Good Shepherd Catholic School

Good Shepherd Catholic School serves 163 students from prekindergarten through eighth grade in Santa Cruz, California. This elementary school maintains an exceptional 7.1:1 student-teacher ratio with 23 full-time equivalent teachers, allowing for highly personalized attention in small class settings. The school has earned impressive recognition, ranking #52 out of 1,790 schools statewide and placing in the 97th percentile among California schools.

MySchoolScout rates Good Shepherd Catholic School 9.0 out of 10, reflecting its strong academic reputation within the state's educational landscape. Located on Mattison Lane, the school draws families from a well-educated community where 46% of residents hold bachelor's degrees or higher. The surrounding neighborhood maintains a median household income of $136,469, with median home values around $1,088,700, indicating a stable, affluent area that strongly values education.

The low poverty rate of 8.0% in the 95065 ZIP code suggests students come from economically secure backgrounds, which often correlates with additional educational resources and family support for learning. Good Shepherd Catholic School operates in Santa Cruz's mid-size suburban setting, providing students with both the benefits of a close-knit school community and access to the broader cultural and educational opportunities that the greater Santa Cruz area offers.

With an enrollment of 163 students, Good Shepherd Catholic School is a smaller school where families often find a close-knit community atmosphere. Smaller settings can mean more individual attention from teachers and staff, though they may offer fewer extracurricular options than larger schools.

With a student-teacher ratio of 7.1:1, Good Shepherd Catholic School offers a notably low ratio compared to the national average. This typically means smaller class sizes and more opportunities for one-on-one interaction between students and teachers.

As a private school, Good Shepherd Catholic School operates independently from the local public school district. Families considering this school should inquire about tuition costs, financial aid availability, and the admissions process. Private schools are not required to follow the same curriculum standards as public schools, which can be either an advantage or a consideration depending on your priorities.