Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary

803 Students

Elementary School K - 6th

School Overview

Martin Luther Tunnell Elementary School is a public school located in the Santa Maria-Bonita School District in Santa Maria, California. Serving a diverse student population, the school focuses on providing a supportive academic environment that emphasizes foundational literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional growth. As part of a large district, Tunnell Elementary benefits from structured curricula and resources aimed at helping students transition successfully toward middle school, often placing a strong emphasis on community involvement and parental engagement to foster a collaborative learning atmosphere.

The school is situated in a residential area of Santa Maria and acts as a neighborhood hub for the families it serves. Like many schools in the region, Tunnell Elementary integrates technology into the classroom to prepare students for a digital-forward future while maintaining a commitment to inclusive education. By promoting core values such as respect, responsibility, and academic excellence, the school strives to create a safe and nurturing campus where students from various backgrounds can achieve their full potential.

803

Total Students

36.2

Full-Time Teachers

22.2

Student/Teacher Ratio

96.1%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary
Demographic	Student Count
White	48
Hispanic	709
Black	2
Asian	22
Two or More	19
American Indian	2

Hispanic
709 (88.4 %)
White
48 (6.0 %)
Asian
22 (2.7 %)
Two or More
19 (2.4 %)
Black
2 (0.2 %)
American Indian
2 (0.2 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	N/A
District:	Santa Maria-Bonita
Phone:	(805)361-7940
Grade Range:	K - 6th
Total Students:	803
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	36.2
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	22.2
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	677
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	95

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Kindergarten 131

Grade 1 120

Grade 2 97

Grade 3 120

Grade 4 109

Grade 5 110

Grade 6 116

Grades Taught Data Table

Grades Taught and Student Counts for Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary
Grade	Student Count
Kindergarten	131
Grade 1	120
Grade 2	97
Grade 3	120
Grade 4	109
Grade 5	110
Grade 6	116

Gender Ratio

Student Gender Ratio Data Table

Student Gender Ratio for Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary
Gender	Student Count	Percentage
Female	398	49.6%
Male	404	50.3%
Not Specified	1	0.1%

Nearby Elementary Schools (Within 10 Miles)