Is McKinley Elementary a good school?

Yes. McKinley Elementary ranks in the top 5.9% of California elementary schools.

How many students attend McKinley Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 534 students attended McKinley Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of McKinley Elementary?

Students at McKinley Elementary are 51% White, 31% Hispanic, 12% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 3% African American.

What schools do graduates of McKinley Elementary attend?

Students who attend McKinley Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Roosevelt International Middle High : San Diego High

McKinley Elementary

Summary:

McKinley Elementary is a high-performing public elementary school in San Diego, California, serving 534 students in grades K-5 and part of the San Diego Unified School District.

McKinley Elementary consistently ranks among the top 10% of California elementary schools, with exceptional academic achievement. The school's students significantly outperform their peers in the district and state on Smarter Balanced Assessments, with 79.83% proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy compared to 54.22% for the district and 47.04% for the state. McKinley's performance on the California Science Assessment is also impressive, with 73.33% of 5th graders proficient or better, compared to 40.16% for the district and 32.68% for the state. The school's strong performance extends across various student subgroups, including female, male, Hispanic, and white students, and it ranks particularly high for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

Compared to nearby schools, such as Rosa Parks Elementary, Cherokee Point Elementary, and Central Elementary, McKinley Elementary serves a more affluent student population, with a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (28.09% vs. 71.84% to 96.01%). This likely contributes to the school's exceptional academic performance, which significantly outpaces its neighboring counterparts.

Detail:

Public K-5

3045 Felton St.
San Diego, CA 92104-5218

(619) 282-7694

District: San Diego Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
343^rd of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,673

Students who attend McKinley Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Roosevelt International Middle
High:	San Diego High

Student/teacher ratio: 26.3

Number of students: 534

Racial breakdown:

White:

50.6%

Hispanic:

30.9%

Two or more races:

12.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 28.1%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare McKinley Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details McKinley Elementary ranks better than 94.1% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks 13^th among 117 ranked elementary schools in the San Diego Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 95.04. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a high 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 Student population at McKinley Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (50.6%), Hispanic (30.9%), two or more races (12.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 28.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at McKinley Elementary is 26.3. 114 elementary schools in the San Diego Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare McKinley Elementary employs 20.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at McKinley Elementary is $7,673. 89 elementary schools in the San Diego Unified School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

McKinley Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks McKinley Elementary 343^rd of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See McKinley Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

San Diego Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks San Diego Unified 604^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for McKinley Elementary

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Rank History for all students at McKinley Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	40.25	2627^th	4809	45.4%
2005	48.41	2273^rd	4822	52.9%
2006	46.88	2333^rd	4818	51.6%
2007	43.86	2681^st	5113	47.6%
2008	50.86	2323^rd	5113	54.6%
2009	58.73	1993^rd	5193	61.6%
2010	66.23	1661^st	5314	68.7%
2011	66.43	1672^nd	5377	68.9%
2012	67.28	1667^th	5390	69.1%
2013	72.58	1449^th	5530	73.8%
2015	76.93	1240^th	5611	77.9%
2016	79.06	1163^rd	5614	79.3%
2017	87.90	766^th	5692	86.5%
2018	89.93	639^th	5662	88.7%
2019	92.11	512^th	5789	91.2%
2022	90.77	661^st	5883	88.8%
2023	94.53	389^th	5874	93.4%
2024	95.04	343^rd	5862	94.1%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at McKinley Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	77.32	135^th	669	79.8%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at McKinley Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	84.02	247^th	2420	89.8%
2024	81.80	315^th	2634	88.0%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Special Education 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	89.96	284^th	5084	94.4%
2019	93.06	197^th	5173	96.2%
2022	83.72	611^th	5264	88.4%
2023	87.34	481^st	5374	91.0%
2024	93.51	299^th	5511	94.6%

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	88.14	660^th	5413	87.8%
2019	90.38	540^th	5492	90.2%
2022	85.36	852^nd	5635	84.9%
2023	91.81	514^th	5617	90.8%
2024	93.54	401^st	5605	92.8%

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
2018	70.34	403^rd	2128	81.1%
2019	74.46	429^th	2585	83.4%
2022	71.48	401^st	2227	82.0%

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	89.28	608^th	5431	88.8%
2019	91.63	470^th	5510	91.5%
2022	92.61	471^st	5663	91.7%
2023	94.80	325^th	5650	94.2%
2024	94.04	350^th	5636	93.8%

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	91.16	263^rd	4830	94.6%
2019	91.15	252^nd	4963	94.9%
2022	90.79	326^th	5084	93.6%
2023	93.81	209^th	5098	95.9%
2024	96.00	127^th	5102	97.5%

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

Rank History for White students at McKinley Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	86.56	198^th	2737	92.8%
2019	90.49	83^rd	2834	97.1%
2022	87.04	206^th	2726	92.4%
2023	90.85	78^th	2662	97.1%
2024	85.56	226^th	2647	91.5%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for White 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: 2.3)

33%

67%

Reviews:

by a parent
Wednesday, May 3, 2023

McKinley went downhill fast. Last year we had a devoted principal. This year 2022-2023 the principal's head is in the clouds and the parent club runs the school. If your not a part of the parent club then good luck getting your kids in anything. The new principal is a joke! Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, May 3, 2023

McKinley was once a great school. Sadly, it has changed with the addition of a new principal, Jonathan Morello. First, please note this review is for the 2022-2023 school year. Secondly, these are my experiences and I can only speak on what my family have experienced. This school WAS heavily into social emotional support. They had strong academic performance while striking a balance between school and home. A drastic negative change happened once this new principal onboarded. The principal doesn't want to or lacks the ability to follow protocol. Now I'm left playing poker with my kids education by sending them here. Close Quote

Enrollment information for McKinley Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	363	74	39	146	3	n/a	n/a	0	625
1989	346	90	46	177	6	n/a	n/a	0	665
1990	365	105	47	230	9	n/a	n/a	0	756
1991	365	110	46	216	10	n/a	n/a	0	747
1992	370	100	41	226	16	n/a	n/a	0	753
1993	352	106	50	268	16	n/a	n/a	0	792
1994	303	105	50	320	15	n/a	n/a	0	793
1995	254	97	54	379	8	n/a	n/a	0	792
1996	254	97	54	379	8	n/a	n/a	0	792
1997	219	125	44	379	10	n/a	n/a	0	777
1998	197	119	38	358	8	n/a	n/a	0	720
1999	180	104	35	366	4	n/a	n/a	0	689
2000	165	115	34	360	4	n/a	n/a	0	678
2001	130	103	37	336	3	n/a	n/a	0	609
2002	107	74	35	348	2	n/a	n/a	0	566
2003	107	74	35	348	2	n/a	n/a	0	566
2004	99	66	36	320	2	n/a	n/a	0	523
2005	79	57	34	250	2	n/a	n/a	0	422
2006	82	44	32	252	3	n/a	n/a	0	413
2007	87	45	22	224	5	n/a	n/a	3	386
2008	86	43	31	223	5	n/a	n/a	0	388
2009	118	41	32	214	3	6	0	0	414
2010	121	36	24	211	2	2	3	0	399
2011	151	39	28	202	1	1	2	0	424
2012	157	38	23	215	0	1	3	0	437
2013	191	28	18	228	1	1	2	0	469
2014	230	27	11	259	1	2	2	0	532
2015	245	29	9	272	4	2	7	0	568
2016	246	28	10	274	4	3	23	0	588
2017	249	18	7	267	3	3	34	0	581
2018	259	15	9	243	1	3	42	0	572
2019	253	16	8	223	5	2	48	0	555
2020	252	16	11	194	4	1	49	0	527
2021	238	19	17	177	4	1	55	0	511
2022	237	12	16	168	3	0	64	0	500
2023	270	14	18	165	2	0	65	0	534

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

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	625	23.1	27.0	n/a
1989	665	23.1	28.7	n/a
1990	756	26.2	28.8	n/a
1991	747	27.2	27.4	n/a
1992	753	27.6	27.2	53.8
1993	792	28.2	28.1	55.7
1994	793	30.0	26.4	66.1
1995	792	31.0	25.5	73
1996	792	31.0	25.5	73
1997	777	35.0	22.2	75.3
1998	720	35.0	20.6	71.4
1999	689	35.0	19.7	74.9
2000	678	31.0	21.9	74.5
2001	609	33.5	18.2	68.6
2002	566	31.6	17.9	77.4
2003	566	31.6	17.9	77.4
2004	523	30.0	17.4	73.8
2005	422	26.5	15.9	74.9
2006	413	25.5	16.2	77.2
2007	386	25.0	15.4	71.8
2008	388	24.0	16.2	73.2
2009	414	27.0	14.8	72
2010	399	21.5	18.5	66.7
2011	424	n/a	n/a	58.7
2012	437	21.5	20.3	n/a
2013	469	20.3	23.0	48.8
2014	532	20.0	26.6	43.6
2015	568	22.0	25.8	41.7
2016	588	24.0	24.5	44.7
2017	581	23.0	25.2	38.2
2018	572	22.3	25.6	34.4
2019	555	21.5	25.8	35
2020	527	n/a	n/a	29.8
2021	511	20.5	24.9	26.6
2022	500	20.0	25.0	26
2023	534	20.3	26.3	28.1

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

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	625	23.1	27.0	n/a
1989	665	23.1	28.7	n/a
1990	756	26.2	28.8	n/a
1991	747	27.2	27.4	n/a
1992	753	27.6	27.2	53.8
1993	792	28.2	28.1	55.7
1994	793	30.0	26.4	66.1
1995	792	31.0	25.5	73
1996	792	31.0	25.5	73
1997	777	35.0	22.2	75.3
1998	720	35.0	20.6	71.4
1999	689	35.0	19.7	74.9
2000	678	31.0	21.9	74.5
2001	609	33.5	18.2	68.6
2002	566	31.6	17.9	77.4
2003	566	31.6	17.9	77.4
2004	523	30.0	17.4	73.8
2005	422	26.5	15.9	74.9
2006	413	25.5	16.2	77.2
2007	386	25.0	15.4	71.8
2008	388	24.0	16.2	73.2
2009	414	27.0	14.8	72
2010	399	21.5	18.5	66.7
2011	424	n/a	n/a	58.7
2012	437	21.5	20.3	n/a
2013	469	20.3	23.0	48.8
2014	532	20.0	26.6	43.6
2015	568	22.0	25.8	41.7
2016	588	24.0	24.5	44.7
2017	581	23.0	25.2	38.2
2018	572	22.3	25.6	34.4
2019	555	21.5	25.8	35
2020	527	n/a	n/a	29.8
2021	511	20.5	24.9	26.6
2022	500	20.0	25.0	26
2023	534	20.3	26.3	28.1

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