Bonny Doon Elementary

Set in Santa Cruz, California, Bonny Doon Elementary is an one-room-style K-5 school, overseen by Bonny Doon Union Elementary. It teaches 92 students across grades K through 6. By comparison, California's public schools average about 465 students each, so Bonny Doon Elementary sits 80% smaller than that benchmark.

Bonny Doon Elementary sits inside Bonny Doon Union Elementary, the local public-school operator responsible for the campus.

In terms of who attends, Bonny Doon Elementary shows that the largest single group is White, at 71% of enrollment. Beyond that, the school records 14% Hispanic, 11% multiracial, 3% Black. That is noticeably more White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 60%.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, Bonny Doon Elementary has 6 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 15.3:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 22.3:1, putting Bonny Doon Elementary tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 23% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. By comparison, Santa Cruz County runs at roughly 52%, so the school's eligibility rate is lower than the surrounding baseline.

After controlling for student poverty, Bonny Doon Elementary tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 65.9% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 59.5%.

In the area at large, Santa Cruz County reports that median household income runs about $111,093, roughly 44% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 6%. Across Santa Cruz County's 83 public schools (combined enrollment of about 36,316 students), Bonny Doon Elementary is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: San Lorenzo Valley Middle, around 3.7 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 6 other public schools cluster around Bonny Doon Elementary. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Bonny Doon Elementary at 3rd of 8; the average score across the group is 52.0%.

Geographically, the school is in an outlying area.

Over the past 7-year window. Over the past 7-year window, the student count contracted 45%: 168 students in 2018 compared to 92 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 90% to 71% across the same window. Class-load math has narrowed: from 21.0:1 in 2018 to 15.3:1 in 2025.

On this page, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around fundraisers, lost-and-found posts, and report-card season. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.