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North Monterey County Unified: North Monterey County Unified elementary schools add +7.5 points from grade 3 to 5 — a signal that schools are adding real value.

Below Average2024–25 data7 schools · avg 37.0/100

North Monterey County Unified has 7 ranked schools across elementary and high levels with an average Scope Score of 37.0/100 — 7.8 points below the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Castroville Elementary at 47/100, where 11.3% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $14,578 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 1 school shows positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 27.1%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
37.0
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
19.8
27.1 – 46.8
Avg Exceeded %
8.0%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
27.1%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
7
With Scope Scores
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementaryDeveloping
36.2/100
48.7%19.6%
HighDeveloping
38.1/100
37.2%37.0%

North Monterey County Unified's high schools average 38.1/100 — 5.6 points below the state average.

K–12 pipeline

The typical school path in North Monterey County Unified, top-scoring shown first.

Elementary
36.2
avg score · 4 schools
Castroville Elementary
Developing
47/100
Prunedale Elementary
Developing
37/100
Elkhorn Elementary
Developing
32/100
+1 more elementary schools
High
38.1
avg score · 3 schools

District Analysis

North Monterey County Unified has 7 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 37.0/100 — 7.8 points below the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Strongest level: North Monterey County Unified's high schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 38.1.

District-wide elementary growth averages +7.5pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — schools are adding meaningful value beyond what students arrive with.

Score range of 19.8 points — moderately consistent between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 27.1%, 9.1pp above the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 2.7%, near the state average of 1.6%.

Castroville Elementary leads the district at 47 with 11.3% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in North Monterey County Unified

2 On the Rise1 Growth Engine4 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 3 schools in North Monterey County Unified are classified as On the Rise (2) or Growth Engine — 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

Student demographics

Hispanic
90.8%
White
7.6%
Asian
0.4%
Black
0.1%
Other
1.0%
Free/Reduced Lunch
88%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

North Monterey County Unified spends $14,578 per student in current expenditures — $236 below the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$14,578
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
4,583
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 19.9%
$12,162 → $14,578
Spending Efficiency
2.54
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 57%Support 38%Other 5%
NCES F-33 Finance · District-level data — not school-specific

Data source: NCES Common Core of Data, Fiscal Survey (F-33) · 2019–2020

For the data nerds

Every school in North Monterey County Unified

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (4)

North Monterey County Unified has 4 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 36.2 — 8.6 points below the state average of 44.8.

Grade-to-grade growth averages +7.5pp — schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Castroville Elementary with a Scope Score of 47 and 11.3% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Castroville Elementary
North Monterey County Unified Growth Engine
11.3%Developing
47/100
2Prunedale Elementary
North Monterey County Unified On the Rise
8.3%Developing
37/100
3Elkhorn Elementary
North Monterey County Unified On the Rise
9.1%Developing
32/100
4Echo Valley Elementary
North Monterey County Unified Building Momentum
6.0%Needs Support
29/100

High Schools (3)

North Monterey County Unified has 3 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 38.1 — 5.6 points below the state average of 43.7.

The highest-scoring high school is North Monterey County Center for Independent Study with a Scope Score of 45 and 11.8% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1North Monterey County Center for Independent Study
North Monterey County Unified Building Momentum
11.8%Developing
45/100
2North Monterey County High
North Monterey County Unified Building Momentum
9.8%Developing
42/100
3Central Bay High (Continuation)
North Monterey County Unified Building Momentum
0.0%Needs Support
27/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 7 schoolsMethodology · Explore all schools

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.

What Scope Scores can't tell you about North Monterey County Unified

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 resources are distributed across schools within the district. Full methodology

Frequently asked questions

Is North Monterey County Unified a good school district?
North Monterey County Unified has 7 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 37.0/100, which is 7.8 points below the state average. 8.0% of students exceed the state standard on average. The Scope Score measures academic performance and school climate across seven dimensions. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What is the best school in North Monterey County Unified?
The highest-scoring school in North Monterey County Unified is Castroville Elementary with a Scope Score of 47/100 and 11.3% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does North Monterey County Unified spend per student?
North Monterey County Unified spends $14,578 per student in current expenditures. The state average is $14,815. Spending data comes from the NCES Common Core of Data Fiscal Survey (F-33). Higher spending does not automatically mean better outcomes — the Scope Score measures what happens in the classroom regardless of budget.
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-level growth, chronic absenteeism, suspension rate, ELPAC English Learner proficiency, and baseline proficiency. Full methodology and weights.