Alisal Union

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Salinas, California - 13 schools

An equity score of 64/100 ranks Alisal Union #405 of 1526 districts in California (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $17,675 per pupil, Alisal Union ranks #875 of 1880 California districts by per-pupil spending (California districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

7,509
Total Enrollment
13
Schools
$17,675
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Alisal Union operates 13 public schools serving 7,509 students, placing it among the smaller districts in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 13 elementary schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Monterey County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $17,675 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 1880 California districts by per-pupil spending. See how California compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 17.0% local, 69.9% state, and 13.1% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 64/100, ranked #405 of 1526 in California against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 606.8:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 37.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 96.7% Hispanic or Latino, 1.8% Asian, 0.8% White across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is John E. Steinbeck Elementary, with a diversity index of 18.5/100.

Its largest campus is Monte Bella Elementary, enrolling 812 students (11% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Alisal Virtual Academy, at 22 students, a 37x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Alisal Union school enrollment varies 37× across entities

Alisal Union school enrollment ranges from 22 students (lowest) to 812 students (highest), a spread of 790 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity, the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Alisal Union reports 81.8% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share is at least 75%, indicating a high concentration of measured economic need. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Alisal Union student-counselor ratio is 607:1 — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Alisal Union chronic absenteeism rate is 37.6% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

13.1%
Federal
69.9%
State
17.0%
Local

Funding Equity

64
Equity Score
405 / 1526
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 13 schools in Alisal Union.

White 0.8%
Hispanic or Latino 96.7%
Asian 1.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 6.2/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Alisal Union's schools, below the California average of 46.0.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 John E. Steinbeck Elementary 18.5
  2. 2 Creekside Elementary 17.6
  3. 3 Alisal Virtual Academy 16.5
  4. 4 Monte Bella Elementary 6.5
  5. 5 Frank Paul Elementary 4.9

Programs & Resources

606.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
37.6%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Alisal Union

School Enrollment
Monte Bella Elementary
812
Fremont Elementary
711
Jesse G. Sanchez Elementary
646
Frank Paul Elementary
638
Cesar E. Chavez Elementary
628
Alisal Community
591
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy
577
Oscar F. Loya Elementary
573
Bardin Elementary
559
Creekside Elementary
534
Virginia Rocca Barton Elementary
526
John E. Steinbeck Elementary
486
Alisal Virtual Academy
22

How Alisal Union Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The California districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Lammersville Joint Unified Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Alum Rock Union Elementary Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
San Luis Coastal Unified Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Washington Unified Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Western Placer Unified Similar size Lower spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Alisal Union's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in California

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Los Angeles Unified
427,795 students · 785 schools · $22,606/pupil
Compare vs Alisal Union →
San Diego Unified
93,893 students · 175 schools · $20,783/pupil
Compare vs Alisal Union →
Fresno Unified
69,668 students · 101 schools · $20,909/pupil
Compare vs Alisal Union →
Long Beach Unified
65,554 students · 84 schools · $18,419/pupil
Compare vs Alisal Union →
Elk Grove Unified
62,061 students · 67 schools · $15,921/pupil
Compare vs Alisal Union →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Alisal Union

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Los Angeles Unified →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Alisal Union?

Alisal Union has 13 schools, including 13 elementary. Total enrollment is 7,509 students.

How much does Alisal Union spend per student?

Alisal Union spends $17,675 per student. The district has an equity score of 64/100, ranking #405 in California.

What is the demographic composition of Alisal Union?

Alisal Union students are 96.7% Hispanic or Latino, 1.8% Asian, 0.8% White, 0.1% African American, averaged across 13 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Alisal Union?

Alisal Union has an equity score of 64/100, ranking #405 out of 1526 districts in California.