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Email BoardTunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary
1248 East Dena Way, Santa Maria, CA 93454-2551
Summary
Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary is badly underperforming.
Reading and math results average to the 17th percentile among comparable California schools.
Only 27.6% of students met California's reading standard, but it is trending up slightly.
Math is weaker: 21.7% of students met California's math standard, but it is trending up slightly.
Proficiency stats
| Current Reading Proficiency | 27.6% |
| Current Math Proficiency | 21.7% |
| Reading State Rank | 3,866/4,657 (17th percentile) |
| Math State Rank | 3,821/4,657 (18th percentile) |
School information
| Student / Teacher Ratio | 22:1 |
| Student enrollment (2024–25) | 917 |
| Low-Income Students | 756 (84.0%) |
| English Learners | 400 (44.4%) |
School Website
Great Schools
Niche
Ed-Data
CAASPP| Admissions | Open enrollment |
|---|---|
| Charter school | No |
| Magnet school | No |
Test score trends
Reading rose 4.3 points from last year and rose 1.6 points over the full period. Math rose 2.5 points from last year and rose 0.6 points over the full period.
•Math +0.6 percentage points (2024–2026)Reading Proficiency Scores
2026 state test results
Race and Ethnicity
White and Hispanic or Latino students have the strongest results.
Distribution of Scores by Grade
The share meeting the reading standard ranges from 21.6% to 34.5% across the grades shown. Overall, the school’s reading results rank No. 3,866 of 4,657 among California schools in the same grade-level category.
Low-Income vs Non-Low-Income
The 24.1-point reading income gap is wider than the 17.6-point gap at a typical California K–6 school. It widened over the period shown.
•English Learners vs English Native
7.7% of English learners meet the reading standard, compared with 36.8% of English-only students. The gap widened as English-learner results rose and English-only results rose.
•Math Proficiency Scores
2026 state test results
Race and Ethnicity
White students have the strongest math results at about 37% proficiency. The other reported groups range from about 20% to 20%.
Distribution of Scores by Grade
The share meeting the math standard ranges from 14.4% to 32.8% across the grades shown. Overall, the school’s math results rank No. 3,821 of 4,657 among California schools in the same grade-level category.
Low-Income vs Non-Low-Income
The 20.0-point math income gap is slightly wider than the 17.5-point gap at a typical California K–6 school. It widened over the period shown.
•English Learners vs English Native
4.9% of English learners meet the math standard, compared with 25.7% of English-only students. The gap widened as English-learner results fell and English-only results fell.
•Progress as students move up
2023–2026
How we compare income gaps
“Typical” means the median gap across 1,479 schools for reading and 1,483 for math. The comparison uses 2026 California K–6 schools with at least 20 tested students in each income group and a reported low-income student population. Each school counts once. Its gap is non-low-income proficiency minus low-income proficiency, including negative gaps. California state test data
Understanding this school
How does Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary compare within the district?
Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary is No. 3 in reading and No. 4 in math proficiency among the 16 K–6 schools in Santa Maria-Bonita with 2026 results.
Explore the district’s schoolsHow does Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary rank in California?
Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary ranks No. 3,866 of 4,657 in reading and No. 3,821 of 4,657 in math for 2026. These proficiency rankings compare California schools in the same grade-level category.
How do low-income students at Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary compare within the district?
Low-income students here rank No. 4 in reading and No. 5 in math among 16 K–6 district schools with reportable 2026 results for this group. 23.4% meet the reading standard and 18.3% meet the math standard.
See results by student groupHow does Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary compare with other schools in Santa Maria?
Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary is No. 8 in reading and No. 9 in math proficiency among the 21 K–6 schools in Santa Maria with 2026 results.
Explore schools in Santa MariaHow does Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary compare with other schools in Santa Barbara County?
Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary is No. 38 in reading and No. 40 in math proficiency among the 58 K–6 schools in Santa Barbara County with 2026 results.
Explore schools in Santa Barbara CountyWhich schools should I compare?
Schools serving K–6 in the same district.
| School | Math | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Tunnell (Martin Luther) ElementaryThis school | 21.7% | 27.6% |
| Adam (William Laird) Elementary | 12.9% | 19.0% |
| Alvin Elementary | 13.5% | 17.9% |
