John Muir Elementary, Santa Monica CA

Original Research by School Decision on John Muir Elementary

John Muir Elementary is a public school in Santa Monica serving kindergarten through fifth grade. Academic performance shows mixed results across subjects and grades. In English language arts, proficiency levels are uneven: fourth graders performed relatively well, while third and fifth graders showed lower proficiency rates. Mathematics proficiency varies widely by grade, with third grade performing better than fourth and fifth grades. Science results, available only for fifth grade, show particularly low proficiency. Overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places the school above the midpoint among Los Angeles County districts.

The school sits in Santa Monica, an upscale beach community undergoing substantial growth and change. The city is organized into distinct neighborhoods ranging from Downtown, which is predominantly condos and apartments, to inland areas like Sunset Park with small single-family homes. Santa Monica is highly walkable in its commercial core around the Third Street Promenade and Montana Avenue but requires more driving in residential neighborhoods. The city is home to major tech and media employers including Snap Inc., Hulu, and Activision Blizzard, alongside wellness companies and Santa Monica College. A robust public transit system includes the Big Blue Bus and Metro E Line light rail connecting to downtown Los Angeles.

Housing in the area is expensive. Homes in the 90405 zip code, where the school is located, command well above state and national benchmarks. Rental costs are high as well, with monthly rent running substantially above what would be considered affordable by standard measures. The affordability gap means that renting approaches or exceeds the cost of mortgage payments, a reflection of intense demand for Santa Monica housing.

Santa Monica is in the midst of significant development. The city is required to plan for a large number of new housing units by 2029, and multiple downtown projects are underway or proposed, ranging from mid-rise residential buildings near the Metro station to taller mixed-income towers. This growth is reshaping the city's built environment and housing supply.

The broader district context is in transition. Santa Monica-Malibu Unified is separating into two districts, with Malibu schools becoming independent. The separation was expected to be completed by fall 2026. This structural change carries implications for school governance and funding. Meanwhile, the district and city have approved substantial school facilities bonds funded by property tax increases, and Santa Monica voters also approved a transfer tax on high-value property sales, with proceeds earmarked in part for schools.

The district emphasizes American Cultures and Ethnic Studies as part of its curriculum framework and social justice standards, which families considering the school may want to understand more fully.

Enrollment data for the school is not available in the provided information. Similarly, data on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education populations, English learners, and chronic absenteeism were not reported. The school's attendance and discipline practices are not documented in the available data. A parent may want to reach out directly to the school about its student population, support services, and approach to classroom instruction.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 358%

School 58% · District 69% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 432%

School 32% · District 69% · ▼ 36 pts below district

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Grade 545%

School 45% · District 64% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 348%

School 48% · District 68% · ▼ 21 pts below district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Grade 468%

School 68% · District 68%

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

Grade 551%

School 51% · District 76% · ▼ 25 pts below district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Science

Grade 526%

School 26% · District 60% · ▼ 34 pts below district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

This schoolSanta Monica-Malibu Unified, 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-income36%Higher-income67%31 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income64%Higher-income71%7 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income44%Higher-income59%15 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income56%Higher-income60%4 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income27%Higher-income35%8 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income32%Higher-income59%27 pp gap