Is Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy a good school?

Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy ranks in the bottom 14.8% of California elementary schools.

How many students attend Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 581 students attended Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy?

Students at Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy are 99% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy attend?

Students who attend Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy usually go on to attend: Middle : El Sausal Middle High : Alisal High

Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy

Summary:

Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy is an elementary school in Salinas, California, serving 581 students in grades K-6 as part of the Alisal Union School District, which is ranked 1334 out of 1568 districts in the state.

The school consistently ranks in the bottom 20% of California elementary schools, with significantly below-average performance on standardized tests across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2023-2024, only 22.62% of students at Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 28.71% in the Alisal Union district and 47.04% statewide. The school also faces high rates of chronic absenteeism, rising from 7.3% in 2017-2018 to 20.7% in 2022-2023, and has an extremely high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 96.04% to 98.67% over the past three school years.

Compared to nearby schools within the Alisal Union district, such as Virginia Rocca Barton Elementary and Fremont Elementary, Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy generally performs worse on academic measures, with lower proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. However, the school's performance for English Language Learners is relatively stronger, ranking in the top 50% of California elementary schools in this subgroup.

Detail:

Public K-6

925 North Sanborn Rd.
Salinas, CA 93905-1308

(831) 796-3916

District: Alisal Union

SchoolDigger Rank:
4996^th of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $4,171

Students who attend Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy usually attend:

Middle:	El Sausal Middle
High:	Alisal High

Student/teacher ratio: 24.2

Number of students: 581

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

98.8%

Two or more races:

0.9%

White:

0.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 96%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy ranks worse than 85.2% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks 9^th among 12 ranked elementary schools in the Alisal Union School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 18.28. (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 Racial makeup is: Hispanic (98.8%), two or more races (0.9%), White (0.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 96% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy is 24.2. 8 elementary schools in the Alisal Union School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy employs 24 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy is $4,171. 8 elementary schools in the Alisal Union School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy 4996^th of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Migrant students:

Homeless students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

Alisal Union:

SchoolDigger ranks Alisal Union 1334^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy

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Rank History for all students at Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	9.95	4672^nd	4809	2.8%
2005	16.46	4215^th	4822	12.6%
2006	9.96	4634^th	4818	3.8%
2007	9.59	4934^th	5113	3.5%
2008	7.76	5013^th	5113	2.0%
2009	3.51	5171^st	5193	0.4%
2010	3.56	5293^rd	5314	0.4%
2011	7.74	5284^th	5377	1.7%
2012	15.48	4933^rd	5390	8.5%
2013	17.86	4874^th	5530	11.9%
2015	16.79	4926^th	5611	12.2%
2016	16.39	4921^st	5614	12.3%
2017	18.26	4843^rd	5692	14.9%
2018	14.30	5152^nd	5662	9.0%
2019	21.74	4647^th	5789	19.7%
2022	20.09	4844^th	5883	17.7%
2023	17.14	5145^th	5874	12.4%
2024	18.28	4996^th	5862	14.8%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	53.09	1120^th	3246	65.5%
2019	50.51	1223^rd	3275	62.7%
2022	48.27	1297^th	3311	60.8%
2023	41.18	1733^rd	3250	46.7%
2024	42.72	1632^nd	3160	48.4%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	23.75	2183^rd	2634	17.1%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	19.95	4499^th	5084	11.5%
2019	32.13	3710^th	5173	28.3%
2022	29.90	3850^th	5264	26.9%
2023	23.70	4403^rd	5374	18.1%
2024	23.88	4463^rd	5511	19.0%

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

Rank History for Migrant students at Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	25.77	54^th	68	20.6%
2024	37.32	52^nd	74	29.7%

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

Rank History for Homeless students at Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	33.57	252^nd	356	29.2%
2024	34.77	259^th	364	28.8%

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

Rank History for Female students at Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	14.74	4927^th	5413	9.0%
2019	18.48	4750^th	5492	13.5%
2022	20.73	4650^th	5635	17.5%
2023	18.84	4811^th	5617	14.3%
2024	15.70	5062^nd	5605	9.7%

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

Rank History for Male students at Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	16.02	4893^rd	5431	9.9%
2019	26.13	4091^st	5510	25.8%
2022	21.02	4619^th	5663	18.4%
2023	16.77	5013^th	5650	11.3%
2024	22.41	4493^rd	5636	20.3%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	19.65	4274^th	4830	11.5%
2019	30.58	3653^rd	4963	26.4%
2022	27.94	3878^th	5084	23.7%
2023	23.07	4255^th	5098	16.5%
2024	25.19	4091^st	5102	19.8%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Sunday, March 7, 2010

School has a disadvantaged population and teachers work very hard to instill good work and study ethics for being good students. My step-daughter attended the summer school program and it was an excellent learning experience for her. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2002	4	1	5	462	4	n/a	n/a	476
2003	4	1	5	462	4	n/a	n/a	476
2004	3	1	1	492	1	n/a	n/a	498
2005	1	0	2	509	0	n/a	n/a	512
2006	1	0	0	548	0	n/a	n/a	549
2007	1	0	2	511	0	n/a	n/a	514
2008	n/a	2	2	487	n/a	n/a	n/a	491
2009	0	4	3	515	0	0	0	522
2010	0	1	1	511	1	0	0	514
2011	22	1	0	420	3	0	0	446
2012	17	1	0	420	3	0	0	441
2013	1	0	0	508	0	0	5	514
2014	0	3	0	581	0	0	8	592
2015	3	0	0	560	0	0	0	563
2016	3	0	0	565	0	0	0	568
2017	4	0	0	589	0	0	5	598
2018	4	0	0	602	0	0	6	612
2019	4	0	0	610	1	0	8	623
2020	6	0	0	592	0	0	8	606
2021	3	0	0	570	0	0	6	579
2022	2	0	0	597	0	0	4	603
2023	2	0	0	574	0	0	5	581

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 Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	476	16.0	29.8	87.8
2003	476	16.0	29.8	87.8
2004	498	18.0	27.7	89
2005	512	17.0	30.1	87.9
2006	549	22.0	25.0	82
2007	514	18.5	27.8	87.5
2008	491	20.5	24.0	99.4
2009	522	19.0	23.7	0
2010	514	18.0	28.5	95.1
2011	446	n/a	n/a	99.3
2012	441	14.0	31.5	n/a
2013	514	17.0	30.2	92.6
2014	592	20.0	29.6	73.8
2015	563	20.0	28.1	94.3
2016	568	21.0	27.0	96.1
2017	598	22.0	27.1	90.1
2018	612	23.0	26.6	90
2019	623	24.0	25.9	90.2
2020	606	n/a	n/a	87.3
2021	579	22.0	26.3	97.4
2022	603	24.0	25.1	98.7
2023	581	24.0	24.2	96

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 Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	476	16.0	29.8	87.8
2003	476	16.0	29.8	87.8
2004	498	18.0	27.7	89
2005	512	17.0	30.1	87.9
2006	549	22.0	25.0	82
2007	514	18.5	27.8	87.5
2008	491	20.5	24.0	99.4
2009	522	19.0	23.7	0
2010	514	18.0	28.5	95.1
2011	446	n/a	n/a	99.3
2012	441	14.0	31.5	n/a
2013	514	17.0	30.2	92.6
2014	592	20.0	29.6	73.8
2015	563	20.0	28.1	94.3
2016	568	21.0	27.0	96.1
2017	598	22.0	27.1	90.1
2018	612	23.0	26.6	90
2019	623	24.0	25.9	90.2
2020	606	n/a	n/a	87.3
2021	579	22.0	26.3	97.4
2022	603	24.0	25.1	98.7
2023	581	24.0	24.2	96

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.

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