Education in Murrieta Valley dates to 1885, starting with a single teacher and fourteen students in grades 1 through 8. The very first schoolhouse, built on 2nd Street by Daniel Buchanan, marked the beginning of this journey. Buchanan later became the namesake of an elementary school established in 2001. While Murrieta's educational roots trace back to the 19th century, a pivotal moment occurred in 1989 with the formation of the Murrieta Valley Unified School District.

That November, two critical measures appeared on the election ballot: the unification of the Murrieta School District and a bond measure to construct Murrieta's first high school. The community rallied behind these initiatives, approving a $38.5 million bond to build Murrieta Valley High School and passing Measure P, which formalized the unification. This historic vote transformed Murrieta into a unified K-12 district, serving approximately 1,000 students at the time. Today, Murrieta Valley Unified School District proudly supports an average of 22,000 students annually.

The rich history of education in Murrieta, spanning from the 1800s to 2010, is beautifully chronicled by Dr. Jeanne Nelson, a retired Murrieta Library/Media Services Coordinator who began her career with the district in 1989. To delve deeper into this inspiring journey, consider Dr. Nelson's book, Memories: The Murrieta Schools, available on  Amazon. All proceeds from book sales are generously donated by Dr. Nelson to the Murrieta Dollars for Scholars program, continuing her legacy of supporting education in our community.