Is McKinley Elementary a good school?

McKinley Elementary ranks in the bottom 13.1% of California elementary schools.

How many students attend McKinley Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 257 students attended McKinley Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of McKinley Elementary?

Students at McKinley Elementary are 93% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 2% White, 2% African American.

What schools do graduates of McKinley Elementary attend?

Students who attend McKinley Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : La Cumbre Junior High High : Santa Barbara Senior High

McKinley Elementary

Summary:

McKinley Elementary is a public elementary school in Santa Barbara, California, serving 257 students in grades K-6 and part of the Santa Barbara Unified School District.

McKinley Elementary faces significant challenges, including a sharp increase in chronic absenteeism from 5.3% in 2017-2018 to 32.5% in 2022-2023, which is notably higher than the district averages at Adams Elementary (13.8%) and Monroe Elementary (28.2%). Academically, the school consistently underperforms compared to district and state averages in English Language Arts and Mathematics, with only 20.8% of students proficient or better in ELA and 16.3% in Mathematics in 2023-2024. McKinley also struggles to support its student subgroups, with lower rankings for Hispanic and English Language Learner students compared to the state.

Compared to nearby schools, McKinley Elementary has a significantly higher percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch at 93.39% in 2022-2023, compared to 69.05% at Adams Elementary and 45.99% at Washington Elementary. This suggests that McKinley faces unique socioeconomic challenges that may contribute to its academic and attendance issues, and the school may need additional resources and support to address the needs of its student population.

Detail:

Public K-6

350 Loma Alta Dr.
Santa Barbara, CA 93109-2359

(805) 966-9926

District: Santa Barbara Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
5092^nd of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,066

Students who attend McKinley Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	La Cumbre Junior High
High:	Santa Barbara Senior High

Student/teacher ratio: 18.0

Number of students: 257

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

93.0%

Two or more races:

2.7%

White:

2.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 93.4%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare McKinley Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details McKinley Elementary ranks worse than 86.9% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks last among 10 ranked elementary schools in the Santa Barbara Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 17.19. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details McKinley Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Santa Barbara Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Details

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details

Compare

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at McKinley Elementary is $12,066, which is the 4^th highest among 10 elementary schools in the Santa Barbara Unified School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

McKinley Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks McKinley Elementary 5092^nd of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See McKinley Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

Santa Barbara Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Santa Barbara Unified 696^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

What do you think?

Your rating for McKinley Elementary?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for McKinley Elementary

Compare

Rank History for all students at McKinley Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2013	24.80	4413^th	5530	20.2%
2015	24.61	4165^th	5611	25.8%
2016	15.82	4974^th	5614	11.4%
2017	13.93	5200^th	5692	8.6%
2018	10.30	5424^th	5662	4.2%
2019	12.91	5386^th	5789	7.0%
2022	23.66	4480^th	5883	23.8%
2023	20.01	4858^th	5874	17.3%
2024	17.19	5092^nd	5862	13.1%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at McKinley Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	19.63	3072^nd	3246	5.4%
2019	20.69	3139^th	3275	4.2%
2022	25.91	2885^th	3311	12.9%
2023	36.32	2061^st	3250	36.6%
2024	43.70	1571^st	3160	50.3%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at McKinley Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	14.80	4758^th	5084	6.4%
2019	16.58	4755^th	5173	8.1%
2022	35.58	3368^th	5264	36.0%
2023	25.47	4268^th	5374	20.6%
2024	23.80	4473^rd	5511	18.8%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at McKinley Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	11.45	5169^th	5413	4.5%
2019	14.54	5058^th	5492	7.9%
2022	25.56	4158^th	5635	26.2%
2023	24.06	4326^th	5617	23.0%
2024	19.70	4731^st	5605	15.6%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at McKinley Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	18.13	2441^st	2585	5.6%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at McKinley Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	10.38	5252^nd	5431	3.3%
2019	12.06	5248^th	5510	4.8%
2022	25.60	4183^rd	5663	26.1%
2023	17.84	4927^th	5650	12.8%
2024	20.92	4618^th	5636	18.1%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at McKinley Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	12.72	4609^th	4830	4.6%
2019	16.70	4574^th	4963	7.8%
2022	32.14	3518^th	5084	30.8%
2023	27.55	3905^th	5098	23.4%
2024	22.78	4290^th	5102	15.9%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: California Department of Education

We're sorry, but no reviews have been submitted for McKinley Elementary.

If you have first-hand knowledge about McKinley Elementary, submit a rating!

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for McKinley Elementary

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2012	5	0	0	411	1	1	418
2013	6	0	2	433	0	2	443
2014	2	0	2	429	0	2	435
2015	8	1	2	395	0	5	411
2016	9	0	0	412	0	2	423
2017	6	0	0	398	1	2	407
2018	3	1	0	364	1	2	371
2019	11	1	1	346	0	4	363
2020	4	1	0	303	1	3	312
2021	6	0	0	260	2	4	272
2022	4	0	0	233	1	6	244
2023	6	4	1	239	0	7	257

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at McKinley Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	418	22.0	19.0	n/a
2013	443	23.0	19.2	99.3
2014	435	22.0	19.7	86.4
2015	411	23.0	17.8	73.5
2016	423	16.0	26.4	86.5
2017	407	14.0	29.0	93.1
2018	371	14.0	26.5	88.9
2019	363	15.0	24.2	83.5
2020	312	n/a	n/a	84.3
2021	272	14.6	18.6	79
2022	244	13.5	18.0	74.2
2023	257	14.2	18.0	93.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio McKinley Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	418	22.0	19.0	n/a
2013	443	23.0	19.2	99.3
2014	435	22.0	19.7	86.4
2015	411	23.0	17.8	73.5
2016	423	16.0	26.4	86.5
2017	407	14.0	29.0	93.1
2018	371	14.0	26.5	88.9
2019	363	15.0	24.2	83.5
2020	312	n/a	n/a	84.3
2021	272	14.6	18.6	79
2022	244	13.5	18.0	74.2
2023	257	14.2	18.0	93.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Kindergarten Immunization Rates