Best Public Schools in Santa Cruz, California & Rankings

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School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				CAST Science (2023)				Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2023)								Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2023)								% Completely Immunized (2020)	% Polio (2020)	% Hepatitis B (2020)	% Varicella (2020)	% DTP (2020)	% MMR (2020)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2018)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 5th Grade	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science 12th Grade	CAST Science End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics End of Course	% Completely Immunized KG	% Polio KG	% Hepatitis B KG	% Varicella KG	% DTP KG	% MMR KG	Total
Brook Knoll Elementary	Public	K-5	151 Brook Knoll Dr.	Santa Cruz	95060	Santa Cruz County	Scotts Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 423-2454	438	19	23.6	8.4%	300 (68.5%)	1 (0.2%)	59 (13.5%)	32 (7.3%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	42 (9.6%)	87.6	837^th of 5848 public elementary schools	85.7%		91.4	627^th of 5883 public elementary schools	89.3%	210	59.1			59.1	64.0	72.2	60.9					65.7	76.0	72.2	50.7					66.7	95.0	95.0	97.0	97.0	95.0	98.0	$7,270
Santa Cruz County Regional Occupational Program	Public	10-12	400 Encinal St.	Santa Cruz	95060	Santa Cruz County	Santa Cruz County Regional Occupational Program	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 466-5762	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Pacific Collegiate Charter	Public, Charter	7-12	3004 Mission St.	Santa Cruz	95060	Santa Cruz County	Pacific Collegiate Charter District	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 479-7785	556	32	17.5	11.7%	357 (64.2%)	3 (0.5%)	99 (17.8%)	35 (6.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (11.0%)	97.3	49^th of 2335 public high schools	97.9%		98	44^th of 2123 public high schools	97.9%	5		53.5	70.8	61.4					87.2	81.3	100.0	89.1					68.1	50.6	88.6	68.5
Bonny Doon Elementary	Public	K-6	1492 Pine Flat Rd.	Santa Cruz	95060	Santa Cruz County	Bonny Doon Union Elementary	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 427-2300	117	8	15.3	15.4%	104 (88.9%)	1 (0.9%)	11 (9.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	62.6	1909^th of 5848 public elementary schools	67.4%		81.5	1125^th of 5883 public elementary schools	80.9%	784	45.0			45.0	41.7	41.7	50.0	41.7				44.6	75.0	58.3	35.0	33.3				48.2	90.0		90.0	90.0			$11,439
Happy Valley Elementary	Public	K-6	3125 Branciforte Dr.	Santa Cruz	95065	Santa Cruz County	Happy Valley Elementary	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 429-1456	109	6	17.5	11.0%	79 (72.5%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (8.3%)	2 (1.8%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (16.5%)	96.4	235^th of 5848 public elementary schools	96.0%		92.2	580^th of 5883 public elementary schools	90.1%	345	75.0			75.0	100.0	85.0	93.8					90.3	87.5	70.0	62.5					72.6							$12,688
Green Acres Elementary	Public	K-5	966 Bostwick Ln.	Santa Cruz	95062	Santa Cruz County	Live Oak Elementary	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 475-0111	329	14	23.5	54.1%	127 (38.6%)	10 (3.0%)	164 (49.8%)	8 (2.4%)	3 (0.9%)	1 (0.3%)	16 (4.9%)	56.7	2194^th of 5848 public elementary schools	62.5%		64.8	1820^th of 5883 public elementary schools	69.1%	374	29.0			29.0	55.6	59.7	46.8					53.8	43.2	51.6	21.0					37.9	92.5	97.0	92.5	97.0	97.0	97.0	$7,994
Live Oak Elementary	Public	K-5	1916 Capitola Rd.	Santa Cruz	95062	Santa Cruz County	Live Oak Elementary	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 475-2000	323	15	21.5	68.1%	57 (17.6%)	4 (1.2%)	238 (73.7%)	9 (2.8%)	3 (0.9%)	1 (0.3%)	11 (3.4%)	62.9	1895^th of 5848 public elementary schools	67.6%		59.4	2056^th of 5883 public elementary schools	65.1%	161	40.8			40.8	45.2	48.9	63.0					52.6	42.9	41.7	42.9					42.5	94.4			95.8	97.2	97.2	$8,028
Shoreline Middle	Public	6-8	855 17th Ave.	Santa Cruz	95062	Santa Cruz County	Live Oak Elementary	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 475-6565	457	27	16.9	68.1%	112 (24.5%)	12 (2.6%)	288 (63.0%)	20 (4.4%)	6 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	18 (3.9%)	57.8	965^th of 2788 public middle schools	65.4%		44.2	1331^st of 2740 public middle schools	51.4%	366		52.1		52.1				48.0	40.9	50.7		46.4				30.6	27.1	31.5		29.7							$7,808
Del Mar Elementary	Public	K-5	1959 Merrill St.	Santa Cruz	95062	Santa Cruz County	Live Oak Elementary	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 477-2063	353	15	23.5	63.7%	113 (32.0%)	10 (2.8%)	211 (59.8%)	8 (2.3%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	9 (2.5%)	55	2272^nd of 5848 public elementary schools	61.1%		48.9	2586^th of 5883 public elementary schools	56.0%	314	36.7			36.7	39.2	51.1	51.7					47.5	43.1	46.8	27.9					38.4	95.3			96.5			$7,678
Ocean Alternative Education Center	Public	K-8	984 Bostwick Ln. Ste. 6	Santa Cruz	95062	Santa Cruz County	Live Oak Elementary	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 475-0767	110	4	27.1	50.9%	59 (53.6%)	2 (1.8%)	37 (33.6%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (7.3%)								(n/a)		36.4		44.4					78.6	42.9		52.7					35.7	13.3		30.4							$7,124
Tierra Pacifica Charter	Public, Charter	K-8	986 Bostwick Ln.	Santa Cruz	95062	Santa Cruz County	Live Oak Elementary	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 462-9404	155	7	22.8	25.8%	95 (61.3%)	2 (1.3%)	39 (25.2%)	10 (6.5%)	2 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (4.5%)	63.3	1866^th of 5848 public elementary schools	68.1%		78.3	1268^th of 5883 public elementary schools	78.4%	598	57.9	44.4		51.4	41.2	27.8	68.4	46.7	50.0	55.6		48.5	52.9	33.3	47.4	46.7	42.9	50.0		45.5							$9,013
Bay View Elementary	Public	K-5	1231 Bay St.	Santa Cruz	95060	Santa Cruz County	Santa Cruz City Elementary	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 429-3991	328	13	25.2	50.0%	140 (42.7%)	2 (0.6%)	162 (49.4%)	4 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	17 (5.2%)	50.6	2491^st of 5848 public elementary schools	57.4%		42	2961^st of 5883 public elementary schools	49.7%	470	36.9			36.9	52.1	39.1	41.5					44.0	49.0	23.4	33.9					35.4							$12,688
De Laveaga Elementary	Public	K-5	1145 Morrissey Blvd.	Santa Cruz	95065	Santa Cruz County	Santa Cruz City Elementary	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 429-3807	475	18	26.3	30.7%	238 (50.1%)	6 (1.3%)	195 (41.1%)	17 (3.6%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (3.4%)	61	2004^th of 5848 public elementary schools	65.7%		60.9	1982^nd of 5883 public elementary schools	66.3%	22	41.7			41.7	47.6	48.1	55.6					50.2	45.9	45.6	34.7					42.4	94.7		95.6				$9,229
Gault Elementary	Public	K-5	1320 Seabright Ave.	Santa Cruz	95062	Santa Cruz County	Santa Cruz City Elementary	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 429-3856	303	14	21.6	63.0%	75 (24.8%)	5 (1.7%)	206 (68.0%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	13 (4.3%)	47.3	2669^th of 5848 public elementary schools	54.4%		49.5	2552^nd of 5883 public elementary schools	56.6%	117	33.3			33.3	42.6	30.6	54.6					44.1	38.7	35.1	26.3					33.3	92.3	97.4	97.4	92.3	97.4	94.9	$10,612
Westlake Elementary	Public	K-5	1000 High St.	Santa Cruz	95060	Santa Cruz County	Santa Cruz City Elementary	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 429-3878	485	21	23.0	21.4%	286 (59.0%)	6 (1.2%)	99 (20.4%)	32 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	62 (12.8%)	88.6	782^nd of 5848 public elementary schools	86.6%		87.9	810^th of 5883 public elementary schools	86.2%	28	69.0			69.0	72.2	59.3	75.9					69.2	59.7	63.0	67.8					63.8	96.1	98.1	96.1	98.1	98.1	98.1	$8,637
Santa Cruz City Elementary Alternative Education-Monarch	Public	K-5	840 N. Branciforte Ave.	Santa Cruz	95062	Santa Cruz County	Santa Cruz City Elementary	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 429-3898	121	4	30.2	23.1%	77 (63.6%)	1 (0.8%)	25 (20.7%)	6 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (9.9%)								(n/a)					58.8							65.6	47.1							46.9	78.3	91.3	82.6	82.6	91.3	87.0	$9,921
Branciforte Middle	Public	6-8	315 Poplar St.	Santa Cruz	95062	Santa Cruz County	Santa Cruz City High	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 429-3883	423	24	17.6	37.1%	193 (45.6%)	8 (1.9%)	199 (47.0%)	6 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (3.8%)	60.9	874^th of 2788 public middle schools	68.7%		58	943^rd of 2740 public middle schools	65.6%	69		38.4		38.4				56.0	53.3	40.5		49.7				38.5	29.4	33.3		33.3
Harbor High	Public	9-12	300 La Fonda Ave.	Santa Cruz	95062	Santa Cruz County	Santa Cruz City High	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 429-3810	1,043	54	19.1	34.6%	380 (36.4%)	10 (1.0%)	556 (53.3%)	41 (3.9%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	53 (5.1%)	69.4	491^st of 2335 public high schools	79.0%		70.4	526^th of 2123 public high schools	75.2%	35			35.3	35.3							64.2	64.2							29.0	29.0
Costanoa Continuation High	Public	9-12	840 N. Branciforte Ave.	Santa Cruz	95062	Santa Cruz County	Santa Cruz City High	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 429-3898	82	5	16.4	47.6%	16 (19.5%)	4 (4.9%)	59 (72.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.7%)	15.8	1796^th of 2335 public high schools	23.1%		13.1	1872^nd of 2123 public high schools	11.8%	76			7.1	7.1							20.8	20.8							4.4	4.4
Mission Hill Middle	Public	6-8	425 King St.	Santa Cruz	95060	Santa Cruz County	Santa Cruz City High	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 429-3860	565	30	18.5	30.8%	306 (54.2%)	11 (1.9%)	185 (32.7%)	18 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	44 (7.8%)	75.5	570^th of 2788 public middle schools	79.6%		77.2	542^nd of 2740 public middle schools	80.2%	28		51.7		51.7				50.0	55.9	64.6		57.7				32.7	42.1	45.0		40.5
Santa Cruz High	Public	9-12	415 Walnut Ave.	Santa Cruz	95060	Santa Cruz County	Santa Cruz City High	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 429-3960	1,131	54	21.1	25.2%	637 (56.3%)	28 (2.5%)	331 (29.3%)	50 (4.4%)	3 (0.3%)	3 (0.3%)	79 (7.0%)	81.1	307^th of 2335 public high schools	86.9%		77.7	419^th of 2123 public high schools	80.3%	112			43.6	43.6							61.5	61.5							46.0	46.0
Alternative Family Education	Public, Alternative	K-12	840 N. Branciforte Ave.	Santa Cruz	95062	Santa Cruz County	Santa Cruz City High	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 429-3898	118	5	22.2	25.4%	76 (64.4%)	7 (5.9%)	22 (18.6%)	4 (3.4%)	2 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (5.9%)								(n/a)												60.0								40.0
Ark Independent Studies	Public	6-12	840 N. Branciforte Ave.	Santa Cruz	95062	Santa Cruz County	Santa Cruz City High	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 429-3898	86	3	34.4	39.5%	35 (40.7%)	4 (4.7%)	38 (44.2%)	1 (1.2%)	2 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (7.0%)	73.1	432^nd of 2335 public high schools	81.5%		62	670^th of 2123 public high schools	68.4%	238				28.6							70.0	70.0							35.3	35.3
Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary	Public	K-5	8005 Winkle Ave.	Santa Cruz	95065	Santa Cruz County	Soquel Union Elementary	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 464-5670	238	11	22.0	16.8%	123 (51.7%)	1 (0.4%)	83 (34.9%)	7 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (10.1%)	61.9	1951^st of 5848 public elementary schools	66.6%		60.4	2009^th of 5883 public elementary schools	65.9%	58	47.8			47.8	25.0	40.0	60.9					44.7	45.5	45.8	45.7					45.6	84.0	84.0	84.0	84.0	84.0	84.0	$11,732
Santa Cruz County Special Education	Public, Alternative	K-12	400 Encinal St.	Santa Cruz	95060	Santa Cruz County	Santa Cruz County Office of Education	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 466-5700	102	14	7.2	44.1%	55 (53.9%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (31.4%)	5 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (9.8%)								(n/a)
Santa Cruz County Court	Public	7-12	400 Encinal St.	Santa Cruz	95060	Santa Cruz County	Santa Cruz County Office of Education	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 466-5728	59	4	14.7	94.9%	9 (15.3%)	1 (1.7%)	47 (79.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.7%)	9.9	2056^th of 2335 public high schools	11.9%					(n/a)				0.0							16.7	16.7							0.0	0.0							$23,217
Santa Cruz County Community	Public	7-12	400 Encinal St.	Santa Cruz	95060	Santa Cruz County	Santa Cruz County Office of Education	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 466-5728	657	33	19.8	44.7%	254 (38.7%)	5 (0.8%)	320 (48.7%)	9 (1.4%)	5 (0.8%)	2 (0.3%)	59 (9.0%)	26.9	1500^th of 2335 public high schools	35.8%		46.8	1000^th of 2123 public high schools	52.9%	500			21.5	20.3							23.0	21.3							8.5	7.5							$17,330

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Scotts Valley	4.07 mi	4	120^th
Felton	5.18 mi	4	139^th
Soquel	5.43 mi	4	195^th
Capitola	5.56 mi	2	176^th
Ben Lomond	6.68 mi	1

Best Public Schools in Santa Cruz, CA

Pacific Collegiate Charter

Happy Valley Elementary

Westlake Elementary

Brook Knoll Elementary

Santa Cruz High

Mission Hill Middle

Ark Independent Studies

Harbor High

Tierra Pacifica Charter

Live Oak Elementary

Bonny Doon Elementary

Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary

De Laveaga Elementary

Branciforte Middle

Shoreline Middle

Green Acres Elementary

Del Mar Elementary

Bay View Elementary

Gault Elementary

Santa Cruz County Community

Costanoa Continuation High

Santa Cruz County Court

Alternative Family Education

Ocean Alternative Education Center

Santa Cruz City Elementary Alternative Education-Monarch

Santa Cruz County Regional Occupational Program

Santa Cruz County Special Education

Cities Near Santa Cruz