Natividad Elementary, Salinas CA

Original Research by School Decision on Natividad Elementary

Natividad Elementary serves kindergarten through sixth grade in Salinas, a city anchored by agriculture in Monterey County. The school's most recent state test results show low proficiency levels across both math and English language arts. In math, proficiency ranged from low single digits in the middle grades to roughly a quarter of students in third and sixth grade. English proficiency was similarly modest, with sixth grade performing best at roughly a third of students meeting standards, while grades four and five hovered around one in seven students. Science testing data covered only fifth grade, where proficiency was in the low single digits. These scores place Natividad in the bottom quarter of schools countywide for overall proficiency.

The student body is predominantly Hispanic, representing more than nine in ten students. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating significant economic need. The school enrolls roughly mid-sized for its grade band, with the student population relatively balanced across grades. Data on the counts of English learners and students with disabilities was not available, though both populations are typically present in schools serving this community profile.

Salinas itself is the county seat and largest city in Monterey County, built around agricultural production. Downtown has undergone deliberate revitalization over the past decade, with newly paved streetscapes, pedestrian-friendly design, and cultural anchors like the National Steinbeck Center. Much of the residential stock in and around Salinas ranges from older Victorian and Craftsman homes near downtown to 1960s ranch houses and newer subdivisions in North and East Salinas. The city is largely built out within its limits and surrounded by farmland, so new housing growth is being concentrated in planned areas to the north, with subdivisions built out and additional housing planned through the mid-2030s.

Natividad sits within Salinas City Elementary School District, a district-wide entity covering the city and immediate area. In 2022, the district's voters approved two general obligation bond measures to modernize and repair school facilities. As of 2025, the district is among plaintiffs challenging California's school bond program, citing deteriorating conditions including water-damaged classrooms and mold in older buildings. Families considering the area should weigh these facility conditions as relevant context for school decision-making. The district has the bond funding in place, but condition challenges are documented and ongoing.

For families evaluating this school, the test results point to a setting where core academic proficiency is significantly below state norms, and where concentrated support for reading, math, and English language development would likely be important to a student's trajectory. The school serves an economically disadvantaged population with high rates of family eligibility for meal assistance. Salinas as a place offers urban walkability and cultural amenities in its downtown core and access to agricultural industry employment, though the broader area's economy has long-standing housing affordability constraints. A parent considering Natividad would want to inquire directly with the school about tutoring, intervention programs, and curriculum supports available to students working below grade level.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 324%

School 24% · District 24%

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

Grade 48%

School 8% · District 20% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 29 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Grade 55%

School 5% · District 19% · ▼ 15 pts below district

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

Grade 624%

School 24% · District 25% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 322%

School 22% · District 18% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 414%

School 14% · District 20% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

Grade 514%

School 14% · District 29% · ▼ 15 pts below district

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

Grade 631%

School 31% · District 33% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Science

Grade 57%

School 7% · District 15% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

This schoolSalinas City 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 3Lower-income20%Higher-income33%13 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income13%Higher-income20%7 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income12%Higher-income33%22 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income21%Higher-income50%29 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income8%Higher-income13%5 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income4%Higher-income8%4 pp gap