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#5701 of 9,539 schools in CA

Rio Del Mar Elementary

Elementary School · Pajaro Valley Unified · Aptos, CA

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

819 Pinehurst Dr., Aptos, CA 95003

  • Math 51% vs CA 38% (2024)
  • Reading 58% vs CA 45% (2024)
  • 22.7:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress4.8Below Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data12
Annual Change-1.81 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics7.1Very Good30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency50% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency58.3% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg+4.3 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+15.5 pts
Overall Proficiency54% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)61% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-6.7 pts
Adjusted Percentile58th
Resources & Environment7.1Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio22.7:1
District spending per student$20,409
Chronic Absenteeism26.7%

Students at Rio Del Mar Elementary score 54% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 61%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency51%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
38%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency58%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
45%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 12 points since 2018, to 54% in 2024, across a 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 12 years
2009
Math
80%
ELA
81%
2010
Math
85%
ELA
79%
2011
Math
81%
ELA
80%
2012
Math
82%
ELA
79%
2014
Math
59%
ELA
66%
2015
Math
65%
ELA
74%
2016
Math
62%
ELA
66%
2017
Math
66%
ELA
71%
2018
Math
63%
ELA
70%
2019
Math
63%
ELA
70%
2022
Math
57%
ELA
61%
2024
Math
51%
ELA
58%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 63% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 68% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 32 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

24%

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 Rio Del Mar Elementary 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 17Car-Dependent
  • Bike 30Somewhat 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
Valencia ElementaryEnrollment path unverified8.1K–61.6 mi487Compare →
Chrysostom Classical AcademyPrivate · tuitionNot ratedK–82.3 mi45Compare →
Orchard SchoolPrivate · tuition5.2privateK–62.6 mi45Compare →
Mar Vista ElementaryEnrollment path unverified4.3K–62.9 mi311Compare →

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.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Pajaro Valley Unified

Schools in district
34
Rank in district
#12 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

Rio Del Mar Elementary is listed in Pajaro Valley Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Rio Del Mar Elementary

Rio Del Mar Elementary is a public elementary school in Aptos, CA, part of Pajaro Valley Unified, serving approximately 408 students in grades Kindergarten-6th with a 22.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.9 out of 10 and ranks #5,701 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 63% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 68% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Rio Del Mar Elementary

What grades does Rio Del Mar Elementary serve?

Rio Del Mar Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 6th.

How many students attend Rio Del Mar Elementary?

Rio Del Mar Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 408 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Rio Del Mar Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Rio Del Mar Elementary is 22.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Rio Del Mar Elementary rank in CA?

Rio Del Mar Elementary ranks #5,701 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Rio Del Mar Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Rio Del Mar Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.9 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 Rio Del Mar Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Rio Del Mar Elementary has 63% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 68% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Rio Del Mar Elementary a charter school?

No, Rio Del Mar Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Rio Del Mar Elementary a Title I school?

No, Rio Del Mar Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Rio Del Mar Elementary?

24.0% of students at Rio Del Mar Elementary 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
Kindergarten – 6th
Enrollment
408
Student-Teacher Ratio
22.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
18
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize Suburb
County
Santa Cruz County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
26.7%
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

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