Public schools in Salinas, CA
65 open public schools with an address in Salinas, operated by 12 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
65
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
37,670
62 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
22.2:1
California median 21.6:1
Charter schools
3
1 virtual
An overview of Salinas public schools
The federal directory lists 65 public schools in Salinas, CA: 38 elementary, 8 middle, 13 high, 6 combined or other. The 62 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 37,670 students, an average of 608 per school. The largest campus is Alisal High (2,742 students), and the largest elementary school is Sherwood Elementary (859).
Salinas City Elementary operates the most schools here (15), and 10 regular districts have at least one Salinas campus, plus 2 charter, service, or other agencies. 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 22.2:1, similar to 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.
School choice options include 3 charter schools, 1 virtual school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 13 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 5 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 0 of 14 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 82% 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 Salinas
Salinas City Elementary
Public school district
15 schools in Salinas
Alisal Union
Public school district
13 schools in Salinas
Salinas Union High
Public school district
12 schools in Salinas
Santa Rita Union Elementary
Public school district
7 schools in Salinas
Monterey County Office of Education
Public school district
5 schools in Salinas
North Monterey County Unified
Public school district
4 schools in Salinas · 8 total
Washington Union Elementary
Public school district
4 schools in Salinas
Graves Elementary
Public school district
1 school in Salinas
Lagunita Elementary
Public school district
1 school in Salinas
Mission Trails ROP
Specialized public school district
1 school in Salinas
Oasis Charter Public District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Salinas
Spreckels Union Elementary
Public school district
1 school in Salinas · 2 total
Elementary schools in Salinas
38| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alisal Community Alisal Union | KG–06 | 591 | 24.6:1 | |
| Bardin Elementary Alisal Union | KG–06 | 559 | 26.6:1 | |
| Boronda Elementary Salinas City Elementary | KG–06 | 288 | 22.2:1 | |
| Boronda Meadows Salinas City Elementary | KG–06 | 620 | 23:1 | |
| Cesar E. Chavez Elementary Alisal Union | KG–06 | 628 | 26.2:1 | |
| Creekside Elementary Alisal Union | KG–06 | 534 | 25.4:1 | |
| Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy Alisal Union | KG–06 | 577 | 24.6:1 | |
| Dr. Oscar F. Loya Elementary Alisal Union | KG–06 | 573 | 21.6:1 | |
| Echo Valley Elementary North Monterey County Unified | KG–06 | 502 | 23.4:1 | |
| El Gabilan Elementary Salinas City Elementary | KG–06 | 548 | 22.8:1 | |
| Frank Paul Elementary Alisal Union | KG–06 | 638 | 24.1:1 | |
| Fremont Elementary Alisal Union | KG–06 | 711 | 24.1:1 | |
| Graves Elementary Graves Elementary | KG–08 | 32 | 16:1 | |
| Henry F. Kammann Elementary Salinas City Elementary | KG–06 | 743 | 24:1 | |
| Jesse G. Sanchez Elementary Alisal Union | KG–06 | 646 | 23.9:1 | |
| John E. Steinbeck Elementary Alisal Union | KG–06 | 486 | 24.9:1 | |
| La Joya Elementary Santa Rita Union Elementary | KG–05 | 498 | 22.6:1 | |
| Lagunita Elementary Lagunita Elementary | KG–05 | 62 | 12.4:1 | |
| Laurel Wood Elementary Salinas City Elementary | KG–06 | 417 | 21.9:1 | |
| Lincoln Elementary Salinas City Elementary | KG–06 | 646 | 23.9:1 | |
| Loma Vista Elementary Salinas City Elementary | KG–06 | 445 | 23.4:1 | |
| Los Padres Elementary Salinas City Elementary | KG–06 | 620 | 23.8:1 | |
| McKinnon Santa Rita Union Elementary | KG–05 | 439 | 20.9:1 | |
| Mission Park Elementary Salinas City Elementary | KG–06 | 657 | 24.3:1 | |
| Monte Bella Elementary Alisal Union | KG–06 | 812 | 26.2:1 | |
| Monterey Park Elementary Salinas City Elementary | KG–06 | 541 | 22.5:1 | |
| Natividad Elementary Salinas City Elementary | KG–06 | 705 | 23.1:1 | |
| New Republic Elementary Santa Rita Union Elementary | KG–05 | 482 | 21:1 | |
| Oasis Charter Public Oasis Charter Public District · Charter | KG–06 | 193 | 22.1:1 | |
| Prunedale Elementary North Monterey County Unified | KG–06 | 644 | 23.9:1 | |
| Roosevelt Elementary Salinas City Elementary | KG–06 | 560 | 22.4:1 | |
| Salinas City STEAM Academy Salinas City Elementary · Virtual · Alternative School | KG–06 | 99 | 24.8:1 | |
| Santa Rita Elementary Santa Rita Union Elementary | KG–05 | 545 | 22.7:1 | |
| Sherwood Elementary Salinas City Elementary | KG–06 | 859 | 21.5:1 | |
| Toro Park Elementary Washington Union Elementary | KG–03 | 341 | 21.3:1 | |
| University Park Elementary Salinas City Elementary | KG–06 | 488 | 21.2:1 | |
| Virginia Rocca Barton Elementary Alisal Union | KG–06 | 526 | 26.3:1 | |
| Washington Elementary Washington Union Elementary | 04–05 | 154 | 25.7:1 |
Middle schools in Salinas
8| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buena Vista Middle Spreckels Union Elementary | 06–08 | 321 | 17.6:1 | |
| El Sausal Middle Salinas Union High | 07–08 | 1,067 | 22.2:1 | |
| Gavilan View Middle Santa Rita Union Elementary | 06–08 | 556 | 18.5:1 | |
| Harden Middle Salinas Union High | 07–08 | 1,101 | 21.1:1 | |
| John Gutierrez Middle Santa Rita Union Elementary | 06–08 | 568 | 19.5:1 | |
| La Paz Middle Salinas Union High | 07–08 | 1,099 | 20:1 | |
| San Benancio Middle Washington Union Elementary | 06–08 | 261 | 21.7:1 | |
| Washington Middle Salinas Union High | 07–08 | 1,082 | 21.3:1 |
High schools in Salinas
13| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alisal High Salinas Union High | 09–12 | 2,742 | 22.9:1 | |
| Carr Lake Community Day Salinas Union High · Alternative School | 07–12 | 18 | 9:1 | |
| Central Bay High (Continuation) North Monterey County Unified · Alternative School | 09–12 | 23 | 7.6:1 | |
| El Puente Salinas Union High · Alternative School | 07–12 | 326 | 16.4:1 | |
| Everett Alvarez High Salinas Union High | 09–12 | 1,978 | 21.8:1 | |
| Mission Trails ROP Mission Trails ROP · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 0 | — | |
| Mount Toro High Salinas Union High · Alternative School | 09–12 | 204 | 14.8:1 | |
| North Monterey County Center for Independent Study North Monterey County Unified · Alternative School | 07–12 | 96 | 23.5:1 | |
| North Salinas High Salinas Union High | 09–12 | 2,106 | 20.1:1 | |
| Open Door Charter Monterey County Office of Education · Charter · Alternative School | 09–12 | 53 | 18:1 | |
| Rancho San Juan High Salinas Union High | 09–12 | 1,600 | 20.8:1 | |
| Salinas Community Monterey County Office of Education · Alternative School | 07–12 | 101 | 20.4:1 | |
| Salinas High Salinas Union High | 09–12 | 2,380 | 21.6:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Salinas
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buckhorn Early Learning Center Alisal Union | Not reported | — | — | |
| Monterey County Home Charter Monterey County Office of Education · Charter | KG–12 | 255 | 18.8:1 | |
| Monterey County Special Education Monterey County Office of Education · Special Education School | KG–12 | 274 | 6.9:1 | |
| Santa Rita Pre-K Santa Rita Union Elementary | Not reported | — | — | |
| Toro Preschool Washington Union Elementary | Not reported | — | — | |
| Wellington M. Smith Jr. Monterey County Office of Education · Alternative School | 04–12 | 50 | 12.4:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White5%
- Hispanic90.7%
- Black0.4%
- Asian1.9%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.3%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial1.6%
Enrollment-weighted across 61 Salinas schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (37,670 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Salinas
How many public schools are in Salinas, CA?
The current NCES directory lists 65 open public schools with a location address in Salinas: 38 elementary, 8 middle, 13 high, 6 combined or other. Together they reported 37,670 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Salinas?
Schools with an address in Salinas belong to 12 education agencies, led by Salinas City Elementary (15 schools), Alisal Union (13 schools), Salinas Union High (12 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Salinas?
Alisal High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Salinas, with 2,742 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Salinas?
Yes. 3 of the 65 public schools in Salinas are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Monterey County Home Charter, Oasis Charter Public, Open Door Charter. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Salinas schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Salinas public schools is 22.2:1, similar to 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 Salinas 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