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C+

Salinas Union High School District

Public school districtGrades 7–12Regional · 2 towns

Serves Salinas and Marina.

Salinas’ School Grade C better than 26% of California school districts

Students
15,703
Schools
12
Spent per student
$19,699
CA $21,206
Students per teacher
21:1
Free or reduced lunch
89%
Debt
$222.3M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Salinas Union High School District

  • Its letter, C+: results better than 40% of California districts
  • Math proficiency 16 pts below the state
  • Spends 7% less per student than the CA average
  • 21 students per teacher
  • Debt of $222.3M, about $14,158 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

C+: better than 40% of the 1,872 California school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math well below the state, 2021–22
C+
GraduationFour-year graduation below the state, class of 2023
C−
The towns it serves, and their School Grades
CSalinas 159,134C+Marina 23,256

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Salinas. Grade by grade →

K–624 schoolsSalinas City Elementary School District
7–84 middle schoolsThis district
9–125 high schoolsThis district

Test scores vs. CA

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency17%
State average 33.1% · 7,229 students tested
Reading / language arts42%
State average 46.7% · 7,163 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)82%
State average 86.2% · 2,906 in the class

97% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$19,699 per student · 7% below CA
Spending
Classroom instruction 55%Support & administration 42%Other 3%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 25%State 67%Federal 9%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
16,423’20
16,522’21
16,236’22
16,095’23
15,703’24

Down 4.4% since 2020–21.

Students
Hispanic 92%White 4%Asian 2%Two or more races 1%Black <1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%

Schools in the district

12 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with California’s other public schools.

Harden Middle
Middle · Grades 7–8 · Salinas
1,101 students21:1
La Paz Middle
Middle · Grades 7–8 · Salinas
1,099 students20:1
Washington Middle
Middle · Grades 7–8 · Salinas
1,082 students21:1
El Sausal Middle
Middle · Grades 7–8 · Salinas
1,067 students22:1
El Puente
High · Grades 7–12 · Salinas
326 students16:1
Carr Lake Community Day
High · Grades 7–12 · Salinas
18 students9:1
Alisal High
High · Grades 9–12 · Salinas
2,742 students23:1
Salinas High
High · Grades 9–12 · Salinas
2,380 students22:1
North Salinas High
High · Grades 9–12 · Salinas
2,106 students20:1
Everett Alvarez High
High · Grades 9–12 · Salinas
1,978 students22:1
Rancho San Juan High
High · Grades 9–12 · Salinas
1,600 students21:1
Mount Toro High
High · Grades 9–12 · Salinas
204 students15:1

Nearby districts

Compare spending and schools next door.

Monterey Peninsula Unified School DistrictSeaside
$20,712per student

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within California.