School district · Monterey County

Monterey Peninsula Unified schools

Monterey Peninsula Unified’s 11 public elementary schools run from the 7th to the 82nd percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests).

Elementary · 11 schools

from 7th to 82nd · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests

  • La Mesa: 82nd percentile, Strong
  • George C. Marshall Elementary: 67th percentile, Solid
  • Monte Vista: 65th percentile, Solid
  • Ione Olson Elementary: 53rd percentile, Solid
  • Marina Vista Elementary: 37th percentile, Developing
  • J. C. Crumpton Elementary: 35th percentile, Developing
  • Del Rey Woods Elementary: 28th percentile, Developing
  • Dual Language Academy of the Monterey Peninsula: 24th percentile, Needs Support
  • Ord Terrace Elementary: 22nd percentile, Needs Support
  • International School of Monterey: 21st percentile, Needs Support
  • Martin Luther King: 7th percentile, Needs Support
4Needs Support
3Developing
3Solid
1Strong

One dot per school.

Middle and high school pictures

Middle · 6 schools

from 26th to 58th · among 2,529 California middle schools we score · spring 2026 tests

  • La Mesa: 58th percentile, Solid
  • Monte Vista: 58th percentile, Solid
  • Dual Language Academy of the Monterey Peninsula: 52nd percentile, Solid
  • International School of Monterey: 50th percentile, Solid
  • Seaside Middle: 31st percentile, Developing
  • Los Arboles Middle: 26th percentile, Developing
0Needs Support
2Developing
4Solid
0Strong

High · 3 schools

from 29th to 66th · among 1,498 California high schools we score · spring 2025 tests

  • Monterey High: 66th percentile, Solid
  • Marina High: 45th percentile, Developing
  • Seaside High: 29th percentile, Developing
0Needs Support
2Developing
1Solid
0Strong

One dot per school. Each stage is placed only among California schools at its own level. 4 of the 16 ranked schools teach two levels, so they appear in more than one picture.

  • 16 ranked schools
  • 4 schools not ranked statewide

Schools around Monterey Peninsula Unified

20 listed public schools with mapped locations.

Open full map →

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Percentile among California schools at the same level

  • Strong75th+
  • Solid50–74th
  • Developing25–49th
  • Needs Supportbelow 25th
  • Not scored

The school lists on this page are also available without the map.

Elementary schools

Which elementary schools in Monterey Peninsula Unified score highest?

La Mesa is highest, at the 82nd percentile.

That’s higher than 82 in 100 of the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests).

Highest in Monterey Peninsula Unified

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level. What patterns mean

Show the other 8 elementary schools
Context

The average elementary school in Monterey Peninsula Unified had 12 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once.

Middle schools

Which middle schools in Monterey Peninsula Unified score highest?

La Mesa and Monte Vista are highest, both at the 58th percentile.

That’s higher than 58 in 100 of the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests).

Highest in Monterey Peninsula Unified

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.

Show the other 3 middle schools
Context

The average middle school in Monterey Peninsula Unified had 11 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.

1 middle school not ranked statewide

High schools

Which high schools in Monterey Peninsula Unified score highest?

Monterey High is highest, at the 66th percentile.

That’s higher than 66 in 100 of the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests).

Highest in Monterey Peninsula Unified

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.

Context

The average high school in Monterey Peninsula Unified had 22 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California high school we score had 22 in 100.

3 high schools not ranked statewide

Alternative schools, continuation schools and court and community schools enroll students differently from a regular school, so each is compared only with its own kind or not ranked.

The district

Where does Monterey Peninsula Unified’s money go, and what does it plan?

Monterey Peninsula Unified spent $20,953 per student in the 2024–25 school year.

That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 56 cents of every Monterey Peninsula Unified dollar went to classroom instruction.

Spending by function

Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from the district’s annual financial report (SACS) to the California Department of Education. District-wide: it includes central administration and costs never assigned to one campus.

Share by function, 2024–25

  • Instruction56%
  • Instruction support13%
  • Student services13%
  • Administration7%
  • Buildings & maintenance10%
  • Other1%

Shares of the same spending total, by the report’s spending categories, rounded so they add up to 100. Names are simplified from the report’s own categories.

What the district plans

$26.4 million

planned in its 2026–27 plan for 23 funded actions in 6 goals. That’s 14% of its $193.5 million general fund budget. These are planned amounts; the district reports what it spent in a later plan.

The plan in short

Source: the district’s yearly spending plan (Local Control and Accountability Plan, or LCAP, 159 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.

Where the money goes

The money is spread out. No action gets more than 15%, and the three largest, Attendance: Transitional Kindergarten - 12; College Readiness and Support: 9-12 Staffing; and Mental Health Support: TK-12, take 39% between them. The plan itself puts 85% of it toward staff.

Reading, math and catch-up help

6 of the plan’s 23 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.

Actions whose titles name reading, math or English learners
  • Reading $2.2 million
  • Math $0.3 million
  • English learners $0.5 million

Largest of these

  • Early Literacy: TK-8$1.0 million
  • Early Literacy: TK-8$947,300
  • Long Term English Language Learner Support: 6 - 12$450,189
For high-need students (English learners, low-income students and foster youth) and what its goals measure
For high-need students

It plans $25.2 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025–26, it planned $26.1 million and estimates it spent $27.2 million, $1.1 million (4%) more than planned (our arithmetic).

What its goals measure

Read these state results for the district’s own schools as context for the goals they measure; results alone can’t show what the plan caused.

What its goals measure: state results, 2024–25 and 2025–26
Measure2024–252025–26Change
English, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goals 1, 2 and 342%43%up 1 pt
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goals 1, 3 and 427%28%up 1 pt
Chronically absentCounted across all the district’s students, not averaged by schoolGoal 515 in 10016 in 1001 more in 100
Suspended at least onceGoal 53.2%3.3%up 0.1 pts

Goal 6 isn’t shown because it tracks named schools.

Figures from CDE’s state test, chronic absence and suspension files. Test figures cover every grade the district tests (California tests grades 3–8 and 11), so they differ from a profile’s rated grades. We combined the district’s schools ourselves, weighted by students and leaving out charter schools. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days.

The plan’s own titles and amounts
  • Attendance: Transitional Kindergarten - 12 · $3,882,812
  • College Readiness and Support: 9-12 Staffing · $3,581,210
  • Mental Health Support: TK-12 · $2,757,361
The full plan6 goals, 43 measures and where the money goes

We calculate each action’s share of the plan by dividing its planned amount by the total of the plan’s funded actions ($26.4 million).

Where does the money go?

42% to Goal 5. Each box is one action, sized by its planned dollars. Tap a box to open its goal.

G1
G2
G3
G4
G5

Every goal, in the plan’s order

Goal 1MPUSD students will graduate prepared for college or career by attaining the prepared designation on the…$10.7 million41% of action budgets

“MPUSD students will graduate prepared for college or career by attaining the prepared designation on the College Career Indicators Dashboard” p. 23 ↗

6 funded actions

Largest funded actions

  1. College Readiness and Support: 9-12 Staffing$3.6 millionaction 1.2 · p. 117 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  2. Athletics, Activities, Co-Curricular Activities: TK- 12$2.4 millionaction 1.5 · p. 117 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  3. New Teacher Development: TK-12$1.7 millionaction 1.6 · p. 117 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  4. Alternative Education: 7- 12$1.7 millionaction 1.3 · p. 117 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  5. Visual and Performing Arts$0.9 millionaction 1.4 · p. 117 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services

1 more funded action in this goal

  • Middle School Enrichment: 7-8 · action 1.1 · p. 117 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.4 million

How the plan measures it · 19 measures

None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 23 ↗.

Goal 2MPUSD’s 3rd grade scholars will meet or exceed standards in English Language Arts (reading/​literacy)$2.0 million8% of action budgets

2 funded actions · p. 42 ↗

Largest funded actions

  1. Early Literacy: TK-8$1.0 millionaction 2.1 · p. 117 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  2. Early Literacy: TK-8$0.9 millionaction 2.2 · p. 117 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services

How the plan measures it · 1 measure

None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 42 ↗.

Goal 3 · Focus GoalMPUSD’s Emerging Bilingual scholars (English Language Learners) will demonstrate progress in English language…$1.8 million7% of action budgets

“MPUSD’s Emerging Bilingual scholars (English Language Learners) will demonstrate progress in English language acquisition and be redesignated English Proficient by middle school” p. 50 ↗

2 funded actions

Largest funded actions

  1. English Language Learner Support: Transitional Kindergarten - 12$1.4 millionaction 3.1 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  2. Long Term English Language Learner Support: 6 - 12$0.5 millionaction 3.2 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services

How the plan measures it · 7 measures

None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 50 ↗.

Goal 4MPUSD 5th grade and 8th grade scholars will meet or exceed standards in mathematics$584,4292% of action budgets

3 funded actions · p. 58 ↗

Largest funded actions

  1. Field Trips: 6th Grade$244,186action 4.3 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  2. Mathematics/​Science Job Embedded Expertise: TK-12$187,799action 4.2 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  3. Math and Science Curriculum: TK - 8 Supplemental Curriculum$152,444action 4.1 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services

How the plan measures it · 3 measures

None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 58 ↗.

Goal 5Advance progress across all schools by implementing Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and collaborating…$11.0 million42% of action budgets

“Advance progress across all schools by implementing Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and collaborating with educational partners to foster connectedness through a positive school culture, promoting inclusivity, collaboration, and student success” p. 68 ↗

8 funded actions

Largest funded actions

  1. Attendance: Transitional Kindergarten - 12$3.9 millionaction 5.6 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  2. Mental Health Support: TK-12$2.8 millionaction 5.1 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  3. Mental Health Support (Psychologists): Transitional Kindergarten - 12$2.2 millionaction 5.5 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $1.2 million is state funding counted toward those services
  4. Multi-Tiered Systems of Support: TK-12$1.0 millionaction 5.3 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  5. Parent and Family Engagement and Communications and Community Connection via tools: Transitional Kindergarten - 12$0.4 millionaction 5.7 · p. 119 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services

3 more funded actions in this goal

  • Parent engagement: Transitional Kindergarten - 12 · action 5.8 · p. 119 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.3 million
  • Foster Youth and Students Experiencing homelessness: TK-12 · action 5.2 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.3 million
  • Multi-Tiered Systems of Support: Transitional Kindergarten-12 Mental Health Services · action 5.4 · p. 118 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.2 million

How the plan measures it · 8 measures

None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 68 ↗.

Goal 6 · Equity Multiplier Focus GoalWithin three years, all students, particularly low-income, and hispanic youth, at Community Day, Community…$303,0221% of action budgets

“Within three years, all students, particularly low-income, and hispanic youth, at Community Day, Community Day Middle, and Central Coast High, will demonstrate growth towards meeting or exceeding standards in ELA as measured by CAASPP test results and local benchmark assessments” p. 93 ↗

2 funded actions

Largest funded actions

  1. Ongoing Support for ELA$237,757action 6.1 · p. 119 ↗
  2. Integrating Work-Based Learning (WBL) opportunities and utilizing a dedicated Work-Based Learning Specialist$65,264action 6.2 · p. 119 ↗

How the plan measures it · 5 measures

None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 93 ↗.

All amounts are planned. We read them from the PDF and added up each goal’s actions ourselves. Page links open the plan at that page.

Who goes to the district’s schools
Who attends

Student mix

2024–25 · October enrollment count, 9,949 students
1. Hispanic or Latino: 61%2. White: 19%3. Two or more races: 5%4. Black or African American: 5%5. Asian: 4%6. Filipino: 4%7. Pacific Islander: 1%8. Not reported: 1%9. American Indian or Alaska Native: <1%Student mix2024–25
  1. Hispanic or Latino61%
  2. White19%
  3. Two or more races5%
  4. Black or African American5%
  5. Asian4%
  6. Filipino4%
  7. Pacific Islander1%
  8. Not reported1%
  9. American Indian or Alaska Native<1%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools.

Free or reduced-price meals

69%

Across California, 63% of students qualify.

2024–25 · 6,795 of 9,907 students qualify, summed from the CDE’s meal counts for every school it lists under the district, charters included. It comes from a different CDE file than the student mix, so the two totals differ.

The district’s state records

Is the state giving the district extra help?

Monterey Peninsula Unified isn’t getting extra state help in 2026, only the standard support every district gets.

How English learners moved up on the state’s English test

From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 45% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (770 of 1,698 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.

2 schools getting state support, 2025–26

J. C. Crumpton Elementary (Targeted support) · La Mesa (Targeted support)

This list covers the district’s own schools; each charter school’s page shows its record. Federal designation under the Every Student Succeeds Act, 2025–26.

Sources: District help (CDE) ↗ · English learner progress (CDE) ↗ · School support (CDE) ↗. State results from the 2026 California School Dashboard.

Which places nearby can you look at next?

Cities in the district

More places (4)

Districts nearby

Common questions

Which public schools in Monterey Peninsula Unified rank highest?

Elementary: La Mesa, 82nd percentile (Strong). Middle: 2 schools at the 58th percentile (Solid): La Mesa and Monte Vista. High: Monterey High, 66th percentile (Solid). Each percentile is among the California schools at the same level we score. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.

Does living in the Monterey Peninsula Unified district decide which school my child attends?

Not by itself. Attendance boundaries, programs, transfers and space all matter. Confirm the school for your address, grade and program with the district.
More questions (5)

Are the public schools in Monterey Peninsula Unified good?

Monterey Peninsula Unified’s 11 public elementary schools run from the 7th to the 82nd percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Strong, 3 Solid, 3 Developing and 4 Needs Support. Monterey Peninsula Unified’s 6 public middle schools run from the 26th to the 58th percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 4 Solid and 2 Developing. Monterey Peninsula Unified’s 3 public high schools run from the 29th to the 66th percentile among the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). By band: 1 Solid and 2 Developing. A percentile compares a school with California public schools at the same level that we score. How we score schools.

How does chronic absence in Monterey Peninsula Unified compare with California?

The average elementary school in Monterey Peninsula Unified had 12 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once. The average middle school in Monterey Peninsula Unified had 11 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100. The average high school in Monterey Peninsula Unified had 22 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California high school we score had 22 in 100. These are averages of school rates: each school counts once, whatever its size.

How much does Monterey Peninsula Unified spend per student?

Monterey Peninsula Unified spent $20,953 per student in the 2024–25 school year. That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 56 cents of every Monterey Peninsula Unified dollar went to classroom instruction. Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from its annual financial report to the California Department of Education. The district’s spending, by function.

What is in Monterey Peninsula Unified’s 2026–27 spending plan?

The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $26.4 million into 23 funded actions in 6 goals, 14% of its $193.5 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $11.0 million, 42% of the action budgets. The 2026–27 plan, goal by goal.

Where do these results come from?

California’s state tests (CAASPP): spring 2026 for elementary and middle schools, spring 2025 for high schools, and chronic-absence rates for 2025–26, published by the California Department of Education. Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s calculations. How we score schools.

Sources and methodology

This page lists the public schools governed and funded by Monterey Peninsula Unified, with the district’s spending and state accountability records.

Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26 elementary and middle school; 2024–25 high school

Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.

View CDE data ↗ (opens in a new tab)How Scope Scores work →

Download these schools (CSV)Free to use under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.