Foster Elementary

Foster Elementary is one of the average-sized elementary schools in San Diego, California, one of the schools within San Diego Unified, with 518 students on its rolls from grades K through 5.

San Diego Unified comprises 174 schools with combined enrollment of 94,828 students; Foster Elementary is among them.

On demographics, Foster Elementary records that 39% of students identify as Hispanic, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. Other groups include 29% White, 14% multiracial, 10% Black, 8% Asian.

In terms of school funding signals, On paper, Foster Elementary has 22 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 23.8:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 22.3:1, putting Foster Elementary higher than the state norm the norm. An estimated 59% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Foster Elementary tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 44.2% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 31.3%.

Across the wider county, San Diego County reports that median household earnings sit near $106,268, roughly 43% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 7%. Foster Elementary is one of 766 public schools in San Diego County (combined enrollment of about 467,437 students).

Magnolia Science Academy San Diego is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.2 miles from this campus. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Foster Elementary at 8th of 8; the average score across the group is 64.5%.

Geographically, the school is in a high-density area.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count edged up 36%: 381 students in 2018 compared to 518 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, the feed for Foster Elementary typically covers science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.