Pope Valley Elementary

Set in Pope Valley, California, Pope Valley Elementary is a very small elementary school, overseen by Pope Valley Union Elementary. It hosts 46 students across grades K through 8. That puts it 90% below the typical public school in California, which averages around 465 students.

Operationally, Pope Valley Elementary answers to Pope Valley Union Elementary, which sets policy, hires staff, and reports enrollment to the state.

On the student-mix side, Pope Valley Elementary reports that the largest single group is Hispanic, at 76% of enrollment. The remainder consists of 24% White. That is visibly more Hispanic than the county at large, where the share is closer to 36%.

Looking at school resources, On paper, Pope Valley Elementary has 4 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 11.5:1. The state averages around 22.3:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. About 70% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator.

Across the wider county, community-level numbers for Napa County indicate the typical household earns roughly $111,471 per year, about 40% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 5% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Pope Valley Elementary is one of 43 public schools in Napa County (combined enrollment of about 18,557 students).

The closest other public school is Howell Mountain Elementary, roughly 2.8 miles away. Within ten miles, there are 8 other public schools, a sparser pattern than typical urban areas.

The campus sits in a rural setting.

Five-year trend. Pope Valley Elementary's enrollment has decreased 19% since 2018, when it stood at 57 (now 46). Over the same period, the Hispanic share climbed from 65% to 76%. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 14.3:1 in 2018 to 11.5:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, recent activity here tends to focus on sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.