Cienega Elementary

Cienega Elementary is a primary school of micro-enrollment scale in Hollister, California, one of the schools within Cienega Union Elementary, serveing 21 students in grades K through 8. By comparison, California's public schools average about 465 students each, so Cienega Elementary sits 95% leaner than that benchmark.

Cienega Union Elementary is the operating authority for Cienega Elementary, handling staffing, calendars, and reporting to the state department of education.

Demographically, Cienega Elementary lists that White students make up the majority at 62%. Beyond that, the school lists 33% Hispanic, 5% multiracial. By comparison, San Benito County as a whole is about 37% White, so the school skews visibly more White than its surroundings.

In terms of school funding signals, Cienega Elementary reports 2 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 10.9:1. The state averages around 22.3:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. An estimated 52% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. By comparison, San Benito County runs at roughly 60%, so the school's eligibility rate is somewhat below the surrounding baseline.

With demographic context factored in, Cienega Elementary sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 48.9%; this one delivers 36.9%.

In the broader community, ACS estimates for San Benito County put median household income runs about $114,394, 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 5% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across San Benito County's 28 public schools (combined enrollment of about 11,633 students), Cienega Elementary is one campus in the mix.

Willow Grove Elementary is the nearest neighboring public school, about 4.5 miles from this campus. 2 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. On composite proficiency, Cienega Elementary comes 2nd of 7 in the immediate cluster, above the nearby-schools average of 30.2%.

Cienega Elementary operates from a countryside location.

Over the past 7-year window. Cienega Elementary's enrollment has declined 30% since 2018, when it stood at 30 (now 21). Class-load math has fell: from 15.7:1 in 2018 to 10.9:1 in 2025.

Inside the community feed, posts here usually surface around pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Members of the school community can share what they know.