Salinas Union High School District

431 West Alisal St.
Salinas, CA 93901-1624
(District boundaries shown in map)
4/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Salinas Union High School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in California for:

Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 6 public middle schools serving 4,693 students in Salinas Union High School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 4/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public middle schools in California.
Public Middle Schools in Salinas Union High School District have an average math proficiency score of 17% (versus the California public middle school average of 32%), and reading proficiency score of 37% (versus the 46% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 98% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the California public middle school average of 78% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (CA)
# Schools
12 Schools
3,465 Schools
# Students
15,703 Students
1,858,531 Students
# Teachers
745 Teachers
88,108 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
21:1
21:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Salinas Union High School District, which is ranked #1221 of all 1,904 school districts in California (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 82% has decreased from 86% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (CA)
#1181 out of 1932 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
17%
34%
42%
47%
20%
29%
82%
87%
(2022-23)
19.4%
27.7%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.16
0.64
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
2%
11%
% Hispanic
92%
55%
% Black
1%
5%
% White
4%
22%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
1%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $18,814 in this school district is less than the state median of $20,100. The school district revenue/student has grown by 32% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $15,637 is less than the state median of $18,512. The school district spending/student has grown by 10% over four school years.
This School District
This State (CA)
Total Revenue
$295 MM
$116,387 MM
Spending
$246 MM
$107,188 MM
Revenue / Student
$18,814
$20,100
Spending / Student
$15,637
$18,512

Best Salinas Union High School District Public Middle Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Carr Lake Community Day
Alternative School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
10 Sherwood Pl.
Salinas, CA 93906
(831) 796-7700
Gr: 7-12 | 18 students Student-teacher ratio: 9:1 Minority enrollment: 95%
Rank: #22.
Washington Middle School
(Math: 22% | Reading: 38%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
560 Iverson St.
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 796-7100
Gr: 7-8 | 1,082 students Student-teacher ratio: 21:1 Minority enrollment: 94%
Rank: #33.
El Sausal Middle School
(Math: 19% | Reading: 40%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
1155 East Alisal St.
Salinas, CA 93905
(831) 796-7200
Gr: 7-8 | 1,067 students Student-teacher ratio: 22:1 Minority enrollment: 99%
Rank: #44.
La Paz Middle School
(Math: 13% | Reading: 40%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
1300 North Sanborn Rd.
Salinas, CA 93905
(831) 796-7900
Gr: 7-8 | 1,099 students Student-teacher ratio: 20:1
Rank: #55.
Harden Middle School
(Math: 15% | Reading: 31%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
1561 Mckinnon St.
Salinas, CA 93906
(831) 796-7300
Gr: 7-8 | 1,101 students Student-teacher ratio: 21:1 Minority enrollment: 97%
Rank: #66.
El Puente
Alternative School
(Math: 6-9% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
20 Sherwood Pl.
Salinas, CA 93906
(831) 796-7700
Gr: 7-12 | 326 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 96%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 12 schools
  • Grades: 07-12
  • Enrollment: 15,703 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 21:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 96%
  • : 82% (Top 50% in CA)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 17% (Btm 50%)
  • : 42% (Top 50%)
  • : 20% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), CA Dept. of Education

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