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Average

#4750 of 9,539 schools in CA

Top 50% in state

Aptos Junior High

Middle School · Pajaro Valley Unified · Aptos, CA

A Pajaro Valley Unified middle school where students score 7 points below what's typical for similar communities.

PO Box 367, Aptos, CA 95003

  • Math 36% vs CA 34% (2024)
  • Reading 45% vs CA 47% (2024)
  • 22.6:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress6.7Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data12
Annual Change-1.23 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics6.2Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency35.6% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency44.6% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg+1.7 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-2.7 pts
Overall Proficiency40% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)47% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-7.3 pts
Adjusted Percentile46th
Resources & Environment6.2Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio22.6:1
District spending per student$20,409
Chronic Absenteeism34.9%

Students at Aptos Junior High score 40% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 47%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency36%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
34%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency45%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
47%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 13 points since 2018, to 40% in 2024, across a 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 12 years
2009
Math
50%
ELA
65%
2010
Math
53%
ELA
66%
2011
Math
54%
ELA
67%
2012
Math
53%
ELA
65%
2014
Math
45%
ELA
54%
2015
Math
48%
ELA
52%
2016
Math
42%
ELA
56%
2017
Math
48%
ELA
60%
2018
Math
49%
ELA
58%
2019
Math
49%
ELA
58%
2022
Math
34%
ELA
47%
2024
Math
36%
ELA
45%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 45% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 56% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 28 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

48%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

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 rate

The neighborhood

Where Aptos Junior High sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 33Car-Dependent
  • Bike 42Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Average487/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$140,990

Median home value

$1,154,000

Median rent

$2,548/mo

College educated

54.5%

Homeownership

72.2%

Poverty rate

3.7%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 95003; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Santa Cruz Montessori School Wavecrest Junior HighPrivate · tuitionNot rated7–83.1 mi26Compare →
New Brighton MiddleEnrollment path unverified6.26–83.6 mi611Compare →
Cesar E. Chavez MiddleEnrollment path unverified4.66–8Not available547Compare →
Pacific Coast CharterCharter · enrollment unverified7.6K–12Not available197Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Pajaro Valley Unified

Schools in district
34
Rank in district
#6 of 33
District spending per student
$20,409NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
18.4%Census SAIPE · 2024

Aptos Junior High is listed in Pajaro Valley Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Aptos Junior High

Aptos Junior High is a public middle school in Aptos, CA, part of Pajaro Valley Unified, serving approximately 588 students in grades 7th-8th with a 22.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.4 out of 10 and ranks #4,750 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 56% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Aptos Junior High

What grades does Aptos Junior High serve?

Aptos Junior High serves students in grades 7th through 8th.

How many students attend Aptos Junior High?

Aptos Junior High has an enrollment of approximately 588 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Aptos Junior High?

The student-teacher ratio at Aptos Junior High is 22.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Aptos Junior High rank in CA?

Aptos Junior High ranks #4,750 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Aptos Junior High's MySchoolScout rating?

Aptos Junior High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.4 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Aptos Junior High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Aptos Junior High has 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 56% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Aptos Junior High a charter school?

No, Aptos Junior High is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Aptos Junior High a Title I school?

No, Aptos Junior High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Aptos Junior High?

48.0% of students at Aptos Junior High qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
7th – 8th
Enrollment
588
Student-Teacher Ratio
22.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
26
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize Suburb
County
Santa Cruz County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
34.9%
Area population (ZIP 95003)
24,708
Area average commute
27.9 min
Area median age
48.1
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 95003; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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