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Below Average

#7867 of 9,539 schools in CA

Cesar E. Chavez Middle

Middle School · Pajaro Valley Unified · Watsonville, CA

A Pajaro Valley Unified middle school where students score 13 points below what's typical for similar communities.

440 Arthur Rd., Watsonville, CA 95076

  • Math 7% vs CA 34% (2024)
  • Reading 12% vs CA 47% (2024)
  • 21:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.2Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data12
Annual Change-1.68 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics2.6Needs Improvement35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency7.3% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency11.5% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-27.1 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-34.4 pts
Overall Proficiency9% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)23% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-13.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile9th
Resources & Environment6.6Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio21:1
District spending per student$20,409
Chronic Absenteeism41.7%

Students at Cesar E. Chavez Middle score 9% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 23%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency7%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
34%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency12%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
47%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 10 points since 2018, to 9% in 2024, across a 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 12 years
2009
Math
33%
ELA
36%
2010
Math
29%
ELA
35%
2011
Math
33%
ELA
41%
2012
Math
26%
ELA
38%
2014
Math
9%
ELA
20%
2015
Math
11%
ELA
20%
2016
Math
13%
ELA
24%
2017
Math
10%
ELA
29%
2018
Math
11%
ELA
27%
2019
Math
11%
ELA
27%
2022
Math
9%
ELA
19%
2024
Math
7%
ELA
12%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 15% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 24% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 30 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

91.8%

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 Cesar E. Chavez Middle 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 64Somewhat Walkable
  • Transit 41Some Transit
  • Bike 58Bikeable
  • City Safety: High1,589/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Watsonville), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

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

Median income

$86,685

Median home value

$767,200

Median rent

$1,851/mo

College educated

19.3%

Homeownership

56.2%

Poverty rate

13.2%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 95076; 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
E. A. Hall MiddleEnrollment path unverified3.76–81.0 mi556Compare →
Rolling Hills MiddleEnrollment path unverified4.46–81.0 mi610Compare →
Central Christian SchoolPrivate · tuitionNot rated3–121.1 mi29Compare →
Pvusd Virtual AcademyEnrollment path unverified7.6K–121.1 mi74Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

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

Pajaro Valley Unified

Schools in district
34
Rank in district
#21 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

Cesar E. Chavez Middle is listed in Pajaro Valley Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Cesar E. Chavez Middle

Cesar E. Chavez Middle is a public middle school in Watsonville, CA, part of Pajaro Valley Unified, serving approximately 547 students in grades 6th-8th with a 21:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.6 out of 10 and ranks #7,867 of 9,539 schools in CA.

State assessment records show 15% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 24% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Cesar E. Chavez Middle

What grades does Cesar E. Chavez Middle serve?

Cesar E. Chavez Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Cesar E. Chavez Middle?

Cesar E. Chavez Middle has an enrollment of approximately 547 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Cesar E. Chavez Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Cesar E. Chavez Middle is 21:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Cesar E. Chavez Middle rank in CA?

Cesar E. Chavez Middle ranks #7,867 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Cesar E. Chavez Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Cesar E. Chavez Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.6 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 Cesar E. Chavez Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Cesar E. Chavez Middle has 15% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 24% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Cesar E. Chavez Middle a charter school?

No, Cesar E. Chavez Middle is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Cesar E. Chavez Middle a Title I school?

No, Cesar E. Chavez Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Cesar E. Chavez Middle?

91.8% of students at Cesar E. Chavez Middle 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
6th – 8th
Enrollment
547
Student-Teacher Ratio
21:1
Teachers (FTE)
26
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Santa Cruz County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
41.7%
Area population (ZIP 95076)
82,409
Area average commute
27.8 min
Area median age
36.8
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 95076; 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

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