Carmel River Elementary earned the top spot among Monterey Peninsula elementary schools in the 2027 U.S. News & World Report rankings, placing No. 527 out of 5,920 California schools ranked.
The Carmel school scored 91.11 out of 100. Eighty percent of its students scored at or above the proficient level in math, and 79% hit that mark in reading. Both figures topped the statewide averages of 38% in math and 44% in reading. The school serves about 400 students in kindergarten through fifth grade with a 21-to-1 student-teacher ratio and 100% certified teachers.
U.S. News released the rankings on Tuesday, Oct. 20, covering about 46,000 public elementary schools and more than 24,000 middle schools nationwide. The rankings evaluate student performance in math and reading alongside demographic context.
Eric Brooks, U.S. News director of education data analysis, said the updated methodology "gives families, educators and community leaders an even clearer view of academic achievement."
How other local schools fared
The gap was wide across the peninsula.
Robert Down Elementary in Pacific Grove came in second locally, ranked No. 1,022 statewide with a score of 82.75. Seventy-three percent of Robert Down students tested proficient or above in reading, and 68% did so in math. The school enrolls 422 students with an 18-to-1 student-teacher ratio.
Pacific Grove's other elementary school, Forest Grove Elementary, ranked No. 1,976 with a score of 66.63. Fifty-seven percent of its students tested proficient in math and 63% in reading.
In the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District, La Mesa in Monterey ranked No. 1,479. Fifty-one percent of La Mesa students scored proficient or above in math and 58% in reading. The school serves 689 students in kindergarten through eighth grade.
Ord Terrace Elementary in Seaside ranked No. 2,801 with a score of 52.69. Twenty-seven percent of its students tested proficient in math and 41% in reading. Ord Terrace enrolls 91% economically disadvantaged students, compared with 15% at Carmel River and 19% at Robert Down.
All assessment data is from the 2023-2024 school year, according to U.S. News.
California's top 10 elementary schools
For comparison, here are the top 10 ranked elementary schools statewide:
- Buckeye Union Mandarin Immersion Charter, El Dorado Hills
- Cold Spring Elementary, Santa Barbara
- Murdock-Portal Elementary, San Jose
- William Faria Elementary, Cupertino
- North Star Academy, Redwood City
- Herbert Hoover Elementary, Palo Alto
- Covington Elementary, Los Altos
- Bullis Charter, Los Altos
- Elkhorn, Stockton
- Jack L. Weaver Elementary, Los Alamitos
No Monterey Peninsula school appeared in the state's top 10.
