Original Research by School Decision on Divide High
Divide High is a very small alternative high school in the Black Oak Mine Unified School District, situated in Georgetown, a rural foothill community in western El Dorado County. The school serves grades nine through twelve and operates on Wentworth Springs Road in the unincorporated Georgetown Divide area, away from the town's historic downtown.
The school's enrollment is extremely small, with only a handful of students currently enrolled, mostly in the upper grades. The student body is predominantly white, with smaller representation from Asian and American Indian or Alaska Native backgrounds. No data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility or English learner status was available.
State testing data for Divide High was suppressed, meaning the results are not publicly reported due to the school's small size. Science assessment data was not available. This absence of reported proficiency measures is typical for alternative schools with very small enrollments, where state privacy protections prevent disclosure of individual or near-individual results. For a school of this size and type, a parent should directly contact the school and district to discuss academic progress, curriculum, and how the alternative setting serves individual student needs.
Divide High functions as an alternative school, a designation that typically indicates it serves students who may benefit from a smaller, more individualized educational setting than a traditional comprehensive high school offers. Alternative schools often accommodate students working toward GED completion, those recovering from academic or attendance challenges, or those pursuing nontraditional pathways. The specific mission and support structure of Divide High would be worth discussing directly with school staff.
A four-year graduation rate was not reported, likely because the school's very small enrollment and alternative status place it outside the standard state accountability reporting framework.
Georgetown itself is a small, historically significant Gold Rush-era town with a population measured in the low hundreds. It is a wooded, rural community where most residents own their homes. The town centers on a historic Main Street with locally owned shops and galleries, though street life is modest compared to larger Gold Rush towns. The area is constrained by water supply, which limits development; recent population has been relatively stable. The town serves as a gateway to outdoor recreation, including the Rubicon Trail.
Employment in the Georgetown area centers on public agencies: the Black Oak Mine Unified School District is a significant employer, as are the Georgetown Divide Public Utility District and the Georgetown Divide Recreation District. Medical care and broader services draw on the surrounding region. Transit is limited; the area is rural and not served by frequent fixed-route bus service.
Housing in the 95634 zip code, which includes Georgetown, sits at a median value somewhat above the national benchmark but below the state average. The local housing market reflects rural foothill character, with listings emphasizing undeveloped acreage and smaller parcels rather than large subdivisions. Rental costs run moderate for the region.
In November 2024, voters approved a school bond (Measure A) after two prior attempts had failed. The bond funds STEM classroom expansion, facility repairs including roof and plumbing replacement, and enhanced labs for coding, robotics, woodworking, circuitry, and career training across the district's six schools. This was a meaningful outcome for a small rural district managing aging facilities, though the bond carries a new property tax levy on local homeowners for the duration of the debt repayment.
Given Divide High's very small size and alternative status, and the limited public data available about its specific programs and outcomes, a prospective parent or student should have detailed conversations with school administrators about enrollment, curriculum, support services, and how the school's model aligns with a student's educational goals.
See more original research from School Decision →