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San Benancio Middle

Q: Is San Benancio Middle a good school?

San Benancio Middle ranks 373 rd of 2761 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

373^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,761 California Middle Schools

Better than 86% of California middle schools

Summary

San Benancio Middle is a consistently high-performing public middle school for grades 6-8 in Salinas, serving 261 students within the highly-rated Washington Union Elementary district.

The school stands out for its strong and steady academic results, with student proficiency in English and Math significantly exceeding both state averages and most nearby schools like Gavilan View Middle, Harden Middle, and La Paz Middle. It also maintains an exceptionally low rate of chronic absenteeism at 7.2%, far better than the state average and schools such as Los Arboles Middle. The school achieves these results efficiently, with lower per-student spending than many comparable schools.

While performance is strong overall, it's noteworthy that the student-teacher ratio has increased in recent years. The school has shown remarkable success with special education students and maintained stability through pandemic recovery. Its performance profile is similar to other schools in lower-economic-need areas like Carmel Middle and Buena Vista Middle, highlighting a consistent performance pattern across the region linked to district effectiveness and community factors.

261

Students ?

21.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

10.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

43 San Benancio Rd.
Salinas, CA 93908-9133

(831) 484-1172

District: Washington Union Elementary

Students who attend San Benancio Middle usually attend:

High:

Salinas High

Feeder schools for San Benancio Middle:

Elementary:	Toro Park Elementary
	Washington Elementary

Racial breakdown:

White:

52.9%

Hispanic:

28.7%

Asian:

10.0%

See top rated California middle schools

Compare San Benancio Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 90th percentile in 2013 → 86th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the California average (59% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 14% of California middle schools

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school59%

District avg61%

California avg41%

373^rd of 2,761

California public middle schools ?

Top 14%▼ down 3 pts since 2015

From top 10% (2015) to top 14% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of California Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

163^rd of 1,543Washington Union Elementary among California districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	84.8	373 of 2761	86.5%	★★★★☆
2024	85.2	379 of 2783	86.4%	★★★★☆
2023	80.5	473 of 2781	83.0%	★★★★☆
2022	87.6	327 of 2740	88.1%	★★★★☆
2019	87.3	323 of 2715	88.1%	★★★★☆
2018	91.4	206 of 2480	91.7%	★★★★★
2017	92.1	188 of 2508	92.5%	★★★★★
2016	93.8	126 of 2497	95.0%	★★★★★
2015	88.5	260 of 2477	89.5%	★★★★☆
2013	83.8	228 of 2379	90.4%	★★★★★
2012	84.5	198 of 2259	91.2%	★★★★★
2011	76.5	379 of 2236	83.1%	★★★★☆
2010	84.2	213 of 2179	90.2%	★★★★★
2009	81.6	259 of 2063	87.4%	★★★★☆
2008	75.6	365 of 2005	81.8%	★★★★☆
2007	79.2	314 of 1999	84.3%	★★★★☆
2006	77.0	336 of 1804	81.4%	★★★★☆
2005	84.3	214 of 1777	88.0%	★★★★☆
2004	91.6	92 of 1769	94.8%	★★★★★

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2018	58.9	369 of 1369	73.0%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	83.6	368 of 2533	85.5%	★★★★☆
2024	83.7	377 of 2551	85.2%	★★★★☆
2023	73.0	557 of 2531	78.0%	★★★★☆
2022	82.9	376 of 2509	85.0%	★★★★☆
2019	83.5	354 of 2380	85.1%	★★★★☆
2018	89.1	234 of 2262	89.7%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	70.9	517 of 2395	78.4%	★★★★☆
2024	89.1	153 of 2388	93.6%	★★★★★
2023	74.5	412 of 2374	82.6%	★★★★☆
2022	91.4	118 of 2359	95.0%	★★★★★
2019	81.1	283 of 2213	87.2%	★★★★☆
2018	71.8	417 of 2072	79.9%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	48.4	1128 of 2542	55.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	84.1	277 of 2579	89.3%	★★★★☆
2023	60.2	742 of 2531	70.7%	★★★★☆
2022	77.7	340 of 2458	86.2%	★★★★☆
2019	71.7	463 of 2369	80.5%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	82.7	397 of 2534	84.3%	★★★★☆
2024	82.9	376 of 2552	85.3%	★★★★☆
2023	81.1	413 of 2538	83.7%	★★★★☆
2022	88.4	284 of 2527	88.8%	★★★★☆
2019	88.0	279 of 2407	88.4%	★★★★☆
2018	90.4	217 of 2273	90.5%	★★★★★

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2022	57.1	283 of 665	57.4%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2024	93.1	72 of 1552	95.4%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	77.1	290 of 1520	80.9%	★★★★☆
2024	69.9	434 of 1537	71.8%	★★★★☆
2023	69.1	434 of 1543	71.9%	★★★★☆
2022	73.8	349 of 1555	77.6%	★★★★☆
2019	70.3	444 of 1602	72.3%	★★★★☆
2018	80.2	259 of 1496	82.7%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Special Education (2024)95th percentile+9 vs school

Female (2025)85th percentile~ school

Male (2025)84th percentile~ school

White (2025)81st percentile-6 vs school

Hispanic (2025)78th percentile-8 vs school

Disabled (2018)73rd percentile-19 vs school

Multi-racial (2022)57th percentile-31 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)56th percentile-31 vs school

By subject vs California (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts/Literacy67%+19 vs state

Mathematics54%+17 vs state

Science50%+17 vs state

★

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Schools Near San Benancio Middle

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				CAST Science (2025)		Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2025)				Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2025)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	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 All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
San Benancio Middle	Public	6-8	43 San Benancio Rd.	Salinas	93908	Monterey County	Washington Union Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 484-1172	261	12	21.7	10.3%	138 (52.9%)	0 (0.0%)	75 (28.7%)	26 (10.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (8.4%)	84.8	373^rd of 2761 public middle schools	86.5%		85.2	379^th of 2783 public middle schools	86.4%	6	50.0	50.0	66.2	75.0	59.5	67.3	57.8	52.1	54.1	54.4
Buena Vista Middle	Public	6-8	18250 Tara Dr.	Salinas	93908	Monterey County	Spreckels Union Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 455-8936	321	18	17.5	17.4%	121 (37.7%)	0 (0.0%)	163 (50.8%)	16 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.5%)	69.4	688^th of 2761 public middle schools	75.1%		59.9	889^th of 2783 public middle schools	68.1%	201	41.4	41.4	51.7	54.1	64.0	57.0	46.1	45.0	37.8	42.7	$12,219	$1,010	$11,209
Seaside Middle	Public	7-8	999 Coe Ave.	Seaside	93955	Monterey County	Monterey Peninsula Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 899-7080	521	27	19.5	83.5%	42 (8.1%)	26 (5.0%)	405 (77.7%)	20 (3.8%)	1 (0.2%)	12 (2.3%)	14 (2.7%)	27.4	1915^th of 2761 public middle schools	30.6%		24.2	2075^th of 2783 public middle schools	25.4%	160	19.5	19.5		36.6	36.1	36.4		16.6	19.2	17.9	$20,821	$2,471	$18,350
Washington Middle	Public	7-8	560 Iverson St.	Salinas	93901	Monterey County	Salinas Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 796-7100	1,082	51	21.2	81.7%	62 (5.7%)	9 (0.8%)	977 (90.3%)	19 (1.8%)	9 (0.8%)	4 (0.4%)	2 (0.2%)	38.6	1531^st of 2761 public middle schools	44.5%		42.4	1386^th of 2783 public middle schools	50.2%	145	25.2	25.2		46.0	37.7	41.7		27.9	22.7	25.2	$17,463	$1,751	$15,712
Monterey Peninsula UNF School District COM Day MID	Public	6-8	200 Coe Ave.	Seaside	93955	Monterey County	Monterey Peninsula Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 392-3822	3	0	12.0		1 (33.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (66.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)											$101,228	$2,168	$99,060
Los Arboles Middle	Public	7-8	294 Hillcrest Ave.	Marina	93933	Monterey County	Monterey Peninsula Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 384-3550	408	23	17.8	75.5%	48 (11.8%)	23 (5.6%)	258 (63.2%)	60 (14.7%)	3 (0.7%)	9 (2.2%)	6 (1.5%)	32.8	1722^nd of 2761 public middle schools	37.6%		24.8	2043^rd of 2783 public middle schools	26.6%	321	24.0	24.0		34.9	38.9	37.0		24.6	20.8	22.6	$21,578	$2,624	$18,954
El Sausal Middle	Public	7-8	1155 East Alisal St.	Salinas	93905	Monterey County	Salinas Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 796-7200	1,067	48	22.1	91.7%	10 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1,052 (98.6%)	4 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	32.8	1723^rd of 2761 public middle schools	37.6%		34.1	1661^st of 2783 public middle schools	40.3%	62	24.5	24.5		36.4	36.9	36.7		23.4	22.3	22.9	$17,859	$1,978	$15,881
Harden Middle	Public	7-8	1561 McKinnon St.	Salinas	93906	Monterey County	Salinas Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 796-7300	1,101	52	21.1	82.2%	29 (2.6%)	10 (0.9%)	1,016 (92.3%)	34 (3.1%)	6 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	5 (0.5%)	22.1	2150^th of 2761 public middle schools	22.1%		24.1	2078^th of 2783 public middle schools	25.3%	72	19.2	19.2		31.9	29.1	30.5		16.3	14.8	15.6	$17,583	$1,591	$15,992
La Paz Middle	Public	7-8	1300 North Sanborn Rd.	Salinas	93905	Monterey County	Salinas Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 796-7900	1,099	55	20.0	93.4%	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	1,092 (99.4%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	22.8	2119^th of 2761 public middle schools	23.3%		23.7	2102^nd of 2783 public middle schools	24.5%	17	16.0	16.0		34.9	28.7	31.9		18.8	15.7	17.3	$17,531	$1,847	$15,684
Carmel Middle	Public	6-8	4380 Carmel Valley Rd.	Carmel	93922	Monterey County	Carmel Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 624-2785	468	36	13.1	17.3%	293 (62.6%)	0 (0.0%)	95 (20.3%)	20 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	58 (12.4%)	90.3	271^st of 2761 public middle schools	90.2%		91.2	250^th of 2783 public middle schools	91.0%	21	58.4	58.4	75.0	72.7	68.9	72.1	58.0	64.0	54.7	58.9	$38,867	$784	$38,083

Frequently Asked Questions about San Benancio Middle

What district is San Benancio Middle in?

Washington Union Elementary

What high school do graduates of San Benancio Middle attend?

Students who attend San Benancio Middle usually go on to attend Salinas High

How many students attend San Benancio Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 261 students attended San Benancio Middle.

Is San Benancio Middle a good school?

San Benancio Middle ranks 373^rd of 2761 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of San Benancio Middle?

Students at San Benancio Middle are 53% White, 29% Hispanic, 10% Asian, 8% Two or more races.

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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.