San Juan

San Juan is a K-8 elementary school serving 298 students in the historic town of San Juan Bautista, operating within the Aromas - San Juan Unified school district.

The school faces significant academic challenges, with proficiency rates in English (31%) and Math (21%) well below state averages, despite spending nearly $20,000 per student, which is higher than many nearby schools. Its performance has remained low over the past decade, and it shows extreme variability in results between different grades and student groups. While chronic absenteeism has improved from pandemic highs, these better attendance rates have not yet translated into improved test scores. Interestingly, science is a relative strength for the school, outperforming both the district and state averages.

Comparisons with nearby schools highlight these challenges. Most strikingly, Aromas Elementary, in the same district and with a very similar student population, consistently achieves significantly higher scores in all subjects while spending less per student. Furthermore, schools like Hollister Dual Language Academy and Sunnyslope Elementary achieve better results while serving student populations with similar or greater economic needs. The contrast with the charter school Hollister Prep, which has much higher proficiency with similar demographics and lower spending, raises questions about different educational models and resource use.