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Public elementary school · Monterey Peninsula Unified · Monterey, California

La Mesa

La Mesa rates 6.0, below most Monterey Peninsula Unified elementary schools, whose rated median is 6.6.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
6.0this school

6.0 on a one-to-ten scale; the Monterey Peninsula Unified median is 6.6.

#5,710 of 9,557 schools in California · Monterey Peninsula Unified: 10 elementary schools rated, median 6.6

The brief

A Monterey Peninsula Unified elementary school serving grades Kindergarten – 8th.

Students at La Mesa score 53% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 54%).

It ranks 5,710 of 9,557 schools in California and 14 of 16 in Monterey Peninsula Unified.

Math50%12 points above the California average of 38%2025 CAASPP
Reading57%9 points above the California average of 48%2025 CAASPP
Proficiency has fallen 14 points since 2019, to 53% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).2025 CAASPP; 50 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
4.7
50% of the rating
Academics
7.5
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
6.9
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 6 sources, 2019–2025

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

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 56% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 61% (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

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 · 2025 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 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 · 2025 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · 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 93940; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
La Mesa and the 20 nearest elementary schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$110,669
Median home value
$1,039,700
Median rent
$2,305/mo
College educated
54.3%
Homeownership
43%
Poverty rate
9.9%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 93940; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
7
Car-Dependent
Transit Score
22
Minimal Transit
Bike Score
39
Somewhat Bikeable
City reported crime
1,709/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Monterey. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Monterey), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
40.2%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 7.9Compare →
  2. 7.8Compare →
  3. 7.8Compare →
  4. Big Sur Charter2.4 mi · charter
    7.7Compare →
  5. Monterey Bay Charter3.4 mi · charter
    7.1Compare →
  6. 6.6Compare →
  7. 6.2Compare →
  8. La Mesathis school
    6.0
  9. Bay View Academy1.5 mi · charter
    4.5Compare →
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and seven rate higher than La Mesa.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

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

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does La Mesa serve?

La Mesa serves students in grades Kindergarten through 8th.

How many students attend La Mesa?

La Mesa has an enrollment of approximately 654 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at La Mesa?

The student-teacher ratio at La Mesa is 22.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does La Mesa rank in CA?

La Mesa ranks #5,710 of 9,557 schools in CA.

What is La Mesa's MySchoolScout rating?

La Mesa has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.0 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 La Mesa?

Based on loaded state assessment records, La Mesa has 56% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 61% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is La Mesa a charter school?

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

Is La Mesa a Title I school?

No, La Mesa is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for La Mesa?

40.2% of students at La Mesa 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 facts

Grades
Kindergarten – 8th
Enrollment
654
Student-teacher ratio
22.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
29
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Midsize Suburb
County
Monterey County
Rank in district
#14 of 16
Schools in district
20
District spending per student
$17,521
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
10.2%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 93940)
30,951
Area average commute
19.6 min
Area median age
42.9

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

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.