Elementary Schools in Salinas, California: 35 schools. Average score 12.5 points below the state. Here is what that number does — and doesn't — tell you.

Below Average2024–25 data35 schools · avg 26.3/100

Salinas, California has 35 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 26.3/100 — 12.5 points below the state average of 38.8. The highest-scoring school is Lincoln Elementary at 48/100, where 18.5% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. Salinas schools average 7.8% exceeded standard (state: 21.3%) — this exceeded-vs-met distinction reveals whether schools push students beyond proficiency or pace toward it. Of 35 schools, 1 Growth Engine stand out for their performance profiles. Chronic absenteeism averages 18.0% (near the state average of 17.9%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score

26.3

State avg: 38.8

SchoolScope composite

Score Range

38.8

9.5 – 48.3

Avg Exceeded %

7.8%

State avg: 21.3%

CDE CAASPP 2025

Chronic Absenteeism

18.0%

State avg: 17.9%

CDE Attendance 2025

Schools Ranked

With Scope Scores

Level	Schools	Avg Score	Exceeded	vs State
Elementary	35	Needs Support 26.3/100	7.8%	-12.5
High	10	Developing 41.0/100	10.1%	-5.6
Middle	5	Developing 34.3/100	11.9%	-3.8

How Salinas schools compare

Salinas has 35 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 26.3/100 — 12.5 points below the state average of 38.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

The top-ranked school is Lincoln Elementary with a Scope Score of 48 and 18.5% of students exceeding standard.

Chronic absenteeism in Salinas averages 18.0% — near the state average of 17.9%.

How we score · Weighted composite of test performance, growth, and school climate · Full weights on the methodology page

School archetypes in Salinas

14 On the Rise3 Culture First1 Growth Engine18 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 15 schools in Salinas are classified as On the Rise (14) or Growth Engine \u2014 showing positive growth trajectories that raw proficiency scores alone don't capture. These are schools where students leave with more than they arrived with.

Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more

For the data nerds

Every school in Salinas

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

#	School	Exceeded	Score
1	Salinas High Salinas Union High Strong All-Around	23.7%	Solid 60/100
2	Rancho San Juan High Salinas Union High Building Momentum	14.5%	Solid 54/100
3	San Benancio Middle Washington Union Elementary Building Momentum	30.0%	Solid 54/100
4	Alisal High Salinas Union High Building Momentum	14.2%	Solid 52/100
5	North Salinas High Salinas Union High Building Momentum	10.9%	Solid 51/100
6	Everett Alvarez High Salinas Union High Building Momentum	9.9%	Developing 49/100
7	North Monterey County Center for Independent Study North Monterey County Unified Building Momentum	11.8%	Developing 49/100
8	Lincoln Elementary Salinas City Elementary Growth Engine	18.5%	Developing 48/100
9	Buena Vista Middle Spreckels Union Elementary Culture First	17.2%	Developing 43/100
10	Monte Bella Elementary Alisal Union On the Rise	14.4%	Developing 41/100
11	Boronda Elementary Salinas City Elementary Culture First	11.7%	Developing 36/100
12	Dr. Oscar F. Loya Elementary Alisal Union On the Rise	7.3%	Developing 34/100
13	Jesse G. Sanchez Elementary Alisal Union On the Rise	7.6%	Developing 33/100
14	Lagunita Elementary Lagunita Elementary Building Momentum	8.3%	Developing 33/100
15	Alisal Community Alisal Union Building Momentum	13.5%	Developing 33/100
16	New Republic Elementary Santa Rita Union Elementary On the Rise	9.7%	Developing 33/100
17	La Joya Elementary Santa Rita Union Elementary On the Rise	11.7%	Developing 32/100
18	Creekside Elementary Alisal Union On the Rise	10.1%	Developing 31/100
19	Salinas City Virtual Academy Salinas City Elementary Building Momentum	9.8%	Developing 31/100
20	Cesar E. Chavez Elementary Alisal Union On the Rise	9.2%	Developing 31/100
21	Los Padres Elementary Salinas City Elementary On the Rise	7.1%	Developing 31/100
22	John E. Steinbeck Elementary Alisal Union Building Momentum	12.4%	Developing 30/100
23	Mission Park Elementary Salinas City Elementary Building Momentum	12.4%	Developing 30/100
24	Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Academy Alisal Union On the Rise	8.8%	Developing 30/100
25	Central Bay High (Continuation) North Monterey County Unified Building Momentum	0.0%	Needs Support 30/100
26	John Gutierrez Middle Santa Rita Union Elementary On the Rise	5.8%	Needs Support 30/100
27	Bardin Elementary Alisal Union On the Rise	6.1%	Needs Support 29/100
28	Prunedale Elementary North Monterey County Unified On the Rise	8.3%	Needs Support 29/100
29	McKinnon Santa Rita Union Elementary On the Rise	6.8%	Needs Support 28/100
30	Laurel Wood Elementary Salinas City Elementary Building Momentum	7.9%	Needs Support 26/100
31	Gavilan View Middle Santa Rita Union Elementary Building Momentum	5.8%	Needs Support 26/100
32	Sherwood Elementary Salinas City Elementary Building Momentum	5.6%	Needs Support 25/100
33	Henry F. Kammann Elementary Salinas City Elementary On the Rise	6.7%	Needs Support 25/100
34	Roosevelt Elementary Salinas City Elementary On the Rise	5.0%	Needs Support 23/100
35	Salinas Community Monterey County Office of Education Building Momentum	10.3%	Needs Support 23/100
36	Mount Toro High Salinas Union High Building Momentum	1.0%	Needs Support 22/100
37	Echo Valley Elementary North Monterey County Unified Building Momentum	6.0%	Needs Support 21/100
38	El Puente Salinas Union High Building Momentum	4.3%	Needs Support 21/100
39	Monterey Park Elementary Salinas City Elementary Building Momentum	7.6%	Needs Support 21/100
40	Frank Paul Elementary Alisal Union Building Momentum	5.5%	Needs Support 20/100
41	Fremont Elementary Alisal Union Culture First	2.6%	Needs Support 20/100
42	El Gabilan Elementary Salinas City Elementary Building Momentum	3.8%	Needs Support 19/100
43	Monterey County Home Charter Monterey County Office of Education Building Momentum	1.0%	Needs Support 19/100
44	Boronda Meadows Salinas City Elementary Building Momentum	4.8%	Needs Support 18/100
45	Loma Vista Elementary Salinas City Elementary Building Momentum	1.4%	Needs Support 17/100
46	Santa Rita Elementary Santa Rita Union Elementary Culture First	1.8%	Needs Support 15/100
47	Natividad Elementary Salinas City Elementary Building Momentum	4.6%	Needs Support 13/100
48	Virginia Rocca Barton Elementary Alisal Union Building Momentum	9.3%	Needs Support 13/100
49	Oasis Charter Public Monterey County Office of Education Building Momentum	0.7%	Needs Support 11/100
50	University Park Elementary Salinas City Elementary Building Momentum	4.9%	Needs Support 9/100

Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 50 schoolsMethodology · Explore all schools · Download this data (CSV)

Free to download, CC BY 4.0 with attribution.

Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2024-25 · Methodology

Scores are SchoolScope's analysis of public data, not official CDE ratings. They represent one way of interpreting test results and should not be the sole basis for school decisions.

Private Schools in Salinas

Private schools don't participate in California's standardized testing (CAASPP) and cannot be scored or ranked. Showing enrollment, student-teacher ratio, and affiliation where available.

Palma School

Roman Catholic · Grades 6-12 · 457 students

15:1Private

Sacred Heart School

Roman Catholic · Grades Pre-K-8 · 337 students

20:1Private

Notre Dame High School

Roman Catholic · Grades 9-12 · 177 students

9:1Private

Anthem Christian School

Baptist · Grades Pre-K-8 · 174 students

17:1Private

What Scope Scores can't tell you about Salinas

Numbers tell you whether students are clearing the bar. A school visit tells you whether they're happy doing it. These metrics are intentionally missing from the Scope Score: class sizes and student-teacher interaction quality; arts, music, athletics, and enrichment programs; teacher experience and turnover; campus safety and social-emotional support; parent and community engagement; quality of special education and gifted programs; how school zones and enrollment boundaries affect access. Full methodology

Frequently asked questions

Are the schools in Salinas good?

Salinas's 35 ranked elementary schools average a Scope Score of 26.3/100, which is 12.5 points below the state average. 7.8% of students exceed the state standard on average (state average: 21.3%). The Scope Score weights 6 dimensions for elementary schools: exceeded standard (42%), met or exceeded (proficient) (23%), grade 3-to-5 growth (20%), chronic absenteeism (5%), suspension rate (5%), and ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.

What is the best elementary school in Salinas?

The highest-scoring elementary school in Salinas is Lincoln Elementary with a Scope Score of 48/100 and 18.5% of students exceeding the state standard. Rankings are based on SchoolScope's 2025 Scope Score, which measures academic performance and school climate using publicly available California data. See full methodology.

How do Salinas schools compare to the state average?

Salinas elementary schools average a Scope Score of 26.3/100 — 12.5 points below the state average of 38.8. The exceeded rate averages 7.8% vs. 21.3% statewide. Chronic absenteeism averages 18.0% vs. 17.9% statewide.

How many schools are in Salinas?

Salinas has 35 ranked elementary schools with Scope Scores. Schools are ranked using a weighted composite of CAASPP test performance, growth trajectory, chronic absenteeism, and suspension rate. Schools with insufficient testing data are not ranked.

What does the Scope Score measure?

The Scope Score is SchoolScope's proprietary composite rating (0–100) based on seven dimensions of publicly available California school data: the exceeded-vs-met standard split, overall proficiency, grade 3–5 growth, chronic absenteeism, suspension rate, ELPAC English Learner proficiency, and baseline proficiency. Unlike single-number ratings, the Scope Score separates students who "exceeded" from those who "met" the standard — revealing whether a school pushes students beyond proficiency or paces toward it. Full methodology and weights.

All California Schools Top Schools in Salinas Salinas Union High Washington Union Elementary North Monterey County Unified Salinas City Elementary Spreckels Union Elementary Alisal Union Lagunita Elementary Santa Rita Union Elementary Monterey County Office of Education Zip 93901 Zip 93906 Zip 93908 Zip 93905 Zip 93907

Guides:10 California Schools That Outperform Their Zip Code

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