Is Monterey Hills Elementary a good school?

Yes! Monterey Hills Elementary is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 281 st of 5862 California elementary schools.

How many students attend Monterey Hills Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 584 students attended Monterey Hills Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Monterey Hills Elementary?

Students at Monterey Hills Elementary are 32% Hispanic, 28% Asian, 19% White, 18% Two or more races, 2% African American.

What schools do graduates of Monterey Hills Elementary attend?

Students who attend Monterey Hills Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : South Pasadena Middle High : South Pasadena Senior High

Monterey Hills Elementary

Summary:

Monterey Hills Elementary is a highly-ranked public elementary school in South Pasadena, California, serving 586 students in grades K-5 and part of the South Pasadena Unified School District. This exemplary school has consistently been ranked among the top elementary schools in the state, maintaining a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger over the past decade.

Monterey Hills Elementary stands out for its exceptional academic performance, consistently outpacing both the state and district averages in Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics. In the 2023-2024 school year, 77.66% of students were proficient or better in ELA/Literacy, compared to 82.42% for the district and 47.04% for the state. In Mathematics, 80.74% of students were proficient or better, compared to 78.72% for the district and 35.54% for the state. The school's performance in Science and Spanish Language Arts is also significantly higher than state averages. Notably, Monterey Hills Elementary performs exceptionally well across different student subgroups, including female, male, Hispanic, and White students, as well as students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

While Monterey Hills Elementary outperforms nearby Arroyo Vista Elementary and Marengo Elementary, both part of the South Pasadena Unified School District, the nearby schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District, such as Sierra Vista Elementary, Cesar Chavez Elementary, and Garvanza Elementary, have significantly lower academic performance. Monterey Hills Elementary's consistent high performance and focus on equity and inclusion make it a desirable choice for families in the South Pasadena area.

Detail:

Public K-5

1624 Via del Rey
South Pasadena, CA 91030-4126

(626) 441-5860

District: South Pasadena Unified

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,046

Students who attend Monterey Hills Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	South Pasadena Middle
High:	South Pasadena Senior High

Student/teacher ratio: 23.3

Number of students: 584

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

32.4%

Asian:

28.3%

White:

18.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 16.4%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Monterey Hills Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Monterey Hills Elementary ranks better than 95.2% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks last among 3 ranked elementary schools in the South Pasadena Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 95.79. (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 Monterey Hills Elementary has the smallest elementary school student body size in the South Pasadena Unified School District. Student population at Monterey Hills Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (32.4%), Asian (28.3%), White (18.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 16.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the South Pasadena Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Monterey Hills Elementary is 23.3, which is the lowest among 3 elementary schools in the South Pasadena Unified School District! (See more...)

Compare Monterey Hills Elementary employs 25 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Monterey Hills Elementary is $11,046. 1 elementary schools in the South Pasadena Unified School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Monterey Hills Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Monterey Hills Elementary 281^st of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Monterey Hills 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:

Asian students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

South Pasadena Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks South Pasadena Unified 25^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Monterey Hills Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Monterey Hills Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	92.89	341^st	4809	92.9%
2005	94.81	237^th	4822	95.1%
2006	91.01	433^rd	4818	91.0%
2007	94.93	227^th	5113	95.6%
2008	94.69	206^th	5113	96.0%
2009	89.34	512^th	5193	90.1%
2010	91.92	330^th	5314	93.8%
2011	92.78	263^rd	5377	95.1%
2012	91.46	334^th	5390	93.8%
2013	90.28	449^th	5530	91.9%
2015	96.39	240^th	5611	95.7%
2016	96.27	210^th	5614	96.3%
2017	94.19	382^nd	5692	93.3%
2018	96.87	154^th	5662	97.3%
2019	93.68	390^th	5789	93.3%
2022	96.01	288^th	5883	95.1%
2023	94.49	393^rd	5874	93.3%
2024	95.79	281^st	5862	95.2%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Monterey Hills Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	80.40	45^th	339	86.7%
2019	74.94	99^th	445	77.8%
2022	82.23	73^rd	610	88.0%
2023	74.14	170^th	669	74.6%
2024	79.60	118^th	669	82.4%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at Monterey Hills Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	69.33	486^th	2420	79.9%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Monterey Hills Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	99.11	17^th	5084	99.7%
2019	94.86	147^th	5173	97.2%
2022	98.78	61^st	5264	98.8%
2023	93.36	254^th	5374	95.3%
2024	93.61	294^th	5511	94.7%

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

Rank History for Female students at Monterey Hills Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	96.37	129^th	5413	97.6%
2019	93.39	326^th	5492	94.1%
2022	94.71	320^th	5635	94.3%
2023	91.23	551^st	5617	90.2%
2024	94.19	343^rd	5605	93.9%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Monterey Hills Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	85.12	210^th	2128	90.1%
2019	55.22	838^th	2585	67.6%

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

Rank History for Male students at Monterey Hills Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	96.20	174^th	5431	96.8%
2019	91.78	457^th	5510	91.7%
2022	95.65	261^st	5663	95.4%
2023	95.51	261^st	5650	95.4%
2024	95.87	202^nd	5636	96.4%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Monterey Hills Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	77.61	195^th	1071	81.8%
2019	71.00	352^nd	1149	69.4%
2022	70.12	384^th	1154	66.7%
2023	74.27	288^th	1190	75.8%
2024	76.37	257^th	1203	78.6%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Monterey Hills Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	97.82	56^th	4830	98.8%
2019	84.71	520^th	4963	89.5%
2022	97.28	100^th	5084	98.0%
2023	93.60	214^th	5098	95.8%
2024	95.86	133^rd	5102	97.4%

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

Rank History for White students at Monterey Hills Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	88.97	124^th	2737	95.5%
2019	86.92	189^th	2834	93.3%
2022	83.20	337^th	2726	87.6%
2023	78.30	499^th	2662	81.3%
2024	87.28	166^th	2647	93.7%

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

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Enrollment information for Monterey Hills Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	143	9	174	32	0	n/a	n/a	0	358
1989	153	13	197	55	1	n/a	n/a	0	419
1990	156	19	183	53	1	n/a	n/a	0	412
1991	150	22	186	59	1	n/a	n/a	0	418
1992	146	19	193	56	1	n/a	n/a	0	415
1993	144	21	178	54	1	n/a	n/a	0	398
1994	155	25	157	72	2	n/a	n/a	0	411
1995	153	26	178	71	4	n/a	n/a	0	432
1996	153	26	178	71	4	n/a	n/a	0	432
1997	152	20	193	71	3	n/a	n/a	0	439
1998	165	22	186	73	1	n/a	n/a	0	447
1999	179	18	179	68	0	n/a	n/a	10	454
2000	161	14	167	73	2	n/a	n/a	17	434
2001	144	15	170	65	2	n/a	n/a	32	428
2002	133	21	201	57	1	n/a	n/a	36	449
2003	133	21	201	57	1	n/a	n/a	36	449
2004	116	20	203	57	1	n/a	n/a	52	449
2005	125	20	212	71	1	n/a	n/a	37	466
2006	124	12	212	70	0	n/a	n/a	48	466
2007	119	14	212	69	1	n/a	n/a	52	467
2008	100	9	193	66	1	n/a	n/a	0	369
2009	127	13	194	76	0	0	90	0	500
2010	148	17	243	111	4	0	7	0	530
2011	142	15	223	124	1	1	27	0	533
2012	141	9	243	144	0	1	43	0	581
2013	144	9	225	158	0	0	56	0	592
2014	161	9	220	170	2	0	77	0	639
2015	156	6	221	167	3	0	90	0	643
2016	148	10	223	168	2	0	85	0	636
2017	150	16	214	175	2	0	87	0	644
2018	171	15	217	180	1	0	99	0	683
2019	143	19	223	184	1	0	120	0	690
2020	138	17	247	174	0	0	120	0	696
2021	101	13	218	189	0	0	111	1	633
2022	109	10	185	172	0	0	107	1	584
2023	107	11	174	181	0	1	111	1	586
2024	109	10	165	189	0	2	108	1	584

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 Monterey Hills Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	358	14.5	24.6	n/a
1989	419	15.0	27.9	n/a
1990	412	16.0	25.7	n/a
1991	418	16.5	25.3	n/a
1992	415	16.8	24.7	6.3
1993	398	16.5	24.1	9.8
1994	411	17.5	23.5	11.4
1995	432	17.6	24.5	10.9
1996	432	17.6	24.5	10.9
1997	439	20.6	21.3	10
1998	447	24.1	18.5	10.5
1999	454	24.1	18.8	11.9
2000	434	22.6	19.2	7.7
2001	428	21.6	19.8	14.9
2002	449	22.6	19.9	8.2
2003	449	22.6	19.9	8.2
2004	449	21.0	21.4	8.6
2005	466	23.0	20.3	6.5
2006	466	23.0	20.3	7.4
2007	467	24.0	19.5	5.1
2008	369	25.0	14.8	6.2
2009	500	25.0	18.5	6.6
2010	530	26.0	20.3	7.9
2011	533	n/a	n/a	9.8
2012	581	26.0	22.3	n/a
2013	592	27.0	21.9	14.2
2014	639	28.0	22.8	12.8
2015	643	28.0	22.9	10.1
2016	636	28.0	22.7	9.6
2017	644	27.4	23.5	11.3
2018	683	30.0	22.7	13.6
2019	690	28.5	24.2	15.4
2020	696	n/a	n/a	14.7
2021	633	29.4	21.5	15
2022	584	25.4	22.9	11.3
2023	586	25.4	23.0	14.8
2024	584	25.0	23.3	16.4

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 Monterey Hills Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	358	14.5	24.6	n/a
1989	419	15.0	27.9	n/a
1990	412	16.0	25.7	n/a
1991	418	16.5	25.3	n/a
1992	415	16.8	24.7	6.3
1993	398	16.5	24.1	9.8
1994	411	17.5	23.5	11.4
1995	432	17.6	24.5	10.9
1996	432	17.6	24.5	10.9
1997	439	20.6	21.3	10
1998	447	24.1	18.5	10.5
1999	454	24.1	18.8	11.9
2000	434	22.6	19.2	7.7
2001	428	21.6	19.8	14.9
2002	449	22.6	19.9	8.2
2003	449	22.6	19.9	8.2
2004	449	21.0	21.4	8.6
2005	466	23.0	20.3	6.5
2006	466	23.0	20.3	7.4
2007	467	24.0	19.5	5.1
2008	369	25.0	14.8	6.2
2009	500	25.0	18.5	6.6
2010	530	26.0	20.3	7.9
2011	533	n/a	n/a	9.8
2012	581	26.0	22.3	n/a
2013	592	27.0	21.9	14.2
2014	639	28.0	22.8	12.8
2015	643	28.0	22.9	10.1
2016	636	28.0	22.7	9.6
2017	644	27.4	23.5	11.3
2018	683	30.0	22.7	13.6
2019	690	28.5	24.2	15.4
2020	696	n/a	n/a	14.7
2021	633	29.4	21.5	15
2022	584	25.4	22.9	11.3
2023	586	25.4	23.0	14.8
2024	584	25.0	23.3	16.4

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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