The top reported proficiency rate is 21% in Math. The lowest is 17% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Monroe Elementary
Monroe Elementary serves students in kindergarten through fifth grade in Santa Ana, an urban core city that functions as Orange County's county seat, with a strong Mexican-American and Vietnamese population and an active downtown anchored by government, retail, and cultural venues. The school sits in a neighborhood where rental housing is substantial and home values reflect the broader county market for urban real estate.
The school's academic performance is notably low across the state assessments. In English language arts, the school's proficiency rate sits in the bottom quartile when compared to other elementary schools across Orange County districts. Mathematics proficiency is similarly weak, particularly in fourth grade. Science testing, available only for fifth grade, shows proficiency rates that also place the school well below the county median. Across tested subjects, the school's overall proficiency index falls into the lowest performance tier among the county's elementary schools. Only one year of state testing data is available, so trends cannot be assessed; parents may want to look into the school's improvement efforts with the school directly.
The student population is very small, with under two hundred fifty students. The overwhelming majority of students are Hispanic, and the school serves a population in significant economic need: more than four in five students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on the school's English learner enrollment and special education enrollment were not available, limiting a fuller picture of instructional complexity and support services.
Santa Ana Unified, the district serving Monroe, approved a major school facilities bond in November 2024, which means substantial investment in school facilities and repairs over coming years. The district has also recently restructured its ethnic studies curriculum following a legal settlement, discontinuing three high school courses and rebuilding them with public input. These changes affect the broader educational environment and school climate in the district, though they do not directly shape Monroe's elementary curriculum.
Monroe is located in a city in substantial transition. Santa Ana is experiencing record growth in housing development and building permits, with major mixed-use projects and new residential construction reshaping the physical landscape. Downtown has become more walkable and culturally vibrant in recent years, with street-level dining and entertainment concentrated around Fourth Street. The broader city remains car-dependent in most neighborhoods, though transit access is improving with the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center and the emerging OC Streetcar project. Housing costs in the broader area are elevated relative to national benchmarks, and rents have grown modestly over the past year.
Parents choosing Monroe would be enrolling in a school serving a predominantly low-income, Spanish-speaking student community with weak performance on state assessments. The school is part of a district making long-term facility investments and navigating curriculum changes. For families in the immediate neighborhood, proximity and the school's small size may be practical factors. For families with options, the performance data and lack of visible strength in any tested subject warrant a direct conversation with school leadership about what the school is doing to improve outcomes and support students who enter behind grade level.
See more original research from School Decision →