North Monterey County Unified’s 4 public elementary schools run from the 12th to the 56th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests).
Elementary · 4 schools
from 12th to 56th · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests
Castroville Elementary: 56th percentile, Solid
Elkhorn Elementary: 35th percentile, Developing
Prunedale Elementary: 25th percentile, Developing
Echo Valley Elementary: 12th percentile, Needs Support
1Needs Support
2Developing
1Solid
0Strong
← lower percentilehigher →
One dot per school.
Middle and high school pictures
Middle · 1 school
at 10th · among 2,529 California middle schools we score · spring 2026 tests
North Monterey County Middle: 10th percentile, Needs Support
1Needs Support
0Developing
0Solid
0Strong
High · 2 schools
from 10th to 18th · among 1,498 California high schools we score · spring 2025 tests
North Monterey County High: 18th percentile, Needs Support
North Monterey County Center for Independent Study: 10th percentile, Needs Support
2Needs Support
0Developing
0Solid
0Strong
← lower percentilehigher →
One dot per school. Each stage is placed only among California schools at its own level.
The average elementary school in North Monterey County Unified had 14 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
Where does the middle school we score in North Monterey County Unified stand?
North Monterey County Middle is at the 10th percentile.
That’s higher than 10 in 100 of the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). It’s the only public middle school we score in North Monterey County Unified.
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.
Where does North Monterey County Unified’s money go, and what does it plan?
North Monterey County Unified spent $23,874 per student in the 2024–25 school year.
The typical California district spent $20,491. About 59 cents of every North Monterey County 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
Instruction59%
Instruction support11%
Student services11%
Administration10%
Buildings & maintenance8%
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
$91.2 million
planned in its 2026–27 plan for 30 funded actions in 8 goals. That’s all of its 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, 145 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.
Where the money goes
Three actions take 55% of the money. The plan itself puts 86% of it toward staff.
Guaranteed, Viable Curriculum $30.1 million
Intervention and Acceleration $13.3 million
Real World Application $6.9 million
27 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help
3 of the plan’s 30 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.
Actions whose titles name reading or catch-up help
Reading $2.0 million
Catch-up help $13.3 million
Largest of these
Intervention and Acceleration$13.3 million
Digital/Media Literacy Integration$2.0 million
Foundational literacy skills to ensure students read fluently by end of third grade. (Red Indicator)$2,750
For high-need students (English learners, low-income students and foster youth), what changed and what its goals measure
For high-need students
It plans $20.0 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth.
What changed
The total is $5.1 million (6%) higher than in the 2025–26 plan. The biggest change in dollars is Guaranteed, Viable Curriculum, which went from $28.7 million to $30.1 million.
Largest cuts
Digital/Media Literacy Integration−$472,133
Communication−$331,551
Largest increases
Guaranteed, Viable Curriculum+$1.3 million
Improve Social Emotional Learning+$1.2 million
Professional Learning and Building Capacity+$620,842
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
Measure
2024–25
2025–26
Change
English, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goals 1 and 5
29%
31%
up 2 pts
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 1 · Rigorous Equitable Instruction
17%
21%
up 4 pts
Chronically absentCounted across all the district’s students, not averaged by schoolGoal 2 · Student Engagement and Connectedness
24 in 100
18 in 100
6 fewer in 100
Suspended at least onceGoals 2 and 6
3.7%
3.1%
down 0.6 pts
Goal 8 tracks named schools and Goals 3, 4 and 7 track other measures, so they aren’t shown here.
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
Guaranteed, Viable Curriculum · $30,062,709
Intervention and Acceleration · $13,300,119
Real World Application · $6,890,368
The full plan8 goals, 51 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 ($91.2 million).
Where does the money go?
63% to Goal 1, Rigorous Equitable Instruction. Each box is one action, sized by its planned dollars and coloured by its change since last year’s plan. Tap a box to open its goal.
not compared: unconfirmed, or repeated across goals
small actions drawn together
Every goal, in the plan’s order
Goal 1Rigorous Equitable Instruction$57.1 million63% of action budgets
9 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $55.2 million (+$2.0 million) · p. 12 ↗
Largest funded actions
Guaranteed, Viable Curriculum$30.1 millionaction 1.1 · p. 100 ↗
Intervention and Acceleration$13.3 millionaction 1.4 · p. 100 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $3.0 million is state funding counted toward those services
Real World Application$6.9 millionaction 1.5 · p. 100 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $1.7 million is state funding counted toward those services
Professional Learning and Building Capacity$2.5 millionaction 1.3 · p. 100 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $1.7 million is state funding counted toward those services
Digital/Media Literacy Integration$2.0 millionaction 1.7 · p. 100 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
4 more funded actions in this goal
College and Career Plan · action 1.8 · p. 101 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$1.6 million
Engagement in Continuous Improvement · action 1.2 · p. 100 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $470,292 is state funding counted toward those services$0.6 million
Biliteracy · action 1.6 · p. 100 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $12,860 is state funding counted toward those services$0.2 million
Culturally Responsive Instruction · action 1.9 · p. 101 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $3,500 is state funding counted toward those servicesunder $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Guaranteed, Viable Curriculum+$1.3 million$28.7 million → $30.1 million · p. 100 ↗
Professional Learning and Building Capacity+$0.6 million$1.9 million → $2.5 million · p. 100 ↗
Digital/Media Literacy Integration−$0.5 million$2.5 million → $2.0 million · p. 100 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Intervention and Acceleration · $13.5 million → $13.3 million · p. 100 ↗−$0.2 million
Real World Application · $6.6 million → $6.9 million · p. 100 ↗+$0.3 million
College and Career Plan · $1.5 million → $1.6 million · p. 101 ↗+$0.1 million
Engagement in Continuous Improvement · $377,089 → $633,489 · p. 100 ↗+$256,400
Biliteracy · $149,902 → $168,731 · p. 100 ↗+$18,829
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 12 ↗.
Goal 2Student Engagement and Connectedness$20.8 million23% of action budgets
7 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $18.4 million (+$2.4 million) · p. 36 ↗
Largest funded actions
Create Clean, Welcoming, and Well-Maintained Physical Spaces$5.6 millionaction 2.3 · p. 101 ↗
Expanded Learning Opportunities$5.4 millionaction 2.6 · p. 101 ↗
Improve Social Emotional Learning$4.4 millionaction 2.1 · p. 101 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $2.4 million is state funding counted toward those services
Physically safe and welcoming learning environments$2.7 millionaction 2.5 · p. 101 ↗
Expand and strengthen student engagement opportunities$1.4 millionaction 2.4 · p. 101 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $1.1 million is state funding counted toward those services
2 more funded actions in this goal
Positive Behavior Intervention Supports and Restorative Justice Practices · action 2.2 · p. 101 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $299,089 is state funding counted toward those services$1.0 million
Improve attendance and reduce chronic absenteeism · action 2.7 · p. 102 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $27,515 is state funding counted toward those services$0.3 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Improve Social Emotional Learning+$1.2 million$3.2 million → $4.4 million · p. 101 ↗
Improve attendance and reduce chronic absenteeism+$300,035$6,000 → $306,035 · p. 102 ↗
Create Clean, Welcoming, and Well-Maintained Physical Spaces+$0.3 million$5.3 million → $5.6 million · p. 101 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Expanded Learning Opportunities · $5.2 million → $5.4 million · p. 101 ↗+$0.2 million
Physically safe and welcoming learning environments · $2.5 million → $2.7 million · p. 101 ↗+$0.2 million
Expand and strengthen student engagement opportunities · $1.1 million → $1.4 million · p. 101 ↗+$0.3 million
Positive Behavior Intervention Supports and Restorative Justice Practices · $1.1 million → $1.0 million · p. 101 ↗−$0.1 million
Goal 3Parent/Community Engagement and Connectedness$13.0 million14% of action budgets
8 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $12.1 million (+$881,744) · p. 46 ↗
Largest funded actions
Early Learning$5.0 millionaction 3.6 · p. 102 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $134,471 is state funding counted toward those services
Provide reliable, safe transportation to and from school$3.8 millionaction 3.1 · p. 102 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $3.6 million is state funding counted toward those services
Improve trust between families/community, school, District, and Board$1.3 millionaction 3.8 · p. 102 ↗
Customer Service$1.0 millionaction 3.7 · p. 102 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Family Engagement Opportunities$0.7 millionaction 3.2 · p. 102 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $431,511 is state funding counted toward those services
3 more funded actions in this goal
Communication · action 3.3 · p. 102 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.7 million
Adult Education · action 3.5 · p. 102 ↗$0.4 million
Parent/Guardian Workshops · action 3.4 · p. 102 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Improve trust between families/community, school, District, and Board+$0.6 million$0.7 million → $1.3 million · p. 102 ↗
Early Learning+$0.4 million$4.5 million → $5.0 million · p. 102 ↗
Communication−$0.3 million$1.0 million → $0.7 million · p. 102 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Provide reliable, safe transportation to and from school · $3.6 million → $3.8 million · p. 102 ↗+$0.2 million
Customer Service · $1.0 million → $1.0 million · p. 102 ↗−$29,427
Family Engagement Opportunities · $631,321 → $748,281 · p. 102 ↗+$116,960
Adult Education · $518,053 → $409,713 · p. 102 ↗−$108,340
Parent/Guardian Workshops · $10,500 → $5,000 · p. 102 ↗−$5,500
Improve trust between certificated and classified staff, site administrators, and District administrators$21,993action 4.3 · p. 103 ↗
Improve retention of highly qualified staff$3,364action 4.2 · p. 103 ↗
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Increase joy at work−$187,864$224,972 → $37,108 · p. 103 ↗
Improve trust between certificated and classified staff, site administrators, and District administrators−$166,664$188,657 → $21,993 · p. 103 ↗
Improve retention of highly qualified staff+$1,994$1,370 → $3,364 · p. 103 ↗
How the plan measures it · 2 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 58 ↗.
Goal 5 · Focus GoalAcademic Achievement$9,550under 1% of action budgets
“Improve academic achievement in ELA and Math for all students, particularly English Learners, including Long Term English Learners, Socioeconomically Disadvantaged students, Hispanic, Homeless Youth, and Students with Disabilities as measured by the CA Dashboard results by the end of 2027” p. 66 ↗
Improve teacher clarity by explicitly sharing clear learning objectives and success criteria. (Red Indicator)$6,800action 5.1 · p. 103 ↗
Foundational literacy skills to ensure students read fluently by end of third grade. (Red Indicator)$2,750action 5.5 · p. 103 ↗
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Improve teacher clarity by explicitly sharing clear learning objectives and success criteria. (Red Indicator)−$13,200$20,000 → $6,800 · p. 103 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Foundational literacy skills to ensure students read fluently by end of third grade. (Red Indicator) · $2,750 · p. 103 ↗new or renamed
A reworded title counts as new.
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. 66 ↗.
Goal 6 · Focus GoalBy 2026, NMC will reduce suspensions for all students, and particularly for homeless and foster youth…$00% of action budgets
“By 2026, NMC will reduce suspensions for all students, and particularly for homeless and foster youth, through PBIS implementation, as measured through CA Dashboard suspension rates” p. 75 ↗
No funded actions in this plan · 2025–26 plan: $0 (unchanged)
Goal 7 · Focus GoalBy 2026, NMCUSD will increase college and career readiness for all students, particularly for English…$00% of action budgets
“By 2026, NMCUSD will increase college and career readiness for all students, particularly for English learners (districtwide and at NMCHS), Hispanic youth (NMCC for Independent Study), and socioeconomically disadvantaged students (NMCC for Independent Study), and all students at NMCC for Independent Study, through leveraging the tools and strategies within CaliforniaColleges.edu, as measured through CA Dashboard A-G Completion Rates, number of students enrolled Dual Enrollment Courses” p. 78 ↗
No funded actions in this plan · 2025–26 plan: $0 (unchanged)
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. 78 ↗.
Goal 8 · Equity Multiplier Focus GoalBy 2026, Central Bay (CB) High School and North Monterey County Center for Independent Study (NMCC for IS)…$246,623under 1% of action budgets
“By 2026, Central Bay (CB) High School and North Monterey County Center for Independent Study (NMCC for IS) will reduce rates of chronic absenteeism for Hispanic and socio-economically disadvantaged students by implementing actions that promote engagement, relationships, and student connectedness. Additionally, CB and NMCC for IS will increase student academic achievement in ELA and Mathematics for English Learners, SED students, and Hispanic students by implementing actions that improve high-quality first time instruction as well as academic interventions” p. 82 ↗
1 funded action · reworded since the 2025–26 plan
Largest funded actions
Improve student engagement and retention$246,623action 8.1 · p. 104 ↗
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Improve student engagement and retention+$206,726$39,897 → $246,623 · p. 104 ↗
How the plan measures it · 5 measures · 2 quoted
College and Career Readiness Rates for NMCCISp. 83 ↗
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, 4,290 students
1Hispanic or Latino92%
2White6%
3Asian<1%
4Two or more races<1%
5Filipino<1%
6Not reported<1%
7Black or African American<1%
8Pacific Islander<1%
9American Indian or Alaska Native<1%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools. Rounded labels may not total 100%; segments use the original shares.
Free or reduced-price meals
86%
Across California, 63% of students qualify.
2024–25 · 3,698 of 4,289 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?
North Monterey County 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, 41% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (625 of 1,509 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.
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.
Which public schools in North Monterey County Unified rank highest?
Elementary: Castroville Elementary, 56th percentile (Solid). Middle: North Monterey County Middle, 10th percentile (Needs Support). High: North Monterey County High, 18th percentile (Needs Support). 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 North Monterey County 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 North Monterey County Unified good?
North Monterey County Unified’s 4 public elementary schools run from the 12th to the 56th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Solid, 2 Developing and 1 Needs Support. North Monterey County Unified has one public middle school we score, North Monterey County Middle, at the 10th percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Needs Support. North Monterey County Unified’s 2 public high schools run from the 10th to the 18th percentile among the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). By band: 2 Needs Support. 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 North Monterey County Unified compare with California?
The average elementary school in North Monterey County Unified had 14 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. These are averages of school rates: each school counts once, whatever its size.
How much does North Monterey County Unified spend per student?
North Monterey County Unified spent $23,874 per student in the 2024–25 school year. The typical California district spent $20,491. About 59 cents of every North Monterey County 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 North Monterey County Unified’s 2026–27 spending plan?
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $91.2 million into 30 funded actions in 8 goals, all of its general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $57.1 million, 63% 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 North Monterey County 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.