Dorothy McElhinney Middle School offers a strong educational environment overall, and our experience has been mostly positive. The campus is clean, organized, and feels safe, and many of the teachers are truly dedicated to supporting students. My child has had some great classroom experiences and has grown academically thanks to several caring, engaged educators. However, not all interactions have been consistent. While most teachers have been wonderful, there have been a couple who were less supportive or less communicative, which created some challenges. It didn't define the entire experience, but it's worth noting since it affected our child's year at times. Communication from administration is generally clear and responsive, and the school offers a solid range of electives and extracurriculars. The culture is positive, and students seem encouraged to push themselves and get involved. read more

In our experience, support for Special Education students has been inadequate. The California Department of Education issued findings of noncompliance in December 2025. A federal complaint is currently pending as of April 2026. read more

Terrible school teachers yell at you for nothing All the aids are Karen's and it's so easy to get a detention Lots of kids vaping in The boys bathrooms are always locked and the girls bathrooms are always open I recommend not going to this school. read more

This school is not a great school some reasons why are Mrs. Heather Just, the new principal is not a good principal she allegedly screamed at a special needs child while he was having a meltdown. She also allegedly walked into a classroom because someone had said the n word and she came in and said it multiple times and then proceeded to say quote"yeah i can say say it too" then sent him to the office. here are so more reasons, some of the aids are very strict with certain people an example is that my daughters bff got dress coded for wearing a off the shoulder t shirt that was not showing anything but right next to her was i believe an 8th grader wearing a tank top with the whole top of her bra showing on purpose. many of the older and some of the younger kids that go there go into the bathrooms and smoke weed/vapes/geekbars it is not safe i wouldnt recommend this school but if you dont have a choice its good to know that some of the teachers are kind,respectable, and trustworthy. read more

We LOVE Dorothy...I love the organization and the neatness of the school. When I hear from my friends that Dorothy is the strictest when it comes to cell phones and dress code, I am actually happy. Some discipline and boundaries go a long way. We love the crossing guard in the morning (dk her name but shouting her out), Mrs. Hanlon the dance teacher is my daughter's favorite and so is Mrs. Depner. We can't forget Mrs. Jones, Dancefinity coach! read more

Amazing staff and teachers ! Major shot out to Mrs Galindo / mr quick / Mrs rihan / Mrs McCormick / mr Williams for having both of my kiddos thru the years as well as Mrs beckley for always being so uplifting and positive ! The admin is the best on helping you get things figured out ! Naming all of them too long so BIG THANK YOU for appreciation week to all of DMMS Staff and Teachers ! read more

I hated this school, this school was not the right school at all. All the teachers will constantly yell and scream at you when you did nothing wrong!! it never taught me the right way of doing average things you meed to know for school. when i got transferred to my new school i was behind and dint know anything they were teaching and the kids were doing " illegal" things in the bathrooms. read more

Went to Grandsons Promotion this past week. Well organized and quick. He has enjoyed the experience and education at the school

Very good school safe for kids and safe environment and very good teachers and 5 star rating

Great school to have your children attend and wonderful staff. One of Murrieta's best schools to attend, especially the music dept.

Dorothy McElhinney Middle School was just named a California Distinguished School for 2021 in recognition of their exemplary achievements. My child has been attending DMMS for the past 3 years, promoting in less than a month, and throughout our time here, I've been so impressed with the caliber of teacher, and their genuine care for the kids. DMMS has a great band program as well! In addition to the regular bands, there's Pep band, Jazz band, parades, festivals and of course, the award winning Drum Line and Color Guard. There are clubs and activities to interest all kids, and they encourage all students to get involved which builds school spirit and has made for an altogether successful and memorable middle school experience. Very pleased to have been a part of DMMS and would highly recommend this middle school. read more

Dorothy McElhinney Middle School - Middle Schools & High Schools Near Me - Murrieta, California

The worst school we've been at in California. The assistant principal makes it unbearable for everyone. My child is in special education, they won't give him work he understands and they let him sit in a cabinet ALL DAY. If they decide to not put him on the bus, they call after school is out, we don't live anywhere near the school. What if I weren't home? They don't care. Told them why I was upset, they retaliate by sending him home now instead of trying to teach him, knowing how difficult transportation is for my family. Seeking legal help. Nobody else has had these issues with my son, not at home, not at other schools, that alone speaks volumes. read more

An absolutely fantastic school. The principal is the kindest, most caring person and sets the tone for the whole school. Love how DMMS focuses on character and tries to get all students involved. In three years there, barely had any issues and when there was one, the principal responded immediately and fixed things right away. Overall, can't say enough about the administration and staff!!!! read more

I have 3 kids that are attending this school. When I say the staff is amazing I mean the staff is amazing. My kids have these teachers that literally make it impossible to fail a class. They go out of their way and make sure they are available at all times in different ways to help the student succeed. They offer so many programs to help them as well. I have a student that has a 504 and have no issues compared to my students that have no accommodations. Meaning they have the same opportunities and the same teachers helping guide them to not just passing the class but understanding what is going on in the class. The curriculum is not the new age woke crappy curriculum either. Nobody is shoving their personal opinions on the students either. I would not have wanted my kids to be anywhere but here based off their experiences. As a parent I have found that the school is doing their job in being successful educators and being strict with the rules in the handbook. I appreciate that. Teaches my kids to learn that in life their are rules and laws and you must follow them and abide by them in order to be successful but when you don't then there are consequences for your choices and actions. read more

This school is amazing! We are so glad to have gotten our children into here and look forward to many years of wonderful development.

This school has been great to us so far. I have two students here, 6th and 7th grade, and I have no complains. My kids love their middle school and teachers, and that is a very hard to do for any kid in middle school. I think they have a wonderful system, especially throughout all the COVID 19 pandemic. The principal is actually very nice and gets involved, he is responsive and professional. My kids favorite teacher is Mr. Owens. read more

DMMS is a great school! In these challenging times, my daughter has received the education, care and guidance needed. Special thanks to her 7th grade teachers, Mrs. Waite, Mrs. Fuller, Mrs. Cruise, Mrs. Campbell and Mrs. Jones, as well as her counselor, Mrs. Robinson. They have all been so professional, organized, respectful and supportive. read more

This was such a horrible school. They treated us like absolute toddlers, but expected us to behave as if we were full grown adults. All of the restrictions with none of the privileges. read more

We are new to the area and my first experience with this school was in May when I went to register my son for the 7th grade. From the front office staff to the team that registered him, I received friendly, helpful assistance throughout the process. The orientation and parent night have been great along with the fun activities, caring teachers, and college focus they offer. I'm really disappointed to see a current review on here that is so ignorant and unfair in its portrayal of the school. When volunteering at the book fair, I interacted with the librarian. She is friendly and cares about creating a great reading environment for the kids. My son is shy and still working on making friends, but he loves his classes, teachers, and the learning environment. read more

My kids hated that school, kids aren't very friendly , teachers don't care they assign homework without explaining and expect the student to know..my daughter raise her hand many time just so the teacher can call her to answer the questions but her teacher never call her she came home with tears telling me about her day... very disappointed about the school system, read more

The parking lot sucks! People without handicapped placards parking in handicapped loading zones; parents lining up in the RED NO PARKING zone. The principal is a jerk! read more

School is okay. the only bad thing is that i got detention for a high five ,not kidding, apparently i was "disrupting the class." 7th graders act like their high schoolers and 6th graders are very cringy. one of the 6th graders asked an aid to open a bottle rip lolololo xD read more

lool i guess go here if you're preppy . the dress code is insane!! the teachers will pick favorites and they do show it & spread roomers ((: ! i got dress coded for showing my shoulder & it wasn't even a tube top lmaoo ! id rate this school zero stars if I could. read more