Enrollment
644
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Salinas, CA
Prunedale Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Prunedale Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 10/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062759004147
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Prunedale Elementary earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #32 of 39
- elementary schools in Salinas · Resource Index
- 10
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.8:1
- large classes for California
- 70.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Prunedale Elementary has class sizes larger than 84% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Prunedale Elementary ranks #32 of 39 elementary schools in Salinas, CA.
School address
District: North Monterey County Unified · California
NCES ID 062759004147 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
70.5%
vs 55.5% California avg
+27% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Prunedale Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Prunedale Elementary
Prunedale Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Salinas, California, enrolling 644 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.8:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 70.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 644 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 2,030 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,863, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (90% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 18/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 58.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Salinas's elementary schools, it stands alongside Sherwood Elementary (859 students): Prunedale Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (25.8:1 vs 22:1).
North Monterey County Unified also operates North Monterey County High (1,250 students) and North Monterey County Middle (624 students) alongside Prunedale Elementary.
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 Prunedale Elementary compares
Prunedale Elementary on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 25.8:1 | ▲ 20% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 70.5% | ▲ 27% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 644 | top 28% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.8:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
644
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
70.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
25.8:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 84% in California - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
58.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$18,705
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.6 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 90.0%
White 7.9%
Two or More 1.1%
African American 0.3%
Asian 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 90.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 18.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 18.4, Prunedale Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for North Monterey County Unified, which includes Prunedale Elementary.
$18,705
Per student
+13%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 31.2%
State 55.2%
Federal 13.6%
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 Prunedale Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Monterey County High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Monterey County Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Castroville Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Elkhorn Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Echo Valley Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Prunedale Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,250
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 624
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 600
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
- Enrollment
- 550
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
- Enrollment
- 502
- Students per teacher
- 23.9:1
- Resource Index
- 11/100
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 (~644 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Prunedale Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Prunedale Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- North Monterey County Unified'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 Prunedale Elementary
How many students attend Prunedale Elementary?
Prunedale Elementary has 644 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Salinas, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Prunedale Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Prunedale Elementary is 25.8:1, which is 20% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 64% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Prunedale Elementary?
70.5% of students at Prunedale Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Prunedale Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Prunedale Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 90.0% of enrollment, in Salinas, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Prunedale Elementary?
Prunedale Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 10/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Prunedale Elementary rank among elementary schools in Salinas?
By Resource Investment Index, Prunedale Elementary ranks #32 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 Prunedale Elementary a good school?
Prunedale Elementary earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% 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 North Monterey County Unified?
Besides Prunedale Elementary, North Monterey County Unified also operates North Monterey County High (1,250 students), North Monterey County Middle (624 students), and Castroville Elementary (600 students). See the North Monterey County Unified 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.