	$879K	-0.3%	2.2%
92021	El Cajon	$773K	-2.5%	1.2%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,258/mo

Year-over-year change-0.8%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$2,167 to $2,690/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
91901	Alpine	$2,249	-0.8%	93.8%
92019	El Cajon	$2,690	-3.7%	2.2%
92021	El Cajon	$2,167	-0.5%	1.2%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$4,847/mo

Home price / national median income11.5x

Annual rent / national median income32.4%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$2,589/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$776,233 (-1.1% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.