Public schools in Murrieta, CA
24 open public schools with an address in Murrieta, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
24
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
24,487
23 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
23.8:1
California median 21.6:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Murrieta public schools
The federal directory lists 24 public schools in Murrieta, CA: 13 elementary, 5 middle, 4 high, 2 combined or other. The 23 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 24,487 students, an average of 1,065 per school. The largest campus is Vista Murrieta High (3,328 students), and the largest elementary school is Cole Canyon Elementary (1,038).
Murrieta Valley Unified operates the most schools here (21), and 3 regular districts have at least one Murrieta campus. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 23.8:1, higher than the statewide school median of 21.6:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
Among 5 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 3 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 2 of 5 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 52% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Murrieta
Elementary schools in Murrieta
13| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alamos Elementary Temecula Valley Unified | KG–05 | 799 | 22.8:1 | |
| Alta Murrieta Elementary Murrieta Valley Unified | KG–05 | 849 | 24.3:1 | |
| Antelope Hills Elementary Murrieta Valley Unified | KG–05 | 839 | 24.7:1 | |
| Avaxat Elementary Murrieta Valley Unified | KG–05 | 617 | 22.9:1 | |
| Cole Canyon Elementary Murrieta Valley Unified | KG–05 | 1,038 | 26:1 | |
| Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary Murrieta Valley Unified | KG–05 | 828 | 23.8:1 | |
| E. Hale Curran Elementary Murrieta Valley Unified | KG–05 | 575 | 23.8:1 | |
| Lisa J. Mails Elementary Murrieta Valley Unified | KG–05 | 1,006 | 25.8:1 | |
| Monte Vista Elementary Murrieta Valley Unified | KG–05 | 769 | 24.2:1 | |
| Murrieta Elementary Murrieta Valley Unified | KG–05 | 893 | 25.9:1 | |
| Oak Meadows Elementary Menifee Union | KG–05 | 818 | 22.1:1 | |
| Rail Ranch Elementary Murrieta Valley Unified | KG–05 | 603 | 25.7:1 | |
| Tovashal Elementary Murrieta Valley Unified | KG–05 | 745 | 24.2:1 |
Middle schools in Murrieta
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bella Vista Middle Temecula Valley Unified | 06–08 | 1,249 | 22.9:1 | |
| Dorothy McElhinney Middle Murrieta Valley Unified | 06–08 | 1,451 | 25:1 | |
| Shivela Middle Murrieta Valley Unified | 06–08 | 1,282 | 27.9:1 | |
| Thompson Middle Murrieta Valley Unified | 06–08 | 1,565 | 25.2:1 | |
| Warm Springs Middle Murrieta Valley Unified | 06–08 | 755 | 22.1:1 |
High schools in Murrieta
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murrieta Mesa High Murrieta Valley Unified | 09–12 | 2,066 | 21.9:1 | |
| Murrieta Options Academy Murrieta Valley Unified · Alternative School | 09–12 | 12 | 1.1:1 | |
| Murrieta Valley High Murrieta Valley Unified | 09–12 | 2,104 | 22.4:1 | |
| Vista Murrieta High Murrieta Valley Unified | 09–12 | 3,328 | 22.8:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Murrieta
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murrieta Canyon Academy Murrieta Valley Unified · Alternative School | KG–12 | 296 | 12.2:1 | |
| Murrieta Preschool Outreach Murrieta Valley Unified | Not reported | — | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White32.4%
- Hispanic43.1%
- Black5.2%
- Asian8.2%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.5%
- Multiracial10.3%
Enrollment-weighted across 23 Murrieta schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (24,487 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Murrieta
How many public schools are in Murrieta, CA?
The current NCES directory lists 24 open public schools with a location address in Murrieta: 13 elementary, 5 middle, 4 high, 2 combined or other. Together they reported 24,487 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Murrieta?
Schools with an address in Murrieta belong to 3 education agencies, led by Murrieta Valley Unified (21 schools), Temecula Valley Unified (2 schools), Menifee Union (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Murrieta?
Vista Murrieta High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Murrieta, with 3,328 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Murrieta?
No school with an address in Murrieta is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in California.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Murrieta schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Murrieta public schools is 23.8:1, higher than the California school median of 21.6:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Murrieta guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby California cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All California cities