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#6478 of 9,539 schools in CA

Harden Middle

Middle School · Salinas Union High · Salinas, CA

A Salinas Union High middle school serving grades 7th – 8th.

1561 McKinnon St., Salinas, CA 93906

  • Math 15% vs CA 34% (2024)
  • Reading 29% vs CA 47% (2024)
  • 23:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.1Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change-1.7 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics5.0Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency15% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency28.8% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-18.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-18.5 pts
Overall Proficiency22% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)23% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-0.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile31th
Resources & Environment6.7Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio23:1
District spending per student$18,435
Chronic Absenteeism23%

Students at Harden Middle score 22% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 23%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency15%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
34%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency29%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
47%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 16 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 22% recently.

Show all 13 years
2009
Math
33%
ELA
42%
2010
Math
30%
ELA
43%
2011
Math
32%
ELA
46%
2012
Math
25%
ELA
44%
2013
Math
90%
ELA
90%
2014
Math
16%
ELA
32%
2015
Math
14%
ELA
34%
2016
Math
15%
ELA
32%
2017
Math
15%
ELA
29%
2018
Math
19%
ELA
34%
2019
Math
19%
ELA
34%
2022
Math
15%
ELA
32%
2024
Math
15%
ELA
29%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 25% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 39% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 30 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

91.8%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

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 rate

The neighborhood

Where Harden Middle sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 55Somewhat Walkable
  • Transit 36Some Transit
  • Bike 64Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,228/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Salinas), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$96,044

Median home value

$595,200

Median rent

$2,127/mo

College educated

17.2%

Homeownership

54.4%

Poverty rate

10.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 93906; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Wellington M. Smith Jr.Enrollment path unverified6.54–121.0 mi34Compare →
Gavilan View MiddleEnrollment path unverified5.76–81.6 mi568Compare →
John Gutierrez MiddleEnrollment path unverified5.46–81.8 mi605Compare →
La Paz MiddleEnrollment path unverified7.27–82.7 mi1,160Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Salinas Union High

Schools in district
12
Rank in district
#8 of 12
District spending per student
$18,435NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
18.3%Census SAIPE · 2024

Harden Middle is listed in Salinas Union High; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Harden Middle

Harden Middle is a public middle school in Salinas, CA, part of Salinas Union High, serving approximately 1,127 students in grades 7th-8th with a 23:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.5 out of 10 and ranks #6,478 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 25% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 39% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Harden Middle

What grades does Harden Middle serve?

Harden Middle serves students in grades 7th through 8th.

How many students attend Harden Middle?

Harden Middle has an enrollment of approximately 1,127 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Harden Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Harden Middle is 23:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Harden Middle rank in CA?

Harden Middle ranks #6,478 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Harden Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Harden Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.5 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Harden Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Harden Middle has 25% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 39% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Harden Middle a charter school?

No, Harden Middle is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Harden Middle a Title I school?

No, Harden Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Harden Middle?

91.8% of students at Harden Middle qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
7th – 8th
Enrollment
1,127
Student-Teacher Ratio
23:1
Teachers (FTE)
49
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Monterey County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
23.0%
Area population (ZIP 93906)
64,592
Area average commute
28.4 min
Area median age
33.5
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 93906; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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