Enrollment
577
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Salinas, CA
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy
Federal NCES profile for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 11/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060195010559
👥 S:T ratio 4
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy earns 11/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #29 of 39
- elementary schools in Salinas · Resource Index
- 11
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24:1
- large classes for California
- 92.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy has class sizes larger than 71% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy ranks #29 of 39 elementary schools in Salinas, CA.
School address
District: Alisal Union · California
NCES ID 060195010559 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
92.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
+66% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Salinas, California, enrolling 577 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 92.1% of students qualify for free meals, 66% above the California average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 577 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 1,232 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,136, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (100% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 1/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 577 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Among Salinas's elementary schools, it stands alongside Sherwood Elementary (859 students): Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (24:1 vs 22:1).
Alisal Union also operates Monte Bella Elementary (812 students) and Fremont Elementary (711 students) alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy compares
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 24:1 | ▲ 12% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 92.1% | ▲ 66% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 577 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
577
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
92.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 66% above the California average of 55.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
24:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 71% in California - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Funding equity
$15,875
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 577 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 99.7%
White 0.2%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 99.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 0.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 0.6, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Alisal Union, which includes Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy.
$15,875
Per student
-4%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 17.0%
State 69.9%
Federal 13.1%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monte Bella Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Fremont Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jesse G. Sanchez Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Frank Paul Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cesar E. Chavez Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 812
- Students per teacher
- 25.4:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
- Enrollment
- 711
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 646
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 638
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 628
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
Similar elementary schools in Salinas
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Sherwood Elementary
Standard public school
859 students 22:1 students per teacher
Monte Bella Elementary
Standard public school
812 students 25.4:1 students per teacher
Henry F. Kammann Elementary
Standard public school
743 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
Fremont Elementary
Standard public school
711 students 22.9:1 students per teacher
Natividad Elementary
Standard public school
705 students 24.3:1 students per teacher
Mission Park Elementary
Standard public school
657 students 27.4:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~577 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy's federal record.
- Compare Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Alisal Union's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy
How many students attend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy?
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy has 577 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Salinas, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy is 24:1, which is 12% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 53% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy?
92.1% of students at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy?
The largest demographic group at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 99.7% of enrollment, in Salinas, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy?
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 11/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy rank among elementary schools in Salinas?
By Resource Investment Index, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy ranks #29 of 39 elementary schools in Salinas, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Salinas on the city page.
Is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy a good school?
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy earns 11/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Alisal Union?
Besides Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy, Alisal Union also operates Monte Bella Elementary (812 students), Fremont Elementary (711 students), and Jesse G. Sanchez Elementary (646 students). See the Alisal Union district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.