Santa Clara Unified School District
School District · Santa Clara, California
Avg Rating
7.8
out of 10
Schools
30
19 elem, 4 mid, 6 high
Per-Pupil Spending
$27,283
Student-Teacher Ratio
19.5:1
Avg Rating
7.8
out of 10
Schools
30
19 elem, 4 mid, 6 high
Per-Pupil Spending
$27,283
Student-Teacher Ratio
19.5:1
Evaluating Santa Clara Unified?
A district shares budget, policy, and attendance zones across its schools — use this page to judge Santa Clara Unified as a whole, then compare how its individual schools differ.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Mission Early College High
Santa Clara · High. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Laurelwood Elementary
Santa Clara · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Millikin Elementary
Santa Clara · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
How this district compares
California rank
#74 of 713
districts by avg. composite
Vs. state average
+1.6
above California avg
Per-pupil spending
$27,283
+$9,636 vs California median
District size
14,236 students
Much larger than California median
The short answer
Santa Clara Unified ranks #74 of 713 California districts by overall school rating. Santa Clara Unified's schools with real test data average 7.8/10 across 27 schools. Its top-rated schools are Mission Early College High (9.5/10), Laurelwood Elementary (9.3/10), and Millikin Elementary (9.2/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Rates 9.5/10 despite 26% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.3 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Santa Clara Unified schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +7.9 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Santa Clara Unified schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Santa Clara Unified
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (27 of 30). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mission Early College High | 9.5 / 10 |
| 2 | Laurelwood Elementary | 9.3 / 10 |
| 3 | Millikin Elementary | 9.2 / 10 |
| 4 | Washington Open Elementary | 9.2 / 10 |
| 5 | Don Callejon | 8.8 / 10 |
| 6 | Westwood Elementary | 8.8 / 10 |
| 7 | Sutter Elementary | 8.7 / 10 |
| 8 | Juan Cabrillo Middle | 8.5 / 10 |
| 9 | Marian A. Peterson Middle | 8.5 / 10 |
| 10 | Ponderosa Elementary | 8.4 / 10 |
See all 30 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
About Santa Clara Unified
Santa Clara Unified is a Santa Clara, California school district serving 30 schools. The district educates 14,236 students with a student-teacher ratio of 19.5:1. The district invests $27,283 per student annually.
With an average rating of 7.8/10, Santa Clara Unified is among the strongest-performing districts in the state.
The highest-rated school in the district is Mission Early College High, which has a composite score of 9.5/10.
In standardized testing, Santa Clara Unified students show an average math proficiency of 51.4% and ELA proficiency of 57.0%.
The district includes 19 elementary schools , 4 middle schools , and 6 high schools.
District Map
Schools in Santa Clara Unified, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.
District Average Test Scores
Average proficiency across all schools in Santa Clara Unified with test data.
Schools in Santa Clara Unified
30 schools Elementary Schools 19
Middle Schools 4
High Schools 6
Other Schools 1
District Details
- State
- California
- City
- Santa Clara
- Total Enrollment
- 14,236
- Teachers (FTE)
- 730
- Child Poverty Rate
- 0.1%
- Data Year
- 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in Santa Clara Unified?
Santa Clara Unified has 30 schools in total — 19 elementary, 4 middle, and 6 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.
What is the average rating for Santa Clara Unified?
The average composite rating for Santa Clara Unified is 7.8/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.
What is the per-pupil spending in Santa Clara Unified?
Santa Clara Unified spends $27,283 per student per year.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Santa Clara Unified?
The average student-teacher ratio in Santa Clara Unified is 19.5:1.
What is the top-rated school in Santa Clara Unified?
Mission Early College High is the highest-rated school in Santa Clara Unified with a composite score of 9.5/10.
What are the test scores in Santa Clara Unified?
Across schools in Santa Clara Unified with test data, the average math proficiency is 51.4% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 57.0%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.
How does Santa Clara Unified compare to other districts in California?
Santa Clara Unified has an average school rating of 7.8/10 across 30 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in California by visiting individual district pages. Factors like school size, available programs, and community demographics also play a role in choosing the right fit.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools?
MySchoolScout ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and learning environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context without being factored into the score. Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.
District Averages
- Overall Rating
- 7.8/10
- Math Proficiency
- 51.4%
- ELA Proficiency
- 57.0%
Resources
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateOther School Districts in CA
Compare Santa Clara Unified with neighboring districts in the state.
- Los Angeles Unified (785)
- San Diego Unified (175)
- San Francisco Unified (113)
- Fresno Unified (101)
- Long Beach Unified (82)
- Oakland Unified (82)
- San Bernardino City Unified (76)
- Sacramento City Unified (73)
- San Juan Unified (68)
- Elk Grove Unified (67)
- Garden Grove Unified (66)
- Capistrano Unified (59)
- West Contra Costa Unified (54)
- Stockton Unified (54)
- Corona-norco Unified (53)
- Mt. Diablo Unified (52)
- Santa Ana Unified (52)
- Clovis Unified (50)
- Lodi Unified (49)
- Riverside Unified (49)
- Bakersfield City (45)
- Irvine Unified (45)
- Fontana Unified (44)
- Fremont Unified (44)
Data from NCES Common Core of Data, California Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.
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