Is Carmel River Elementary a good school?

Yes. Carmel River Elementary ranks in the top 8.0% of California elementary schools.

How many students attend Carmel River Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 380 students attended Carmel River Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Carmel River Elementary?

Students at Carmel River Elementary are 61% White, 16% Hispanic, 15% Two or more races, 8% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Carmel River Elementary attend?

Students who attend Carmel River Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Carmel Middle High : Carmel High

Carmel River Elementary

Summary:

Carmel River Elementary is a highly-rated public elementary school serving 386 students in grades K-5 in Carmel, California, part of the top-performing Carmel Unified School District. This school consistently outperforms the district and state averages in academic achievement, with over 75% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics.

Carmel River Elementary's academic excellence extends across all student subgroups, including female, male, Hispanic, and low socioeconomic status students, who all perform exceptionally well compared to state averages. The school's chronic absenteeism rates are relatively low, though they have increased in recent years. Carmel River Elementary's student population is less economically disadvantaged than nearby schools, with a low percentage of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch.

When compared to other schools in the area, Carmel River Elementary stands out as a top performer. It significantly outpaces nearby schools in the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District, such as Martin Luther King, Del Rey Woods Elementary, and La Mesa. The nearby Pacific Grove Unified School District schools, including Forest Grove Elementary and Robert Down Elementary, also perform well but lag behind Carmel River Elementary in some areas.

Detail:

Public K-5

Monte Verde St. and 15th Ave.
Carmel, CA 93923

(831) 624-4609

District: Carmel Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
471^st of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,492

Students who attend Carmel River Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Carmel Middle
High:	Carmel High

Student/teacher ratio: 20.0

Number of students: 380

Racial breakdown:

White:

61.1%

Hispanic:

15.8%

Two or more races:

15.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 9.7%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Carmel River Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Carmel River Elementary ranks better than 92% of elementary schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 93.48. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Carmel River Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (61.1%), Hispanic (15.8%), two or more races (15.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 9.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Carmel River Elementary is 20. 2 elementary schools in the Carmel Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Carmel River Elementary employs 19 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Carmel River Elementary is $16,492. 2 elementary schools in the Carmel Unified School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Carmel River Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Carmel River Elementary 471^st of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Carmel River Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Carmel Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Carmel Unified 85^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Carmel River Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Carmel River Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	96.40	157^th	4809	96.7%
2005	98.32	34^th	4822	99.3%
2006	98.04	53^rd	4818	98.9%
2007	97.71	70^th	5113	98.6%
2008	94.69	205^th	5113	96.0%
2009	95.29	141^st	5193	97.3%
2010	94.65	153^rd	5314	97.1%
2011	93.80	194^th	5377	96.4%
2012	93.75	172^nd	5390	96.8%
2013	93.56	211^th	5530	96.2%
2015	97.13	173^rd	5611	96.9%
2016	95.87	249^th	5614	95.6%
2017	95.35	302^nd	5692	94.7%
2018	92.92	451^st	5662	92.0%
2019	96.58	179^th	5789	96.9%
2021	90.05	154^th	1417	89.1%
2022	95.89	298^th	5883	94.9%
2023	90.10	703^rd	5874	88.0%
2024	93.48	471^st	5862	92.0%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Carmel River Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	60.95	321^st	669	52.0%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Carmel River Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	78.33	756^th	5084	85.1%
2024	96.95	154^th	5511	97.2%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Carmel River Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	89.78	579^th	5413	89.3%
2019	95.79	179^th	5492	96.7%
2021	89.83	143^rd	1267	88.7%
2022	95.79	237^th	5635	95.8%
2023	87.28	774^th	5617	86.2%
2024	93.63	395^th	5605	93.0%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Carmel River Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	93.69	339^th	5431	93.8%
2019	95.78	190^th	5510	96.6%
2021	87.46	161^st	1272	87.3%
2022	94.41	346^th	5663	93.9%
2023	90.64	576^th	5650	89.8%
2024	91.26	527^th	5636	90.6%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Carmel River Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	76.32	224^th	1149	80.5%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Carmel River Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	87.88	379^th	4830	92.2%
2019	99.85	5^th	4963	99.9%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Carmel River Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	82.43	362^nd	2737	86.8%
2019	87.30	177^th	2834	93.8%
2022	85.22	260^th	2726	90.5%
2023	74.00	657^th	2662	75.3%
2024	80.23	417^th	2647	84.2%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: California Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Mr. Marden, the principal lacks leadership and the school is plagued by the common problems of public schools, such as staff covering up for each other. This school is living off the innate talent and intelligence of the children whose parents can afford to live in one of the most expensive neighborhoods. If you are committed to hours of teaching your child outside of school and ok with your child sitting in the class getting almost nothing out of the curriculum, or if your child is behind, this is the place for you. If your do not want to have any homework, this is your dream. If your conscious is ok with teachers giving children higher rankings because of their parents, then, welcome to the exclusive Carmel River School Country Club. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Carmel River Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	413	7	20	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	449
1989	434	9	14	12	1	n/a	n/a	0	470
1990	422	8	22	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	458
1991	425	2	12	6	2	n/a	n/a	0	447
1992	388	5	17	10	3	n/a	n/a	0	423
1993	414	6	16	18	1	n/a	n/a	0	455
1994	414	15	22	26	0	n/a	n/a	0	477
1995	398	15	34	20	4	n/a	n/a	0	471
1996	398	15	34	20	4	n/a	n/a	0	471
1997	393	19	30	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	464
1998	390	16	29	27	1	n/a	n/a	0	463
1999	314	3	16	23	1	n/a	n/a	85	442
2000	328	7	25	25	4	n/a	n/a	29	418
2001	305	3	21	20	2	n/a	n/a	69	420
2002	300	5	20	17	1	n/a	n/a	34	377
2003	300	5	20	17	1	n/a	n/a	34	377
2004	271	18	16	24	2	n/a	n/a	47	378
2005	292	12	7	26	5	n/a	n/a	46	388
2006	288	18	13	18	6	n/a	n/a	52	395
2007	296	11	21	27	4	n/a	n/a	59	418
2008	298	11	18	30	1	n/a	n/a	0	358
2009	318	10	20	31	1	3	70	0	453
2010	317	6	21	57	1	1	57	0	460
2011	345	9	31	56	1	0	67	0	509
2012	351	5	27	63	0	0	62	0	508
2013	318	6	28	55	1	0	65	0	473
2014	306	4	31	76	2	0	53	0	472
2015	334	3	36	62	2	0	48	0	485
2016	316	1	35	56	2	0	45	0	455
2017	307	1	36	58	3	0	57	0	462
2018	307	2	40	52	2	2	52	0	457
2019	288	3	39	52	0	2	67	0	451
2020	296	4	39	53	0	1	51	0	444
2021	261	3	43	49	0	1	45	0	402
2022	237	4	34	57	0	4	56	0	392
2023	225	3	31	61	0	4	62	0	386
2024	232	0	30	60	0	0	58	0	380

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Carmel River Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	449	20.0	22.4	n/a
1989	470	21.2	22.1	n/a
1990	458	21.7	21.1	n/a
1991	447	22.0	20.3	n/a
1992	423	22.4	18.8	6.6
1993	455	18.0	25.3	9
1994	477	19.0	25.1	9.4
1995	471	20.8	22.6	12.1
1996	471	20.8	22.6	12.1
1997	464	23.4	19.8	9.1
1998	463	24.0	19.3	6.9
1999	442	24.0	18.4	10.6
2000	418	25.0	16.7	10
2001	420	24.2	17.4	6.6
2002	377	23.0	16.4	8.7
2003	377	23.0	16.4	8.7
2004	378	22.0	17.2	7.6
2005	388	22.0	17.6	6.7
2006	395	23.0	17.2	5.5
2007	418	22.8	18.3	6.1
2008	358	26.8	13.4	5.9
2009	453	25.8	15.7	7.1
2010	460	25.8	17.8	5.7
2011	509	n/a	n/a	7.5
2012	508	23.0	22.0	n/a
2013	473	23.0	20.5	7.8
2014	472	22.0	21.4	8.9
2015	485	22.0	22.0	8.2
2016	455	22.0	20.6	6.4
2017	462	22.0	21.0	6.5
2018	457	23.0	19.8	10.1
2019	451	22.0	20.5	8
2020	444	n/a	n/a	8.1
2021	402	21.0	19.1	8.7
2022	392	21.0	18.6	14.3
2023	386	19.0	20.3	8.8
2024	380	19.0	20.0	9.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Carmel River Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	449	20.0	22.4	n/a
1989	470	21.2	22.1	n/a
1990	458	21.7	21.1	n/a
1991	447	22.0	20.3	n/a
1992	423	22.4	18.8	6.6
1993	455	18.0	25.3	9
1994	477	19.0	25.1	9.4
1995	471	20.8	22.6	12.1
1996	471	20.8	22.6	12.1
1997	464	23.4	19.8	9.1
1998	463	24.0	19.3	6.9
1999	442	24.0	18.4	10.6
2000	418	25.0	16.7	10
2001	420	24.2	17.4	6.6
2002	377	23.0	16.4	8.7
2003	377	23.0	16.4	8.7
2004	378	22.0	17.2	7.6
2005	388	22.0	17.6	6.7
2006	395	23.0	17.2	5.5
2007	418	22.8	18.3	6.1
2008	358	26.8	13.4	5.9
2009	453	25.8	15.7	7.1
2010	460	25.8	17.8	5.7
2011	509	n/a	n/a	7.5
2012	508	23.0	22.0	n/a
2013	473	23.0	20.5	7.8
2014	472	22.0	21.4	8.9
2015	485	22.0	22.0	8.2
2016	455	22.0	20.6	6.4
2017	462	22.0	21.0	6.5
2018	457	23.0	19.8	10.1
2019	451	22.0	20.5	8
2020	444	n/a	n/a	8.1
2021	402	21.0	19.1	8.7
2022	392	21.0	18.6	14.3
2023	386	19.0	20.3	8.8
2024	380	19.0	20.0	9.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

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