Mission Union Elementary, CA

Original Research by School Decision on Mission Union Elementary

Mission Union Elementary is a small, single-school district serving kindergarten through grade eight in Monterey County, California, in the Soledad area. With an enrollment of just over one hundred students, it is a rural K-8 setting where most families know one another and where school and community operate in close proximity.

The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a smaller share of white students and very few students from other racial backgrounds. The district does not report free-or-reduced-price lunch counts or English learner enrollment in publicly available data, so a parent seeking to understand the socioeconomic or language composition of the school should contact the district directly for that picture.

Academic performance shows a clear split between English language arts and mathematics. In ELA, the district's average proficiency across tested grades sits at just above the midpoint of state performance expectations. Sixth-grade students perform notably well in ELA, with strong proficiency. Fifth and eighth graders also show solid performance. Third and fourth grades, as well as seventh grade, fall lower. Mathematics proficiency is considerably weaker across all grades, with fifth grade showing especially low performance. Science testing, available only for fifth and eighth grades, reveals a similar pattern: eighth-grade students reach modest proficiency, but fifth graders show very limited proficiency. The district's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among Monterey County's districts, a positioning that reflects strength in ELA offsetting significant gaps in math and science.

Within the county comparison set, the district's chronic absenteeism rate sits around the median, neither an outlier concern nor a strength. Per-pupil spending falls in the lower range of the county, a reflection of the district's small scale and rural character. No graduation rate is reported because the district serves through eighth grade and does not operate a high school; its students move on to Soledad Unified for high school.

The district faces a concrete infrastructure reality that prospective families should know. The school's independent well water tested positive for nitrate contamination exceeding safety standards. Over several years, the district has managed this through bottled water and point-of-use filtration systems. A newly drilled, deeper groundwater well, funded by grants, is projected to be operational by 2026. For any family considering enrollment, this is an active, resolving issue worth discussing directly with school leadership to understand the current state and timeline.

In November 2024, voters in the district approved a general obligation bond for school repairs and safety improvements. This funded investment will be repaid through property taxes on parcels within district boundaries over time, representing a tangible local commitment to facility upgrades. Families interested in understanding the scope of these repairs and the tax impact should review the bond measure details.

Because Mission Union Elementary students feed into Soledad Unified's Soledad High School for grades nine through twelve, the secondary school environment is part of the full K-12 pathway. Soledad Unified itself also passed a school bond in November 2024, signaling district-level facility investment in the high school students will attend.

This is a very small, community-based school in a rural setting with documented strength in reading and language arts but notable challenges in mathematics and science. The water infrastructure issue, while being addressed, is a real concern for families weighing a commitment to the school. The bond-funded facility improvements suggest local confidence and ongoing investment. A parent considering Mission Union should visit, speak with current families about their experience, understand the water remediation timeline, and recognize that this setting offers close-knit community schooling alongside weaker math outcomes that may require additional support at home or through tutoring.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

127

Grades

KG–08

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 74%

Black 2%

White 22%

Asian 2%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

53%

—

Math

Gr ALL

17%

—

Science

Gr HS

—

Schools in this District

1 schools are officially reported under this district.

Mission Elementary

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

36%

Grade 3

36%

Grade 4

14%

Grade 5

20%

Grade 6

36%

Grade 7

36%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

50%

Grade 3

36%

Grade 4

64%

Grade 5

87%

Grade 6

36%

Grade 7

64%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

Grade 5

27%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$635,301

Year-over-year change+1.3%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$553K to $635K

vs. state typical0.82x

vs. national typical1.73x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
93960	Soledad	$635K	+1.3%	100.0%
93927	Greenfield	$553K	-2.0%	0.0%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$3,206/mo

Home price / national median income7.6x

Comparison

State typical home value$776,233 (-1.1% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.