Santa Cruz City High School District
School District · Santa Cruz, California
Avg Rating
6.4
out of 10
Schools
9
2 mid, 6 high
Enrollment
4,504
Student-Teacher Ratio
20.2:1
Avg Rating
6.4
out of 10
Schools
9
2 mid, 6 high
Enrollment
4,504
Student-Teacher Ratio
20.2:1
Evaluating Santa Cruz City High?
A district shares budget, policy, and attendance zones across its schools — use this page to judge Santa Cruz City High 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.
Santa Cruz High
Santa Cruz · High. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Soquel High
Soquel · High. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Branciforte Middle
Santa Cruz · Middle. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
How this district compares
California rank
#309 of 713
districts by avg. composite
Vs. state average
+0.2
above California avg
District size
4,504 students
Larger than California median
The short answer
Santa Cruz City High ranks #309 of 713 California districts by overall school rating. Santa Cruz City High's schools with real test data average 6.4/10 across 9 schools. Its top-rated schools are Santa Cruz High (7.9/10), Soquel High (7.6/10), and Branciforte Middle (7.4/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Rates 7.4/10 despite 43% 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 Cruz City High schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +1.9 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Santa Cruz City High schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Santa Cruz City High
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (9 of 9). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Cruz High | 7.9 / 10 |
| 2 | Soquel High | 7.6 / 10 |
| 3 | Branciforte Middle | 7.4 / 10 |
| 4 | Harbor High | 6.9 / 10 |
| 5 | Mission Hill Middle | 6.8 / 10 |
| 6 | Delta Charter | 5.8 / 10 |
| 7 | Alternative Family Education | 5.8 / 10 |
| 8 | Ark Independent Studies | 4.9 / 10 |
| 9 | Costanoa Continuation High | 4.7 / 10 |
See all 9 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
About Santa Cruz City High
Santa Cruz City High is a Santa Cruz, California school district serving 9 schools. The district educates 4,504 students with a student-teacher ratio of 20.2:1.
With an average rating of 6.4/10, Santa Cruz City High demonstrates solid academic performance.
The highest-rated school in the district is Santa Cruz High, which has a composite score of 7.9/10.
In standardized testing, Santa Cruz City High students show an average math proficiency of 42.5% and ELA proficiency of 57.3%.
The district includes 2 middle schools , and 6 high schools.
District Map
Schools in Santa Cruz City High, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.
District Average Test Scores
Average proficiency across all schools in Santa Cruz City High with test data.
Schools in Santa Cruz City High
9 schools Middle Schools 2
High Schools 6
Other Schools 1
District Details
- State
- California
- City
- Santa Cruz
- Total Enrollment
- 4,504
- Teachers (FTE)
- 223
- Child Poverty Rate
- 0.1%
- Data Year
- 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in Santa Cruz City High?
Santa Cruz City High has 9 schools in total — 2 middle, and 6 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.
What is the average rating for Santa Cruz City High?
The average composite rating for Santa Cruz City High is 6.4/10. 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 Cruz City High?
Per-pupil spending data for Santa Cruz City High is not currently available.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Santa Cruz City High?
The average student-teacher ratio in Santa Cruz City High is 20.2:1.
What is the top-rated school in Santa Cruz City High?
Santa Cruz High is the highest-rated school in Santa Cruz City High with a composite score of 7.9/10.
What are the test scores in Santa Cruz City High?
Across schools in Santa Cruz City High with test data, the average math proficiency is 42.5% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 57.3%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.
How does Santa Cruz City High compare to other districts in California?
Santa Cruz City High has an average school rating of 6.4/10 across 9 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
- 6.4/10
- Math Proficiency
- 42.5%
- ELA Proficiency
- 57.3%
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 Cruz City High 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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