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Public elementary school · Soquel Union Elementary · Santa Cruz, California

Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary

Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary rates 5.0, right at the middle of Soquel Union Elementary's elementary schools, whose rated median is 4.8.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
5.0this school

5.0 on a one-to-ten scale; the Soquel Union Elementary median is 4.8.

#7,749 of 9,557 schools in California · Soquel Union Elementary: 3 elementary schools rated, median 4.8

The brief

A Soquel Union Elementary elementary school where students score 12 points below what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 7,749 of 9,557 schools in California and 2 of 4 in Soquel Union Elementary.

Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary is listed in Soquel Union Elementary, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math36%5 points below the California average of 41%2025 CAASPP
Reading50%3 points above the California average of 47%2025 CAASPP
Proficiency has fallen 17 points since 2019, to 43% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).2025 CAASPP; 38 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
5.2
50% of the rating
Academics
6.0
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
3.0
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 6 sources, 2019–2025

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

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 50% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 53% (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

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 · 2025 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 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 · 2025 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · 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 95065; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary and the 20 nearest elementary schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$142,768
Median home value
$1,192,200
Median rent
$2,618/mo
College educated
49.6%
Homeownership
69.9%
Poverty rate
8.5%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 95065; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
15
Car-Dependent
Transit Score
0
Minimal Transit
Bike Score
26
Somewhat Bikeable
City reported crime
3,038/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Santa Cruz. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Santa Cruz), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
38.2%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 8.0Compare →
  2. Tierra Pacifica Charter1.5 mi · charter
    8.0Compare →
  3. 5.8Compare →
  4. 5.6Compare →
  5. Santa Cruz Gardens Elementarythis school
    5.0
  6. 4.8Compare →
  7. 4.5Compare →
  8. 4.4Compare →
  9. 3.9Compare →
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and four rate higher than Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary serve?

Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary?

Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 204 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary is 25.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary rank in CA?

Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary ranks #7,749 of 9,557 schools in CA.

What is Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.0 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 Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary has 50% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 53% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary a charter school?

No, Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary a Title I school?

No, Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary?

38.2% of students at Santa Cruz Gardens 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 facts

Grades
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
204
Student-teacher ratio
25.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
8
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Midsize Suburb
County
Santa Cruz County
Rank in district
#2 of 4
Schools in district
5
District spending per student
$15,473
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
8.2%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 95065)
8,031
Area average commute
23.8 min
Area median age
43.1

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

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.