Total enrollment
36,310
-3,003 (-8%) vs SY 2017-18
Santa Cruz County
California · Public K-12
The schools list below covers the full public K-12 directory for Santa Cruz County: 83 campuses, 36,316 students, Pajaro Valley Unified as the largest district. The level mix is 44 elementary, 12 middle, and 20 high schools.
7-year change in Santa Cruz County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
78
+1 (+1%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
33%
was 38%
% Hispanic
56%
was 54%
% Black
1%
was 1%
% Asian
3%
was 3%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
83
19 districts
Enrollment
36,316
NCES CCD
Median income
$111,093
Above California avg
Free/reduced lunch
51.9%
Below California avg
Elementary
44
14,531 students
Middle
12
5,644 students
High
20
11,632 students
Combined / other
7
4,509 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Pajaro Valley Unified
15,223 students · 19 districts in Santa Cruz County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Santa Cruz County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
43.9%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
6.0%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
6.1%
civilian labor
Median age
40
18.4% under 18
Test scores in Santa Cruz County
Latest 2023-24 ELA proficiency, 61 schools ranked. California state average: 47.6%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Happy Valley Elementary· 82.1%
- Santa Cruz High· 75.4%
- Scotts Valley High· 75.0%
- San Lorenzo Valley High· 74.7%
- Soquel High· 74.4%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- E. A. Hall Middle· 8.7%
- Radcliff Elementary· 10.3%
- T. S. MacQuiddy Elementary· 10.4%
- Mintie White Elementary· 10.6%
- Amesti Elementary· 11.4%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean Grove Charter | Boulder Creek | Combined | KG-12 | 3,378 | · |
| Watsonville High | Watsonville | High | 09-12 | 2,215 | · |
| Pajaro Valley High | Watsonville | High | 09-12 | 1,293 | · |
| Aptos High | Aptos | High | 09-12 | 1,274 | · |
| Santa Cruz High | Santa Cruz | High | 09-12 | 1,093 | · |
| Soquel High | Soquel | High | 09-12 | 1,074 | · |
| Harbor High | Santa Cruz | High | 09-12 | 1,013 | · |
| Santa Cruz County Community | Santa Cruz | High | 07-12 | 730 | · |
| Alianza Charter | Watsonville | Elementary | KG-08 | 626 | · |
| Scotts Valley High | Scotts Valley | High | 09-12 | 611 | · |
| Rolling Hills Middle | Watsonville | Middle | 06-08 | 588 | · |
| Aptos Junior High | Aptos | Middle | 07-08 | 587 | · |
| New Brighton Middle | Capitola | Middle | 06-08 | 585 | · |
| San Lorenzo Valley High | Felton | High | 09-12 | 578 | · |
| Vine Hill Elementary | Scotts Valley | Elementary | KG-05 | 549 | · |
| Cesar E. Chavez Middle | Watsonville | Middle | 06-08 | 548 | · |
| San Lorenzo Valley Elementary | Felton | Elementary | KG-05 | 537 | · |
| Pacific Collegiate Charter | Santa Cruz | High | 07-12 | 536 | · |
| Bradley Elementary | Watsonville | Elementary | KG-06 | 520 | · |
| Calabasas Elementary | Watsonville | Elementary | KG-06 | 512 | · |
| Mission Hill Middle | Santa Cruz | Middle | 06-08 | 510 | · |
| Ceiba College Preparatory Academy | Watsonville | High | 06-12 | 501 | · |
| Brook Knoll Elementary | Santa Cruz | Elementary | KG-05 | 498 | · |
| Mintie White Elementary | Watsonville | Elementary | KG-05 | 493 | · |
| E. A. Hall Middle | Watsonville | Middle | 06-08 | 491 | · |
| Watsonville Prep | Watsonville | Elementary | KG-08 | 488 | · |
| Valencia Elementary | Aptos | Elementary | KG-06 | 487 | · |
| De Laveaga Elementary | Santa Cruz | Elementary | KG-05 | 481 | · |
| Freedom Elementary | Freedom | Elementary | KG-05 | 479 | · |
| Shoreline Middle | Santa Cruz | Middle | 06-08 | 478 | · |
| H. A. Hyde Elementary | Watsonville | Elementary | KG-05 | 476 | · |
| Scotts Valley Middle | Scotts Valley | Middle | 06-08 | 463 | · |
| Westlake Elementary | Santa Cruz | Elementary | KG-05 | 453 | · |
| California Online Public Schools Monterey Bay | Scotts Valley | Combined | KG-12 | 440 | · |
| T. S. MacQuiddy Elementary | Watsonville | Elementary | KG-05 | 438 | · |
| Amesti Elementary | Watsonville | Elementary | KG-05 | 431 | · |
| Lakeview Middle | Watsonville | Middle | 06-08 | 425 | · |
| Landmark Elementary | Watsonville | Elementary | KG-05 | 419 | · |
| Boulder Creek Elementary | Boulder Creek | Elementary | KG-05 | 416 | · |
| Watsonville Charter School of the Arts | Watsonville | Elementary | KG-08 | 415 | · |
| Branciforte Middle | Santa Cruz | Middle | 06-08 | 409 | · |
| Radcliff Elementary | Watsonville | Elementary | KG-05 | 409 | · |
| San Lorenzo Valley Middle | Felton | Middle | 06-08 | 396 | · |
| Bay View Elementary | Santa Cruz | Elementary | KG-05 | 394 | · |
| Rio del Mar Elementary | Aptos | Elementary | KG-06 | 393 | · |
| Main Street Elementary | Soquel | Elementary | KG-05 | 383 | · |
| Starlight Elementary | Watsonville | Elementary | KG-05 | 383 | · |
| Ann Soldo Elementary | Watsonville | Elementary | KG-05 | 377 | · |
| Live Oak Elementary | Santa Cruz | Elementary | KG-05 | 362 | · |
| Soquel Elementary | Soquel | Elementary | KG-05 | 337 | · |
| Del Mar Elementary | Santa Cruz | Elementary | KG-05 | 322 | · |
| Gault Elementary | Santa Cruz | Elementary | KG-05 | 314 | · |
| SLVUSD Charter | Ben Lomond | Combined | KG-12 | 301 | · |
| Mar Vista Elementary | Aptos | Elementary | KG-06 | 270 | · |
| Green Acres Elementary | Santa Cruz | Elementary | KG-05 | 262 | · |
| Loma Prieta Elementary | Los Gatos | Elementary | KG-05 | 259 | · |
| Linscott Charter | Watsonville | Elementary | KG-08 | 258 | · |
| Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary | Santa Cruz | Elementary | KG-05 | 214 | · |
| Santa Cruz County Career Advancement Charter | Freedom | High | 12-12 | 207 | · |
| Pacific Elementary | Davenport | Elementary | KG-06 | 173 | · |
| Tierra Pacifica Charter | Santa Cruz | Elementary | KG-08 | 166 | · |
| C. T. English Middle | Los Gatos | Middle | 06-08 | 164 | · |
| Mountain Elementary | Soquel | Elementary | KG-06 | 143 | · |
| Pacific Coast Charter | Watsonville | Combined | KG-12 | 132 | · |
| Santa Cruz City Elementary Alternative Education-Monarch | Santa Cruz | Elementary | KG-05 | 114 | · |
| Delta Charter | Aptos | High | 09-12 | 113 | · |
| Renaissance High Continuation | La Selva Beach | High | 09-12 | 112 | · |
| Alternative Family Education | Santa Cruz | Combined | KG-12 | 110 | · |
| Happy Valley Elementary | Santa Cruz | Elementary | KG-06 | 106 | · |
| Santa Cruz County Special Education | Santa Cruz | Combined | KG-12 | 105 | · |
| Bonny Doon Elementary | Santa Cruz | Elementary | KG-06 | 92 | · |
| Diamond Technology Institute | Watsonville | High | 09-12 | 87 | · |
| Costanoa Continuation High | Santa Cruz | High | 09-12 | 77 | · |
| Ocean Alternative Education Center | Santa Cruz | Elementary | KG-08 | 76 | · |
| Ark Independent Studies | Santa Cruz | High | 06-12 | 56 | · |
| PVUSD Virtual Academy | Watsonville | Combined | KG-12 | 43 | · |
| New School Community Day | Watsonville | High | 09-12 | 42 | · |
| Santa Cruz County Court | Santa Cruz | High | 07-12 | 20 | · |
| Opal Cliffs | Capitola | Elementary | KG-08 | 6 | · |
| Santa Cruz County ROP | Santa Cruz | High | 10-12 | 0 | · |
| Duncan Holbert | Watsonville | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| Ludlow Preschool | Felton | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| Special Education Preschool | Santa Cruz | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Santa Cruz County
About Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County is an expansive California county of about 264,926 residents, home to 83 public schools and roughly 36,316 students.
Stepping back, census numbers show median household income runs near $111,093, 44% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 6% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 24% above the California median.
In terms of grade levels, Santa Cruz County spans 44 elementary schools (14,531 students), 12 middle schools (5,644), 20 high schools (11,632), and 7 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Santa Cruz County is Pajaro Valley Unified, which alone enrolls about 15,223 students.
Trend over the past 7 years. Total public-school enrollment in Santa Cruz County has declined 8% since SY 2017-18, moving from about 39,313 students to 36,310. The school count climbed from 77 to 78 across the same 7-year window. On the demographic side, White enrollment moved from 38% to 33% over the same window.
On allk12, the community for Santa Cruz County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
Santa Cruz County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data