Frank Paul Elementary, Salinas CA

Original Research by School Decision on Frank Paul Elementary

Frank Paul Elementary serves kindergarten through sixth grade in Salinas, a working agricultural city in Monterey County that is the state's largest vegetable-growing region. The school sits in a community where the vast majority of students are from low-income households and where academic proficiency is considerably weak.

The enrollment is small to mid-sized, with roughly equal numbers across grades and a student body that is almost entirely Hispanic. A very substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Specific data on English learner enrollment and special education enrollment was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those populations and the support services available.

State testing results from the most recent school year show proficiency rates well below what California typically reports. In math, proficiency ranges from single digits in one grade to roughly a quarter in another, with most grades in the low teens. English language arts shows similar patterns, with proficiency under a quarter in most grades except sixth grade, where it reaches higher. Science proficiency, tested in fifth grade only, was very low. When averaged across all tested subjects and grades, Frank Paul's overall proficiency index sits in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Monterey County, according to the county comparison set available. The school has reported these results for only one school year, so trend data showing whether performance has been improving or declining is not yet available.

Salinas itself is a city of mixed commercial and residential use anchored by agriculture. Downtown has been revitalized in recent years with new sidewalks and pedestrian-friendly redesign; the city is anchored by civic institutions including City Hall, the Monterey County courthouse, and the National Steinbeck Center. Housing ranges from Victorian and Craftsman-era homes in Old Town to ranch and subdivision homes in North and East Salinas. The housing market has seen modest decline year over year. Major employers include the County, regional agricultural firms, and Salinas Valley Health. The city is largely built out and planning significant growth in the North of Boronda Future Growth Area, with new residential and school capacity designated there.

The school is part of Alisal Union School District. Limited recent information on the district's strategic priorities and ongoing changes was available, so a parent should seek that context directly from the district office.

Frank Paul serves a community where economic resources are stretched and where students face substantial academic gaps. A parent considering this school would benefit from understanding what literacy and numeracy supports the school provides, how it works with families on learning at home, and what the school sees as its most pressing instructional priorities in the year ahead.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 324%

School 24% · District 30% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Grade 415%

School 15% · District 20% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 56%

School 6% · District 20% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 614%

School 14% · District 19% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 16 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 321%

School 21% · District 23% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 423%

School 23% · District 25% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 59%

School 9% · District 33% · ▼ 24 pts below district

▼ 36 pts below state median · ▼ 25 pts below county median

Grade 641%

School 41% · District 33% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Science

Grade 53%

School 3% · District 16% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

This schoolAlisal Union, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.