Penn Elementary

As a low-enrollment elementary school in San Diego, California, Penn Elementary serves 366 students from grades K through 5, part of San Diego Unified. That puts it 21% leaner than the typical public school in California, which averages around 465 students.

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

Looking at the student body, Penn Elementary reports that the largest single group is Hispanic, at 58% of enrollment. Beyond that, the school reports 18% Asian, 11% Black, 10% multiracial, 3% White. By comparison, San Diego County as a whole is about 35% Hispanic, so the school skews considerably more Hispanic than its surroundings.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Penn Elementary reports 16 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 22.9:1. The state averages about 22.3:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. An estimated 81% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. That share is higher than San Diego County's rate of about 54%.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Penn Elementary sits in the top 10% of California schools after the BeatsExpectations adjustment. Predicted proficiency for the school's FRL share is roughly 31.0%; actual is 47.5%, +16.5 points clear of the demographic baseline.

Around the school, census data for San Diego County shows median household income runs about $106,268, roughly 43% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across San Diego County's 766 public schools (combined enrollment of about 467,437 students), Penn Elementary is one campus in the mix.

San Diego SCPA is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.4 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 Penn Elementary at 3rd of 9; the average score across the group is 36.9%.

The campus sits in an urban setting.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count decreased 8%: 398 students in 2018 compared to 366 in 2025. Over the same period, the Hispanic share increased from 42% to 58%. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 26.5:1 in 2018 to 22.9:1 today.

On the community side, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.