Salinas City Elementary School District
School District · Salinas, California
Avg Rating
5.2
out of 10
Schools
15
15 elem
Enrollment
8,206
Student-Teacher Ratio
22.5:1
Avg Rating
5.2
out of 10
Schools
15
15 elem
Enrollment
8,206
Student-Teacher Ratio
22.5:1
How this district compares
California rank
#636 of 713
districts by avg. composite
Vs. state average
-1.1
below California avg
Per-pupil spending
$20,429
+$2,782 vs California median
District size
8,206 students
Much larger than California median
The short answer
Salinas City Elementary ranks #636 of 713 California districts by overall school rating. Salinas City Elementary's schools with real test data average 5.2/10 across 15 schools. Its top-rated schools are Los Padres Elementary (7.4/10), Mission Park Elementary (7.1/10), and Natividad Elementary (6.8/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Rates 7.4/10 despite 83% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.2 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Salinas City Elementary schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +10.6 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Salinas City Elementary schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Salinas City Elementary
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (15 of 15). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Padres Elementary | 7.4 / 10 |
| 2 | Mission Park Elementary | 7.1 / 10 |
| 3 | Natividad Elementary | 6.8 / 10 |
| 4 | Sherwood Elementary | 6.6 / 10 |
| 5 | Boronda Elementary | 6.2 / 10 |
| 6 | Salinas City Virtual Academy | 5.6 / 10 |
| 7 | Lincoln Elementary | 5.5 / 10 |
| 8 | EL Gabilan Elementary | 4.9 / 10 |
| 9 | Boronda Meadows | 4.7 / 10 |
| 10 | Monterey Park Elementary | 4.5 / 10 |
See all 15 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
About Salinas City Elementary
Salinas City Elementary is a Salinas, California school district serving 15 schools.The district educates 8,206 students with a student-teacher ratio of 22.5:1. District-level spending was $20,429 per student in fiscal year 2023 (NCES F-33).
With an average rating of 5.2/10, Salinas City Elementary demonstrates solid academic performance.
The highest-rated school in the district is Los Padres Elementary, which has a composite score of 7.4/10.
In standardized testing, Salinas City Elementary students show an average math proficiency of 26.6% and ELA proficiency of 28.6%.
The district includes 15 elementary schools.
District Map
Schools in Salinas City Elementary, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.
District Average Test Scores
Average proficiency across all schools in Salinas City Elementary with test data.
Schools in Salinas City Elementary
15 schoolsElementary Schools15
District Details
- State
- California
- City
- Salinas
- Total Enrollment
- 8,206
- Teachers (FTE)
- 365
- District spending per student
- $20,429NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
- Child poverty rate
- 19.0%Census SAIPE · 2024
- District directory year
- 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in Salinas City Elementary?
Salinas City Elementary has 15 schools in total — 15 elementary. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.
What is the average rating for Salinas City Elementary?
The average composite rating for Salinas City Elementary is 5.2/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.
What is the district spending per student in Salinas City Elementary?
Salinas City Elementary's district-level spending was $20,429 per student in fiscal year 2023, according to NCES F-33. This is district context, not an individual-school expense.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Salinas City Elementary?
The average student-teacher ratio in Salinas City Elementary is 22.5:1.
What is the top-rated school in Salinas City Elementary?
Los Padres Elementary is the highest-rated school in Salinas City Elementary with a composite score of 7.4/10.
What are the test scores in Salinas City Elementary?
Across schools in Salinas City Elementary with test data, the average math proficiency is 26.6% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 28.6%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.
How does Salinas City Elementary compare to other districts in California?
Salinas City Elementary has an average school rating of 5.2/10 across 15 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in California by visiting individual district pages. Factors like school size, available programs, and community demographics also play a role in choosing the right fit.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools?
MySchoolScout ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and learning environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context without being factored into the score. Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.
District Averages
- Overall Rating
- 5.2/10
- Math Proficiency
- 26.6%
- ELA Proficiency
- 28.6%
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateOther School Districts in CA
Compare Salinas City Elementary with neighboring districts in the state.
- Los Angeles Unified (785)
- San Diego Unified (175)
- San Francisco Unified (113)
- Fresno Unified (101)
- Long Beach Unified (82)
- Oakland Unified (82)
- San Bernardino City Unified (76)
- Sacramento City Unified (73)
- San Juan Unified (68)
- Elk Grove Unified (67)
- Garden Grove Unified (66)
- Capistrano Unified (59)
- Stockton Unified (54)
- West Contra Costa Unified (54)
- Corona-Norco Unified (53)
- Mt. Diablo Unified (52)
- Santa Ana Unified (52)
- Clovis Unified (50)
- Lodi Unified (49)
- Riverside Unified (49)
- Bakersfield City (45)
- Irvine Unified (45)
- Fontana Unified (44)
- Fremont Unified (44)
Data from NCES Common Core of Data, California Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.
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