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Best Public Schools in Santee, CA

At a glance

Schools

8,650

Students

Districts

Top rankedWest Hills High303^rd of 2,162 California high schools

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Biggest riser

Hill Creek Elementary up 315 spots statewide this year

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Smallest classes

Sycamore Canyon Elementary 20.7 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

4★

3★

2 schools without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)

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Summary:

Santee, California is served by 11 public schools—nine K-8 elementary schools in the Santee district and two comprehensive high schools in the Grossmont Union High district—providing consistent, above-average education for its approximately 8,645 students.

The elementary schools are uniformly strong, with all ranking above the 57th percentile in the state. Sycamore Canyon Elementary and Rio Seco Elementary are top performers, boasting high test scores and low chronic absenteeism. The district's K-8 model shows particular strength in English and science, though a dip in math scores around 5th and 6th grade is a common trend worth noting for parents.

At the high school level, West Hills High stands out with an 86th percentile state ranking, a 93.5% graduation rate, and strong improvement in recent years, while Santana High maintains solid academics but has a higher dropout rate. Families should note that chronic absenteeism is significantly higher in high schools than in elementary schools across the city. The specialized Santee Alternative school serves a very small population with a unique, high-cost model.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Immunizations Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				CAST Science (2025)					Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2025)								Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2025)								% Completely Immunized (2022)	% Polio (2022)	% DTP (2022)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 5th Grade	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science 12th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	% Completely Immunized KG	% Polio KG	% DTP KG	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Santana High	Public	9-12	9915 North Magnolia Ave.	Santee	92071	San Diego County	Grossmont Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 956-0211	1,621	69	23.5	46.0%	868 (53.5%)	23 (1.4%)	529 (32.6%)	68 (4.2%)	7 (0.4%)	3 (0.2%)	123 (7.6%)	76.4	472^nd of 2162 public high schools	78.2%		74	505^th of 2159 public high schools	76.6%	33			39.5	18.2	38.4							65.1	65.1							41.6	41.6				$25,543	$24,398	$1,145
West Hills High	Public	9-12	8756 Mast Blvd.	Santee	92071	San Diego County	Grossmont Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 956-0400	1,624	69	23.3	42.7%	782 (48.2%)	16 (1.0%)	572 (35.2%)	99 (6.1%)	3 (0.2%)	6 (0.4%)	146 (9.0%)	85.4	303^rd of 2162 public high schools	86.0%		71.1	550^th of 2159 public high schools	74.5%	247			46.1		45.6							70.9	70.9							49.4	49.4				$24,426	$23,322	$1,104
Santee Alternative	Public	K-8	10250 El Nopal	Santee	92071	San Diego County	Santee	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 956-2490	11	1	11.0	45.5%	6 (54.5%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (36.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (9.1%)								(n/a)																									$40,274	$39,464	$810
Cajon Park Elementary	Public	K-8	10300 Magnolia Ave.	Santee	92071	San Diego County	Santee	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 956-2400	830	35	23.7	48.8%	508 (61.2%)	6 (0.7%)	200 (24.1%)	22 (2.7%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.4%)	90 (10.8%)	51.7	2519^th of 5857 public elementary schools	57.0%		55.9	2242^nd of 5869 public elementary schools	61.8%	277	28.9	43.0			37.1	53.2	38.9	48.8	57.5	59.3	65.5		55.0	46.8	37.0	27.4	35.8	43.3	45.6		39.6				$13,544	$12,608	$936
Carlton Hills Elementary	Public	K-8	9353 Pike Rd.	Santee	92071	San Diego County	Santee	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 258-3400	601	26	23.1	47.9%	314 (52.2%)	7 (1.2%)	198 (32.9%)	33 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (8.2%)	73.8	1425^th of 5857 public elementary schools	75.7%		77.7	1259^th of 5869 public elementary schools	78.5%	166	42.0	48.4			45.5	46.8	66.1	64.0	44.3	59.8	77.4		60.1	61.7	66.1	54.0	52.5	56.3	58.1		57.9				$13,198	$12,280	$918
Carlton Oaks Elementary	Public	K-8	9353 Wethersfield Rd.	Santee	92071	San Diego County	Santee	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 956-4500	823	36	22.8	37.5%	412 (50.1%)	10 (1.2%)	240 (29.2%)	47 (5.7%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	111 (13.5%)	72.1	1514^th of 5857 public elementary schools	74.2%		77.2	1279^th of 5869 public elementary schools	78.2%	235	41.4	46.2			44.2	60.4	65.0	58.6	58.1	58.6	50.0		58.3	56.5	56.8	28.6	52.3	60.6	56.5		52.9				$12,856	$12,046	$810
Chet F. Harritt Elementary	Public	K-8	8120 Arlette St.	Santee	92071	San Diego County	Santee	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 258-4800	606	24	25.4	46.4%	288 (47.5%)	19 (3.1%)	200 (33.0%)	23 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	75 (12.4%)	67.9	1692^nd of 5857 public elementary schools	71.1%		73.1	1446^th of 5869 public elementary schools	75.4%	246	34.3	34.4			34.4	50.0	65.6	56.1	76.7	54.6	42.6		57.3	50.7	50.8	33.3	51.7	39.4	29.5		42.6				$12,095	$11,186	$909
Hill Creek Elementary	Public	K-8	9665 Jeremy St.	Santee	92071	San Diego County	Santee	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 956-5000	695	29	23.8	47.3%	364 (52.4%)	5 (0.7%)	219 (31.5%)	29 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	78 (11.2%)	74.7	1385^th of 5857 public elementary schools	76.4%		67.6	1700^th of 5869 public elementary schools	71.0%	315	54.1	44.4			49.6	51.3	69.0	62.2	72.9	66.2	82.5		66.6	50.0	60.6	54.1	30.0	36.4	44.4		46.6				$13,326	$12,516	$810
PRIDE Academy at Prospect Avenue	Public	K-8	9303 Prospect Ave.	Santee	92071	San Diego County	Santee	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 956-5200	548	22	25.1	57.5%	206 (37.6%)	8 (1.5%)	227 (41.4%)	47 (8.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	59 (10.8%)	69.9	1606^th of 5857 public elementary schools	72.6%		71.5	1529^th of 5869 public elementary schools	73.9%	77	46.8	44.4			45.6	60.7	45.6	61.3	55.1	48.2	73.0		57.4	67.9	45.6	41.9	49.0	38.9	60.3		50.6				$14,937	$13,934	$1,003
Rio Seco Elementary	Public	K-8	9545 Cuyamaca St.	Santee	92071	San Diego County	Santee	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 956-5500	913	39	23.4	42.5%	465 (50.9%)	7 (0.8%)	246 (26.9%)	75 (8.2%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (0.7%)	114 (12.5%)	79	1195^th of 5857 public elementary schools	79.6%		82.2	1064^th of 5869 public elementary schools	81.9%	131	50.0	52.5			51.4	58.0	61.8	61.5	64.6	66.3	60.2		61.9	60.2	67.6	50.0	46.9	64.9	58.5		58.3				$12,838	$12,028	$810
Sycamore Canyon Elementary	Public	K-6	10201 Settle Rd.	Santee	92071	San Diego County	Santee	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 956-5400	373	18	20.7	37.0%	192 (51.5%)	8 (2.1%)	112 (30.0%)	13 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (12.9%)	83	1018^th of 5857 public elementary schools	82.6%		87.9	817^th of 5869 public elementary schools	86.1%	201	52.0				52.0	65.2	54.2	68.0	72.7				63.9	76.1	54.2	62.0	54.6				62.7	96.9	96.9	96.9	$13,848	$13,038	$810
Santee Success Program	Public	K-8	10280 North Magnolia Ave.	Santee	92071	San Diego County	Santee	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 956-2453	5	1	5.0		2 (40.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (40.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (20.0%)								(n/a)																									$81,290	$80,480	$810

Cities Near Santee

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
El Cajon	2.05 mi	54	634^th
Lakeside	2.87 mi	15	392^nd
San Diego	3.13 mi	333	347^th
La Mesa	3.87 mi	21	321^st
Spring Valley	6.65 mi	16	551^st

See the top CA California cities

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.