La Joya Elementary, Salinas CA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on La Joya Elementary

La Joya Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Salinas, a mid-sized city anchored by agriculture and local industry in Monterey County. The school enrolls a modest population of students, with roughly three-quarters qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with very small numbers of students from other racial and ethnic groups. English learner enrollment data was not available, nor were special education counts, so a parent may want to inquire directly with the school about those populations.

State testing results from spring 2025 show proficiency rates well below the state standard across tested grades and subjects. In English language arts, overall proficiency across all tested grades sits at roughly one-third of students. Performance varies by grade: fifth grade performs noticeably higher in ELA, while third and fourth grades show lower rates. Math proficiency is lower still, with overall results near one-quarter of students meeting standards. Fifth-grade math is particularly low. Science testing, available only for fifth grade, shows proficiency rates below one in eight students. Relative to other districts in Monterey County, La Joya's overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint among the county's schools.

The school sits in a neighborhood with a mix of older residential housing and newer subdivisions. Housing values in the area are above the state average, with rents also elevated; homeownership carries a substantial mortgage burden relative to median household income. The city is undergoing significant residential growth, with plans for thousands of new homes across planned development areas north of downtown, though the school's immediate catchment area is largely established.

Salinas itself has been investing in downtown revitalization, including pedestrian infrastructure and cultural anchors like the National Steinbeck Center, though much of the community remains car-dependent. The city's economy rests on agriculture and food production, with major employers including Taylor Farms and Salinas Valley Health. The region faces ongoing housing affordability challenges despite recent construction activity.

The parent district, Santa Rita Union Elementary, approved a school facilities bond in 2022 that funds modernization work across its schools, including roof repairs, restroom upgrades, and HVAC improvements. That bond is repaid through local property taxes, adding to the cost of homeownership for families in the district. The district also renamed one of its middle schools in 2021 to honor a principal who died of COVID-19, reflecting community connections within the district.

A parent looking at La Joya should be prepared for low proficiency results and may want to understand the school's specific literacy and math strategies, supports for English learners, and any supplemental programs the school offers. The surrounding community offers stable working-class neighborhoods with increasing new housing, a downtown with cultural activities within reach, and employment tied largely to the region's agricultural economy.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 330%

School 30% · District 22% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▼ 12 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 422%

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

▼ 15 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 516%

School 16% · District 19% · ▼ 3 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 324%

School 24% · District 18% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▼ 16 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 428%

School 28% · District 23% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 543%

School 43% · District 35% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Science

Grade 512%

School 12% · District 17% · ▼ 5 pts below district

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

This schoolSanta Rita Union 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.