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What's the biggest difference between Rolling Hills Middle and what you expected?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
588
Middle
DISTRICT 506 · STATE 659
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·PAJARO VALLEY UNIFIED·NCES 062949004550
Rolling Hills Middle
130 Herman Ave., Watsonville, CA 95076 · (831) 728-6341 · Santa Cruz County
GRADES 06–08MIDDLE13-CITYTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL588 STUDENTS
D
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 9% of California public middle schools
- FTest scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- C-Beats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- B-Three-year trend Change in reading and math proficiency over the last three test years.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded California public middle schools
Student : Teacher
21.1:1
28 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 21.5:1 · STATE 20.7:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
95%
556 students
DISTRICT 81% · STATE 65%
Community
6
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other middle schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 6 | 187 | 32% |
| Grade 7 | 198 | 34% |
| Grade 8 | 203 | 35% |
Student demographics
6%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 27% · STATE 62% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Test scores
CAASPP 2024-25 . % met or exceeded standardEnglish Language Arts
18.7%
CA avg 49.1% . -5.3pp since 2014
Math
7.8%
CA avg 37.7% . -8.2pp since 2014
What this means: On the CAASPP, California's statewide test, about 19 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 8 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all California schools, those numbers are about 49 and 38. Reading and writing scores are down about 5 points since 2014, while math scores are down about 8 points.
Performance levels, 2024-25
| Subject | Standard Exceeded | Standard Met | Standard Nearly Met | Standard Not Met |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language Arts | 2.6% | 16.1% | 26.9% | 54.4% |
| Math | 1.8% | 6.0% | 18.9% | 73.3% |
Share of tested students at each CAASPP level. Each student counts in one level, so a row adds to about 100%.
CAASPP results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 18.7% | 7.8% |
| 2023-24 | 16.1% | 5.9% |
| 2022-23 | 13.8% | 5.0% |
| 2021-22 | 15.4% | 6.4% |
| 2018-19 | 20.3% | 10.2% |
| 2017-18 | 21.5% | 11.4% |
| 2016-17 | 26.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015-16 | 30.0% | 14.0% |
| 2014-15 | 24.0% | 16.0% |
% met or exceeded standard, all students and all tested grades.
Source: CAASPP. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
12.1%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
24.1%
based on CA schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
-12.0pp
below demographic expectation
What this means: About 12% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 24% typical for California schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among California's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like Rolling Hills Middle
Rolling Hills Middle's state test result (12.1% proficient) is higher than 0 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rolling Hills Middle this school | 588 | 94.6% | 12.1% |
| Haven Drive Middle Arvin | 612 | 94.4% | 29.1% |
| Reef-Sunset Middle Avenal | 554 | 95.5% | 12.3% |
| Parlier Junior High Parlier | 566 | 95.2% | 14.4% |
| Julia C. Lathrop Intermediate Santa Ana | 584 | 96.7% | 14.9% |
| Simons Middle Pomona | 578 | 95.8% | 21.6% |
Matched among California middle schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Rolling Hills Middle ranks
Among middle schools| Measure | This school | In California | In Santa Cruz County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 12.1% | #1,189 of 1,224 | #9 of 12 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 7.8% | #1,186 of 1,227 ▲ 12 | #10 of 12 ▲ 1 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 18.7% | #1,182 of 1,227 ▲ 5 | #9 of 12 no change |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest gain first | +2.4pp | #581 of 1,214 | #7 of 12 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 588 | #784 of 1,377 | #1 of 12 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 21.1:1 | #648 of 1,279 | #8 of 11 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 6.3% | #1,214 of 1,278 | #9 of 11 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 94.6% | #125 of 1,329 | #2 of 12 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -6.5% | #783 of 930 | #12 of 12 |
Ranked against other public middle schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
588
-50 (-8%) vs 2020
-42% since 1990-91, when it was 1,009
Student : Teacher
21.1:1
was 22.8:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 588 | 27.8 | 21.1:1 | 95% (556) |
| 2023-24 | 610 | 29 | 21.1:1 | 98% (596) |
| 2022-23 | 619 | 28.2 | 22.0:1 | 96% (593) |
| 2020-21 | 638 | 28 | 22.8:1 | 88% (559) |
| 2017-18 | 629 | 21 | 29.9:1 | 93% (586) |
| 2015-16 | 655 | 25 | 26.2:1 | 90% (587) |
| 2010-11 | 575 | N/A | N/A | 83% (480) |
| 2000-01 | 950 | 44 | 21.6:1 | 67% (641) |
| 1990-91 | 1,009 | 45 | 22.4:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Rolling Hills Middle.
Since 2017-18: students down 7% (629 to 588); teachers up 32% (21 to 27.8).
About Rolling Hills Middle
Rolling Hills Middle is a medium-sized middle school in Watsonville, California, one of the schools in Pajaro Valley Unified. Students in grades 6 through 8 attend the school, which enrolls 588 students.
Pajaro Valley Unified counts 16,482 students in its 33 schools, and Rolling Hills Middle is one of them.
About 97% of the student body at Rolling Hills Middle is Hispanic. That compares with about 35% Hispanic among all Santa Cruz County residents. Pick two students at random and there is a 6% chance they belong to different racial or ethnic groups; that figure is the school's diversity index.
A ratio of 21.1:1 comes from the school's 27.8 full-time-equivalent teachers. That matches the 20.7:1 average for middle schools in California fairly closely. The lunch program counts 95% of students at Rolling Hills Middle as eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Compared with the 52% average for public schools in Santa Cruz County, the school's rate is higher.
Rolling Hills Middle is graded D by allk12, scoring above 9% of California public middle schools once test results, poverty-adjusted performance, and the recent trend are combined.
Given its share of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, Rolling Hills Middle would be expected to post about 24.1%. Its actual average proficiency rate on state tests is 12.1%.
In the county around the school, Santa Cruz County, the median household income is $111,093, about 44% of adults have at least a bachelor's degree, and roughly 6% of residents are in poverty. Santa Cruz County is home to 83 public schools and about 36,316 public school students.
The shortest distance from Rolling Hills Middle to another public school is about 0.5 miles, to Freedom Elementary. Counting only straight-line distance, at least 8 other public schools are within five miles. By average proficiency, Rolling Hills Middle is 6th among 8 schools close by.
The National Center for Education Statistics classifies the school's location as City: Small, meaning it is inside a principal city with a population under 100,000.
2024-25 enrollment was 588, an 8% decrease from 638 in 2020-21. The school's ratio fell from 22.8:1 to 21.1:1 between 2020-21 and 2024-25.
Conversations here can range across school safety, transportation, and start times. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.
Santa Cruz County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
264,926
Census ACS
Median income
$111,093
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
44%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
6%
Below federal line
Schools in county
83
36,316 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Pajaro Valley Unified
- Watsonville HighHigh · 2,215 students
- Pajaro Valley HighHigh · 1,293 students
- Aptos HighHigh · 1,274 students
- Alianza CharterElementary · 626 students
- Aptos Junior HighMiddle · 587 students
- Cesar E. Chavez MiddleMiddle · 548 students
Other schools in Watsonville
- Watsonville HighHigh · 2,215 students
- Pajaro Valley HighHigh · 1,293 students
- Alianza CharterElementary · 626 students
- Cesar E. Chavez MiddleMiddle · 548 students
- Bradley ElementaryElementary · 520 students
- Calabasas ElementaryElementary · 512 students
Other Rolling Hills Middle schools
2 other US public schools in 1 state are named Rolling Hills Middle. Rolling Hills Middle is the 3rd largest of the 3.
- Rolling Hills MiddleEl Dorado Hills, CA · 778 students
- Rolling Hills MiddleLos Gatos, CA · 778 students
Nearby schools
- Freedom Elementary0.5 mi · 479
- Diamond Technology Institute0.7 mi · 87
- Pajaro Valley High0.8 mi · 1,293
- Starlight Elementary0.8 mi · 383
- New School Community Day0.9 mi · 42
- Cesar E. Chavez Middle1.0 mi · 548
Frequently asked questions
About Rolling Hills MiddleHow many students attend Rolling Hills Middle?
Rolling Hills Middle enrolls approximately 588 students in grades 06-08.
Is Rolling Hills Middle an elementary, middle, or high school?
Rolling Hills Middle is a middle school covering grades 06-08.
How many teachers does Rolling Hills Middle have?
Rolling Hills Middle employs 28 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 21.1:1.
What is the student diversity at Rolling Hills Middle?
Student demographics at Rolling Hills Middle are roughly 1% White, 97% Hispanic, 0% Black, 2% Asian, 0% Two or more.
Who oversees Rolling Hills Middle?
Rolling Hills Middle is overseen by Pajaro Valley Unified in Santa Cruz County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.