Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary

1248 East Dena Way
Santa Maria, CA 93454

917 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.

917

Total Students

42.3

Full-Time Teachers

21.7

Student/Teacher Ratio

84.2%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary
Demographic	Student Count
White	56
Hispanic	819
Black	2
Asian	18
Two or More	17
American Indian	4
Pacific Islander	1

Hispanic
819 (89.3%)
White
56 (6.1%)
Asian
18 (2.0%)
Two or More
17 (1.9%)
American Indian
4 (0.4%)
Black
2 (0.2%)
Pacific Islander
1 (0.1%)

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:	917
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	42.3
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	21.7
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 217

Grade 1 118

Grade 2 113

Grade 3 121

Grade 4 97

Grade 5 135

Grade 6 116

Grades Taught Data Table

Grades Taught and Student Counts for Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary
Grade	Student Count
Kindergarten	217
Grade 1	118
Grade 2	113
Grade 3	121
Grade 4	97
Grade 5	135
Grade 6	116

Gender Ratio

Student Gender Ratio Data Table

Student Gender Ratio for Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary
Gender	Student Count	Percentage
Female	438	47.8%
Male	479	52.2%

Nearby Elementary Schools (Within 10 Miles)