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Murrieta Valley Unified

At a glance

332^ndof 1,530 California districts▼ 10

Better than 78% of California districts

Elementary 11 Middle 4 High 4 Alternative 1Grades K-12

41870 McAlby Ct.
Murrieta, CA 92562-7021·(951) 696-1600·All California district rankings →

Statewide performance 2017–2026

2026: better than 78.3% of districts

Schools

21,621

Students

Top rankedVista Murrieta High245^th of 2,135 California high schools

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Biggest riser

Alta Murrieta Elementary up 321 spots statewide this year

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Smallest classes

Murrieta Canyon Academy 12.2 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

4★

3★

2★

3 schools without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)

Compare California districts →See the top-ranked California schools →

Summary:

Murrieta Valley Unified includes 20 schools—11 elementary, four middle, four high (including Murrieta Options Academy), and one alternative school—serving students from kindergarten through grade 12. In 2025–26, the district’s schools generally scored above state all-grades results, but performance varies by grade span and subject. The biggest variation is among elementary schools, where the gap between the highest and lowest results reaches 37 points in ELA and 39 points in math.

Among traditional high schools, Vista Murrieta High leads in ELA, math, and science, with 82%, 48%, and 53%, respectively; its ELA result is 7 points above the next-highest high school. Dorothy McElhinney Middle leads middle schools in ELA (70%) and math (52%), while Warm Springs Middle leads in science (64%). At the elementary level, Alta Murrieta Elementary leads in ELA (72%) and math (68%), and Cole Canyon Elementary leads in science (49%). Avaxat Elementary is lowest in elementary ELA (35%) and math (29%); E. Hale Curran Elementary has the lowest elementary science result (22%).

Recent changes are mixed: across schools with scores in both years, the average ELA result fell by about 1 point from 2024–25 to 2025–26, while math rose by about 1 point and science by less than 1 point. The state’s science result rose by 3 points, so the average school did not keep pace. SchoolDigger’s 2025–26 rankings place Alta Murrieta at the 87th percentile among California elementary schools and Avaxat at the 32nd. Income figures are context, not an explanation: all schools report free/reduced lunch eligible for 2024–25, ranging from 35% at Cole Canyon to 69% at Avaxat; Alta Murrieta (61%) and Warm Springs (63%) also lead their grade-span groups in subjects. Student-teacher ratios likewise do not sort schools neatly by results: Shivela Middle’s ratio is 27.8, compared with 22.0 at Warm Springs, while Shivela’s science result is also relatively high at 59%.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Vaccination Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				CAST Science (2026)					Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2026)								Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2026)								Vaccination (2024-25)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 5th Grade	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science 12th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	Vaccination: Kindergartners with all required immunizations	Vaccination: Exemption rate	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Thompson Middle	Public	6-8	24040 Hayes Ave.	Murrieta	92562	Riverside County	Murrieta Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(951) 696-1410	1,565	62	25.2	49.5%	656 (41.9%)	57 (3.6%)	606 (38.7%)	93 (5.9%)	3 (0.2%)	3 (0.2%)	145 (9.3%)	75	569^th of 2740 public middle schools	79.2%		73.8	609^th of 2761 public middle schools	77.9%	40		48.5			48.5				60.6	66.0	58.1		61.5				48.3	43.9	46.8		46.3			$14,407	$65	$14,342
Tovashal Elementary	Public	K-5	23801 St. Raphael Dr.	Murrieta	92562	Riverside County	Murrieta Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(951) 696-1411	745	31	24.2	54.6%	235 (31.5%)	28 (3.8%)	328 (44.0%)	45 (6.0%)	3 (0.4%)	8 (1.1%)	98 (13.2%)	80.8	1101^st of 5817 public elementary schools	81.1%		83.1	1010^th of 5857 public elementary schools	82.8%	91	43.8				43.8	64.7	58.3	70.3					64.8	66.4	61.5	55.5					60.9	90%	1%	$17,102	$376	$16,726
Cole Canyon Elementary	Public	K-5	23750 Via Alisol	Murrieta	92562	Riverside County	Murrieta Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(951) 696-1421	1,038	40	25.9	35.4%	502 (48.4%)	12 (1.2%)	360 (34.7%)	58 (5.6%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.3%)	102 (9.8%)	86.5	830^th of 5817 public elementary schools	85.7%		91.8	563^rd of 5857 public elementary schools	90.4%	267	49.0				49.0	60.9	71.9	72.9					68.8	71.8	70.8	56.1					66.5	95%	0%	$16,068	$541	$15,527
Murrieta Elementary	Public	K-5	24725 Adams Ave.	Murrieta	92562	Riverside County	Murrieta Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(951) 696-1401	893	35	25.8	60.0%	293 (32.8%)	53 (5.9%)	433 (48.5%)	33 (3.7%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.4%)	76 (8.5%)	69.5	1605^th of 5817 public elementary schools	72.4%		73.1	1468^th of 5857 public elementary schools	74.9%	137	38.6				38.6	57.1	56.1	53.6					55.5	59.8	58.5	45.1					54.1	94%	0%	$15,874	$556	$15,318
Avaxat Elementary	Public	K-5	24300 Rancho Las Brisas Dr.	Murrieta	92562	Riverside County	Murrieta Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(951) 696-1402	617	27	22.8	68.7%	157 (25.4%)	36 (5.8%)	319 (51.7%)	34 (5.5%)	3 (0.5%)	7 (1.1%)	61 (9.9%)	30.8	3932^nd of 5817 public elementary schools	32.4%		36.7	3425^th of 5857 public elementary schools	41.5%	507	25.3				25.3	24.7	40.6	40.4					35.5	26.7	31.4	27.3					28.5	94%	0%	$19,446	$908	$18,538
Alta Murrieta Elementary	Public	K-5	39475 Whitewood Rd.	Murrieta	92563	Riverside County	Murrieta Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(951) 696-1403	849	35	24.2	60.5%	252 (29.7%)	37 (4.4%)	412 (48.5%)	76 (9.0%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	69 (8.1%)	87.4	777^th of 5817 public elementary schools	86.6%		81.5	1098^th of 5857 public elementary schools	81.3%	321	44.8				44.8	75.2	67.1	76.8					72.5	77.1	64.5	63.2					67.6	96%	0%	$16,910	$593	$16,317
E. Hale Curran Elementary	Public	K-5	40855 Chaco Canyon Rd.	Murrieta	92562	Riverside County	Murrieta Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(951) 696-1405	575	24	23.7	62.6%	123 (21.4%)	32 (5.6%)	316 (55.0%)	36 (6.3%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.5%)	63 (11.0%)	48.3	2704^th of 5817 public elementary schools	53.5%		57.8	2179^th of 5857 public elementary schools	62.8%	525	22.0				22.0	39.8	54.6	43.1					45.9	47.7	46.4	34.9					42.5	93%	0%	$17,153	$748	$16,405
Rail Ranch Elementary	Public	K-5	25030 Via Santee Rd.	Murrieta	92563	Riverside County	Murrieta Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(951) 696-1404	603	23	25.6	63.5%	142 (23.5%)	37 (6.1%)	307 (50.9%)	35 (5.8%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.5%)	78 (12.9%)	43.9	2997^th of 5817 public elementary schools	48.5%		59.3	2102^nd of 5857 public elementary schools	64.1%	895	34.9				34.9	36.8	40.9	52.7					43.5	29.6	40.0	32.7					34.2	93%	0%	$17,956	$870	$17,086
Murrieta Valley High	Public	9-12	42200 Nighthawk Way	Murrieta	92562	Riverside County	Murrieta Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(951) 696-1408	2,104	94	22.4	46.7%	886 (42.1%)	63 (3.0%)	863 (41.0%)	100 (4.8%)	6 (0.3%)	10 (0.5%)	172 (8.2%)	84.4	305^th of 2135 public high schools	85.7%		78.2	445^th of 2162 public high schools	79.4%	140			48.4		48.5							78.8	78.8							45.3	45.3			$16,412	$832	$15,580
Shivela Middle	Public	6-8	24515 Lincoln Ave.	Murrieta	92562	Riverside County	Murrieta Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(951) 696-1406	1,282	46	27.8	66.1%	331 (25.8%)	87 (6.8%)	604 (47.1%)	106 (8.3%)	4 (0.3%)	14 (1.1%)	135 (10.5%)	72.1	640^th of 2740 public middle schools	76.6%		67.6	725^th of 2761 public middle schools	73.7%	85		58.9			58.9				49.2	59.7	59.6		56.3				40.5	45.6	49.5		45.3			$14,740	$104	$14,636
Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary	Public	K-5	40121 Torrey Pines Rd.	Murrieta	92563	Riverside County	Murrieta Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(951) 696-1428	828	35	23.7	62.3%	221 (26.7%)	45 (5.4%)	364 (44.0%)	88 (10.6%)	4 (0.5%)	6 (0.7%)	100 (12.1%)	62.6	1950^th of 5817 public elementary schools	66.5%		69.9	1602^nd of 5857 public elementary schools	72.6%	348	37.9				37.9	43.9	53.0	58.3					52.3	45.3	53.0	45.5					48.1	94%	1%	$18,012	$574	$17,438
Warm Springs Middle	Public	6-8	39245 Calle de Fortuna	Murrieta	92563	Riverside County	Murrieta Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(951) 696-3503	755	34	22.0	62.9%	188 (24.9%)	46 (6.1%)	358 (47.4%)	75 (9.9%)	2 (0.3%)	3 (0.4%)	83 (11.0%)	78	514^th of 2740 public middle schools	81.2%		68.3	711^th of 2761 public middle schools	74.2%	197		64.2			64.2				54.6	58.8	66.3		59.7				53.8	46.4	48.4		49.7			$17,637	$87	$17,550
Antelope Hills Elementary	Public	K-5	36105 Murrieta Oaks Ave.	Murrieta	92562	Riverside County	Murrieta Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(951) 445-4110	839	34	24.6	45.1%	327 (39.0%)	39 (4.6%)	328 (39.1%)	68 (8.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	77 (9.2%)	83.1	1005^th of 5817 public elementary schools	82.7%		81.2	1108^th of 5857 public elementary schools	81.1%	103	50.0				50.0	54.5	65.8	76.9					66.7	53.5	70.0	65.4					63.5	96%	0%	$17,062	$726	$16,336
Monte Vista Elementary	Public	K-5	37420 Via Mira Mosa	Murrieta	92563	Riverside County	Murrieta Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(951) 894-5085	769	32	24.2	59.4%	222 (28.9%)	38 (4.9%)	343 (44.6%)	70 (9.1%)	3 (0.4%)	3 (0.4%)	90 (11.7%)	64.1	1869^th of 5817 public elementary schools	67.9%		64.2	1881^st of 5857 public elementary schools	67.9%	12	43.6				43.6	43.6	46.7	67.7					52.7	44.8	54.0	46.0					48.5	93%	0%	$18,420	$647	$17,773
Murrieta Canyon Academy	Public, Alternative	K-12	24150 Hayes Ave.	Murrieta	92563	Riverside County	Murrieta Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(951) 696-1661	296	24	12.2	62.5%	91 (30.7%)	18 (6.1%)	147 (49.7%)	16 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	21 (7.1%)								(n/a)		48.4	28.1		33.3					61.9	51.6	61.7	60.7					38.1	29.0	17.2	26.2			$24,849	$49	$24,800
Vista Murrieta High	Public	9-12	28251 Clinton Keith Rd.	Murrieta	92563	Riverside County	Murrieta Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(951) 894-5750	3,328	146	22.8	51.5%	950 (28.5%)	231 (6.9%)	1,435 (43.1%)	342 (10.3%)	11 (0.3%)	21 (0.6%)	332 (10.0%)	87.9	245^th of 2135 public high schools	88.5%		86.9	267^th of 2162 public high schools	87.7%	22			53.6	8.3	52.8							82.3	82.3							47.6	47.6			$15,106	$729	$14,377
Lisa J. Mails Elementary	Public	K-5	35185 Briggs Rd.	Murrieta	92563	Riverside County	Murrieta Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(951) 304-1880	1,006	39	25.8	41.4%	369 (36.7%)	43 (4.3%)	346 (34.4%)	96 (9.5%)	1 (0.1%)	6 (0.6%)	145 (14.4%)	72	1486^th of 5817 public elementary schools	74.5%		69.7	1613^th of 5857 public elementary schools	72.5%	127	41.9				41.9	54.3	59.2	66.0					60.4	59.5	49.4	46.8					51.3	98%	0%	$15,645	$154	$15,491
Dorothy McElhinney Middle	Public	6-8	35125 Briggs Rd.	Murrieta	92563	Riverside County	Murrieta Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(951) 304-1885	1,451	58	24.9	46.2%	509 (35.1%)	88 (6.1%)	533 (36.7%)	154 (10.6%)	2 (0.1%)	8 (0.6%)	157 (10.8%)	84.5	376^th of 2740 public middle schools	86.3%		86.9	339^th of 2761 public middle schools	87.7%	37		54.7			54.7				63.4	74.2	72.5		70.1				47.2	55.3	53.8		52.2			$14,471	$63	$14,408
Murrieta Mesa High	Public	9-12	24801 Monroe Ave.	Murrieta	92562	Riverside County	Murrieta Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(951) 677-0568	2,066	94	21.8	59.7%	631 (30.5%)	129 (6.2%)	940 (45.5%)	142 (6.9%)	3 (0.1%)	10 (0.5%)	210 (10.2%)	80	407^th of 2135 public high schools	80.9%		83.3	352^nd of 2162 public high schools	83.7%	55			48.1	26.3	47.3							75.0	75.0							39.0	39.0			$16,269	$397	$15,872
Murrieta Preschool Outreach	Public		41870 McAlby Ct.	Murrieta	92562	Riverside County	Murrieta Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(951) 696-1600				—															(n/a)
Murrieta Options Academy	Public	9-12	24150 Hayes Ave.	Murrieta	92562	Riverside County	Murrieta Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(951) 696-1600	12	10	1.1	66.7%	1 (8.3%)	1 (8.3%)	8 (66.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (16.7%)								(n/a)																								$33,570	$49	$33,521

Districts nearby

District	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Lake Elsinore Unified	1.87 mi	28	1028^th
Sycamore Academy of Science and Cultural Arts District	1.91 mi	1	736^th
Method Schools LA District	4.47 mi	1
Temecula Valley Unified	4.74 mi	32	284^th
Harbor Springs Charter District	5.46 mi	1

See the top CA California districts

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.