Scotts Valley High

Set in Scotts Valley, California, Scotts Valley High is a modestly sized four-year high school, part of Scotts Valley Unified. It caters to 611 students across grades 9 through 12. That puts it 27% smaller than the typical public school in California, which averages around 838 students.

Scotts Valley Unified runs 4 schools in total, collectively educating 2,121 students. Scotts Valley High is one of those campuses.

In terms of who attends, Scotts Valley High reports that the largest single group is White, at 67% of enrollment; the rest reads as 19% Hispanic, 8% multiracial, 5% Asian.

On the income-and-resources front, Scotts Valley High logs 32 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 19.3:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 18.2:1, putting Scotts Valley High higher than the state norm the norm. About 11% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. By comparison, Santa Cruz County runs at roughly 52%, so the school's eligibility rate is somewhat below the surrounding baseline.

With demographic context factored in, Scotts Valley High sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 73.0%; this one delivers 62.9%.

In the surrounding community, ACS estimates for Santa Cruz County put median household income runs about $111,093, 44% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 6%. Across Santa Cruz County's 83 public schools (combined enrollment of about 36,316 students), Scotts Valley High is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Vine Hill Elementary, around 0.5 miles off. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Among the 8 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Scotts Valley High ranks 4th on composite proficiency, above the local average of 61.9%.

The school occupies a commuter-belt site.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count fell 24%: 802 students in 2018 compared to 611 in 2025. Over the same period, the Hispanic share ticked up from 15% to 19%. Class-load math has fell: from 21.2:1 in 2018 to 19.3:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, posts here usually surface around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.