NCES CCD 2024-25 25 schools CA

Best-Resourced Schools in Murrieta, CA

25 public K-12 schools in Murrieta from NCES Common Core of Data: enrollment, grade span, demographics, and Civil Rights Data Collection statistics for every active campus.

25 public schools ranked by quality score. NCES CCD 2024-25 data.

The highest-ranked of Murrieta's 25 public schools is Vista Murrieta High, scoring 16/100, against a city average of 19.2/100. Computed live across every Murrieta campus reporting to NCES.

Every public school in Murrieta, CA, ranked by Resource Investment Index.

25
Schools
25,142
Students
19.2/100
Avg Quality
23.6:1
Avg Student-Teacher Ratio

How the Murrieta Public-School Landscape Breaks Down

Murrieta, CA enrolls 25,142 students across 25 public schools reporting to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of those, 2 are charter schools, giving families genuine alternatives to the traditional neighbourhood assignment model. The average student-teacher ratio across the city is 23.6:1, and the composite quality score, derived from student-teacher ratio, counselor access, gifted-program availability, and CRDC attendance data, averages 19.2/100. Schools must report at least five campuses in a city to appear in this listing, which is why very small towns may redirect to the broader county or state view.

The most-resourced campus in Murrieta on this index is Vista Murrieta High, at 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index with 3,328 enrolled students. What the index does and doesn't measure; click any school below for its full component breakdown.

Murrieta spans 5 districts, each filing its own NCES F-33 return, per-pupil spending can vary between neighbouring campuses. Sort the table below by enrollment, level, or district; click any school for its full profile.

Murrieta school enrollment varies 277× across entities

Murrieta school enrollment ranges from 12 students (lowest) to 3,328 students (highest), a spread of 3,316 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. Per-school staffing, programme depth, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same city based on enrollment shape, a 200-student magnet runs a different operational model than a 2,000-student comprehensive high school.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Murrieta operates 5 school districts — among the most fragmented governance structures in the country

Each school district has independent budgeting, hiring, and service delivery authority. The fragmentation reflects historical patterns of inter-municipal boundary lines that pre-date modern city growth, students in different parts of the same city can attend different districts with different per-pupil spending, calendars, and graduation requirements. Per-region variation is largest in fragmented systems because each school district sets its own budget, contracts, and priorities without higher-level coordination above the regulatory floor.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Murrieta student-teacher ratio is 23.6:1 — high (typically associated with larger urban scale or staffing constraints that have widened the headcount gap)

student-teacher ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE classroom teachers against total enrollment, push-in specialists, English-language aides, special-education co-teachers, and counselors are not included in most reporting Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data, Public School Universe NCES Common Core of Data, Public School Universe

# School Score
1. Vista Murrieta High 16
2. Murrieta Valley High 10
3. Murrieta Mesa High 20
4. Thompson Middle 14
5. Dorothy Mcelhinney Middle 18
6. Shivela Middle 13
7. Bella Vista Middle 20
8. Cole Canyon Elementary 13
9. Lisa J. Mails Elementary 19
10. Murrieta Elementary 7
11. Alta Murrieta Elementary 8
12. Antelope Hills Elementary 13
13. Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary 8
14. Oak Meadows Elementary 23
15. Alamos Elementary 21
16. Monte Vista Elementary 13
17. Warm Springs Middle 22
18. Tovashal Elementary 13
19. Avaxat Elementary 12
20. Rail Ranch Elementary 9
21. E. Hale Curran Elementary 10
22. Methodschools 21
23. Murrieta Canyon Academy 53
24. Method Schools La 44
25. Murrieta Options Academy 60

Most racially and ethnically mixed schools in Murrieta

Ranked by the Simpson student-body diversity index (0-100) from NCES race and ethnicity data, where higher means a more evenly mixed student body. It measures mix, not quality.

  1. 1 Alamos Elementary 71.8/100
  2. 2 Dorothy Mcelhinney Middle 71.5/100
  3. 3 Lisa J. Mails Elementary 71.5/100
  4. 4 Bella Vista Middle 71.1/100
  5. 5 Vista Murrieta High 70.6/100

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best schools in Murrieta, CA?

The highest-ranked school in Murrieta is Vista Murrieta High with a quality score of 16/100. There are 25 public schools in Murrieta with 25,142 total students.

How many schools are in Murrieta, CA?

Murrieta has 25 public schools with a total enrollment of 25,142 students. 2 are charter schools. Average student-teacher ratio: 23.6:1.

Other Cities in California

Side-by-side: Compare any two schools or districts in California →

Explore PlainSchools

Related Guides

Data from NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 and Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22. Quality scores based on student-teacher ratio, counselor access, gifted programs, and attendance. Schools must have 5+ in the city to be listed.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.