La Entrada Middle, Menlo Park CA

Original Research by School Decision on La Entrada Middle

La Entrada Middle serves students in grades four through eight in Menlo Park, California, within the Las Lomitas Elementary School District. The school enrolled a small-to-mid-sized population across five grade levels, with a predominantly white student body complemented by a substantial share of Asian students and smaller populations of Hispanic, multiracial, and other backgrounds. Free-or-reduced-price-lunch eligibility was very low, reflecting the broader affluence of the Menlo Park area.

In academic performance, La Entrada shows consistent strength across both English language arts and mathematics. Across all grades tested, English proficiency was solidly in the low-to-mid eighties, with sixth grade particularly strong. Math proficiency ranged from the mid-seventies to the mid-eighties across grades, with the school's overall average in the low eighties. Science proficiency, where reported, was measurably lower; fifth-grade science fell into the mid-sixties while eighth-grade science reached the low seventies. Trend data shows only one year of testing results, so longer-term academic movement cannot be assessed. Among San Mateo County districts, La Entrada's proficiency index places it in the top quartile, indicating it sits among the stronger-performing schools in its comparison group.

Menlo Park itself is an affluent Peninsula city where daily life mingles established tree-lined residential neighborhoods with a substantial technology and venture-capital economy anchored by Meta. The area combines walkable downtown blocks, a strong community center around Burgess Park and the civic campus, and distinct neighborhoods ranging from secluded streets to mixed-use districts. Housing values are high, rental costs exceed national averages, and the median household income is well above the U.S. benchmark. Recent growth has centered on transit-oriented infill like Springline near downtown and Caltrain, though the larger planned development in Belle Haven (Meta's Willow Village) was placed on hold in May 2026 due to shifting market conditions, leaving some long-term neighborhood change uncertain.

The Las Lomitas Elementary School District that operates La Entrada experienced significant internal shifts starting in late 2024. The district held its first-ever teacher strike in October 2024, a three-day work stoppage that ended when the union secured a multiyear raise and fully funded health benefits. That contract, while resolving labor tension, created a substantial budget deficit that has prompted the district to cut positions and classes. The board is considering a parcel tax for the November 2026 ballot, and potential cuts under discussion include eliminating an assistant principal position and possibly reducing the foreign language program. For families, this signals real uncertainty about program breadth and a possible new property-tax obligation; a parent may want to look into the district's detailed budget outlook and any publicly reported timelines for proposed cuts. The district operates as a "basic aid" district, meaning its revenue comes almost entirely from local property taxes that the district retains, a funding structure that ties school resources tightly to local real-estate wealth but also leaves the district highly dependent on community property-tax decisions.

La Entrada sits in a community where strong academic performance in language arts and math is paired with a lower proficiency in science and with the immediate backdrop of district labor and budget turbulence. The school's position in the top quartile for overall proficiency is a strength, and the grade-level data shows sustained performance across the middle grades in foundational subjects. At the same time, science achievement trails other subjects, and families considering this school should be aware that the district is in the midst of restructuring driven by recent labor settlement and budget pressures.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 485%

School 85% · District 85%

▲ 47 pts above state median · ▲ 26 pts above county median

Grade 581%

School 81% · District 81%

▲ 51 pts above state median · ▲ 27 pts above county median

Grade 685%

School 85% · District 85%

▲ 55 pts above state median · ▲ 44 pts above county median

Grade 785%

School 85% · District 85%

▲ 55 pts above state median · ▲ 39 pts above county median

Grade 876%

School 76% · District 76%

▲ 49 pts above state median · ▲ 30 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 483%

School 83% · District 83%

▲ 41 pts above state median · ▲ 24 pts above county median

Grade 581%

School 81% · District 81%

▲ 35 pts above state median · ▲ 17 pts above county median

Grade 689%

School 89% · District 89%

▲ 45 pts above state median · ▲ 37 pts above county median

Grade 786%

School 86% · District 86%

▲ 40 pts above state median · ▲ 30 pts above county median

Grade 884%

School 84% · District 84%

▲ 39 pts above state median · ▲ 25 pts above county median

Science

Grade 566%

School 66% · District 66%

▲ 38 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

Grade 871%

School 71% · District 71%

▲ 45 pts above state median · ▲ 34 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 890%

School 90% · District 90%

▲ 41 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

This schoolLas Lomitas Elementary, 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 5Lower-income36%Higher-income85%48 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income46%Higher-income94%48 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income25%Higher-income87%62 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income39%Higher-income91%53 pp gap