1
What's the one class at Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary every student should take?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
917
Elementary
DISTRICT 825 · STATE 465
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·SANTA MARIA-BONITA·NCES 060558009318
Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary
1248 East Dena Way, Santa Maria, CA 93454 · (805) 361-7940 · Santa Barbara County
GRADES KG–06ELEMENTARY12-CITYTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL917 STUDENTS
D
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 8% of California public elementary schools
- C-Test scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- C-Beats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- FThree-year trend Change in reading and math proficiency over the last three test years.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded California public elementary schools
Student : Teacher
21.7:1
42 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 21.7:1 · STATE 22.3:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
84%
772 students
DISTRICT 93% · STATE 65%
Community
6
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 217 | 24% |
| Grade 1 | 118 | 13% |
| Grade 2 | 113 | 12% |
| Grade 3 | 121 | 13% |
| Grade 4 | 97 | 11% |
| Grade 5 | 135 | 15% |
| Grade 6 | 116 | 13% |
This year's kindergarten class (217) is 87% larger than its 6th grade class (116).
Student demographics
20%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 9% · STATE 62% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Test scores
CAASPP 2024-25 . % met or exceeded standardEnglish Language Arts
23.3%
CA avg 49.1% . +3.3pp since 2014
Math
19.2%
CA avg 37.7% . +4.2pp since 2014
What this means: On the CAASPP, California's statewide test, about 23 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 19 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all California schools, those numbers are about 49 and 38. Reading and writing scores are up about 3 points since 2014, while math scores are up about 4 points.
Performance levels, 2024-25
| Subject | Standard Exceeded | Standard Met | Standard Nearly Met | Standard Not Met |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language Arts | 6.8% | 16.4% | 28.0% | 48.7% |
| Math | 8.0% | 11.2% | 27.9% | 53.0% |
Share of tested students at each CAASPP level. Each student counts in one level, so a row adds to about 100%.
CAASPP results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 23.3% | 19.2% |
| 2023-24 | 26.0% | 21.1% |
| 2022-23 | 33.2% | 24.4% |
| 2021-22 | 35.3% | 31.0% |
| 2018-19 | 42.7% | 31.1% |
| 2017-18 | 36.6% | 24.9% |
| 2016-17 | 30.9% | 24.0% |
| 2015-16 | 31.0% | 19.0% |
| 2014-15 | 20.0% | 15.0% |
% met or exceeded standard, all students and all tested grades.
Source: CAASPP. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
22.5%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
30.2%
based on CA schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
-7.8pp
below demographic expectation
What this means: About 22% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 30% typical for California schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among California's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary
Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary's state test result (22.5% proficient) is higher than 2 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary this school | 917 | 84.2% | 22.5% |
| Grasslands Elementary Los Banos | 884 | 85.1% | 40.0% |
| Taylor (Ida Redmond) Elementary Santa Maria | 849 | 85.7% | 21.4% |
| Rio Hondo Elementary Downey | 838 | 82.6% | 47.7% |
| Wilhelmina Henry Elementary Stockton | 881 | 81.6% | 16.2% |
| Bret Harte Elementary Modesto | 867 | 86.5% | 22.8% |
Matched among California elementary schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In California | In Santa Barbara County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 22.5% | #4,340 of 5,151 | #49 of 66 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 19.2% | #4,368 of 5,172 ▼ 309 | #49 of 66 ▼ 2 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 23.3% | #4,622 of 5,172 ▼ 412 | #55 of 66 ▼ 3 |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest drop first | -11.9pp | #72 of 5,116 | #1 of 66 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 917 | #149 of 5,915 | #4 of 75 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 21.7:1 | #1,952 of 5,352 | #39 of 63 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 19.8% | #4,431 of 5,354 | #45 of 63 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 84.2% | #1,742 of 5,625 | #21 of 70 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked fastest growth first | +15.5% | #346 of 1,139 | #4 of 13 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
917
+99 (+12%) vs 2020
+34% since 1990-91, when it was 686
Student : Teacher
21.7:1
was 21.0:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 917 | 42.3 | 21.7:1 | 84% (772) |
| 2023-24 | 874 | 40.2 | 21.8:1 | 80% (695) |
| 2022-23 | 803 | 36.2 | 22.2:1 | 77% (622) |
| 2020-21 | 818 | 39 | 21.0:1 | 82% (672) |
| 2017-18 | 794 | 36.5 | 21.8:1 | 78% (622) |
| 2015-16 | 886 | 34 | 26.1:1 | 73% (649) |
| 2010-11 | 763 | N/A | N/A | 69% (529) |
| 2000-01 | 869 | 41 | 21.2:1 | 46% (402) |
| 1990-91 | 686 | 26 | 26.4:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary.
Since 2017-18: students up 15% (794 to 917); teachers up 16% (36.5 to 42.3).
About Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary
Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary is an elementary school with a street address in Santa Maria, California. Its 917 students are spread across kindergarten through 6. The school's enrollment is 97% larger than the 465 average for elementary schools in California.
Santa Maria-Bonita counts 17,408 students in its 21 schools, and Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary is one of them.
At Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary, Hispanic students make up 89% of the student body. Other students are 6% White. By comparison, Santa Barbara County residents are about 48% Hispanic. Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary has a diversity index of 20%, compared with 70% for all US public school students.
Its teaching staff equals 42.3 full-time positions, a ratio of 21.7:1. Across elementary schools in California, the average ratio is about 22.3:1. Free and reduced-price lunch eligibility, a common measure of family income, is 84%. That rate is above the 68% average among public schools in Santa Barbara County.
Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary is graded D by allk12, scoring above 8% of California public elementary schools once test results, poverty-adjusted performance, and the recent trend are combined.
A school with Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary's lunch-eligibility share in California is predicted to score 30.2%. Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary scores 22.5%, 7.8 points below that line.
Among Santa Barbara County residents, median household income is about $98,161, roughly 37% of adults have a four-year degree or more, and about 9% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Federal data list 129 public schools in Santa Barbara County, with a combined enrollment of about 66,191.
Fesler (Isaac) Junior High is the closest public school, about 0.6 miles away in a straight line. Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary is one of several public schools in the area, with at least 8 others within five miles. Nearby schools with test data average 20.0% proficiency; Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary posts 22.5%.
Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary falls in the City: Mid-size locale category, used for schools inside a principal city with a population between 100,000 and 250,000.
Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary had 818 students in 2020-21 and 917 in 2024-25, a 12% increase.
To ask about school safety, transportation, and start times, start a discussion on this page. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.
Santa Barbara County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
443,701
Census ACS
Median income
$98,161
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
37%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
9%
Below federal line
Schools in county
129
66,191 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Santa Maria-Bonita
- JIMENEZ ROBERTO AND DR. FRANCISCO ELEMENTARYElementary · 1,177 students
- Bruce (Robert) ElementaryElementary · 1,050 students
- Alvin ElementaryElementary · 998 students
- Fesler (Isaac) Junior HighMiddle · 974 students
- Kunst (Tommie) Junior HighMiddle · 912 students
- Rice (William) ElementaryElementary · 887 students
Other schools in Santa Maria
- Santa Maria HighHigh · 3,143 students
- Pioneer Valley HighHigh · 3,080 students
- Ernest Righetti HighHigh · 2,416 students
- JIMENEZ ROBERTO AND DR. FRANCISCO ELEMENTARYElementary · 1,177 students
- Bruce (Robert) ElementaryElementary · 1,050 students
- Alvin ElementaryElementary · 998 students
Nearby schools
- Fesler (Isaac) Junior High0.6 mi · 974
- Rice (William) Elementary0.7 mi · 887
- Taylor (Ida Redmond) Elementary0.8 mi · 849
- Pioneer Valley High0.8 mi · 3,080
- Alvin Elementary1.0 mi · 998
- El Camino Junior High1.4 mi · 830
Frequently asked questions
About Tunnell (Martin Luther) ElementaryHow many students attend Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary?
Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary enrolls approximately 917 students in grades KG-06.
What grades does Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary serve?
Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary serves grades KG-06.
How many teachers does Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary have?
Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary employs 42 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 21.7:1.
How diverse is Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary?
Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary reports a student body of 6% White, 89% Hispanic, 0% Black, 2% Asian, 2% Two or more.
Who oversees Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary?
Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary is overseen by Santa Maria-Bonita in Santa Barbara County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.