Rating Santa Cruz Schools- High School Edition

[Dax Nollenberger]

For savvy investors, understanding schools is a great way to find hidden value that’ll improve demand for your rental. How are the schools? As a Realtor, this is a question I get almost daily. The state of California as well as many internet startups have been trying to answer this question for years. Historically, schools were ranked purely off of their API (Academic Performance Index) scores. Ranking school performance strictly off of two standardized tests was not only a flawed system for determining the quality of the school, but it was also a disservice to the students it was supposed to serve. In 2018-19, California did away with the API testing for grading schools for a more comprehensive system that provides information on many aspects of education including graduation rates, suspension rates, college/career preparedness, and more.

To provide the most update-to-date data, I pulled the data from the state’s data website myself. I’ll be comparing graduation rates, percentage of graduates who meet UC/CSU entrance requirements, total students, students per teacher, college-going rates, test scores, and overall website grades. Reach out for the blog link complete with charts or google BrezsnyAssociates/blog.

The county as a whole performs well above state averages in just about every meaningful category. Not all the Santa Cruz County public schools are created equal, however. I’ll dive into each momentarily but, first I want to briefly mention some high-quality private schools that may be worth considering as well. Monte Vista Christian, Saint Francis Catholic, Kirby School, and Pacific Collegiate (Rated 10/10 and A+ by Greatschools.org and Niche, respectively. 89% English pass rate and 77% Math pass rate).

Harbor

At 1043 students, Harbor is the fourth-smallest public high school in the county. It performs well above the state average in terms of graduation and 60.5% of its graduates meet the state’s college admission requirements. From a student-to-teacher ratio, Harbor is tied for the best ratio with Scotts Valley. Harbor’s rates for college enrollment are actually the worst in the county. Its test scores also underperform the county as a whole (minus Watsonville and Pajaro Valley). Greatschools.org graded Harbor a 7/10, dinging the school for its performance on tests and its equity performance.

Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz is the fourth-largest public school in the county with 1131 students. It performs very well in terms of graduating rate at 94.5%, behind only Scotts Valley and SLV. Santa Cruz gets the best in county award for graduates meeting state college admission requirements. This, despite having the worst student-to-teacher ratio in the county. 78.8% of Santa Cruz High graduates enroll in college, ranking 2nd in the county behind Scotts Valley. Santa Cruz High performed exceptionally well in testing, ranking 1st in Math and 2nd in English. Greatschools.org graded Santa Cruz an 8/10, giving the only 10/10 in the county for college readiness.

Soquel

Soquel has the third smallest student body in the county behind only Scotts Valley and SLV. Soquel performs well above the state graduation percentage and 60.2% of its graduates meet college admission standards. Soquel’s student-to-teacher ratio is 24/1. Soquel’s rate for college enrollment is the second-worst in the county but their test scores are really strong, ranking first in English and second in Math. Greatschools.org graded Soquel a 7/10 with equity performance dragging down the overall score.

Scotts Valley

Scotts Valley has the second smallest student body behind only its valley neighbor, SLV. Its graduation rate is stellar at 98.4% while grads meeting state college admission requirements is nearly 70% of graduates. Scotts Valley’s student-to-teacher ratio is tied for best in the county at 21/1. 85% of Scotts Valley students enroll in college within 12 months of graduation, by far the best rate in the county. Scotts Valley’s test scores are third in the county in both English and Math. Greatschools.org graded Scotts Valley an 8/10 getting 9/10 in both Testing and College Readiness.

San Lorenzo Valley

San Lorenzo Valley has the smallest student body in the county. Its graduation rate is second in the county at 94.6%. Grad’s meeting UC/CSU requirements is 68.1%, third in the county. Despite a small student body, SLV’s student-to-teacher ratio is 24/1. 74.1% of graduating students enroll in college within 12 months. SLV’s test scores rank 4th in both English and Math. Greatschools.org graded SLV an 8/10 and got the best equity grade in the county.

Aptos

Aptos has the third-largest student body in the county behind only Watsonville and Pajaro Valley. Its graduation rate is 92%, well above the state average but third-worst in the county. 56.9% of Aptos graduates meet UC/CSU requirements. Aptos’s student-to-teacher ratio is 23/1. 75.4% of graduates enroll in college, 3rd in the county. PVUSD received a waiver and did not test in 2021. As for 2019 results, 66.56% of students met the standards for English and 39.32% met the standards for Math. Greatschool.org graded Aptos a 7/10.

Watsonville

Watsonville has the largest student body in the county. Its Cohort graduation rate is 86.1%, the worst in the county and below the state average. 34.1% of Watsonville’s graduates met state college admission standards, well below the state average. Watsonville’s student-to-teacher ratio is 24/1. 71% of college graduates, well above the state average of 64%, enrolled in college after graduation. PVUSD received a waiver and did not test in 2021. As for 2019 results, 47.6% of students met standards for English and 17.12% met standards for Math. Greatschools.org graded Watsonville a 4/10, knocking the school for its Testing and College Readiness.

Pajaro Valley

Pajaro Valley has the second largest student body in the county. Its graduation rate is 87.1%, the second-worst in the county and slightly below state averages. 47% of graduates meet UC/CSU standards. PVUSD received a waiver and did not test in 2021. As for 2019 results, 37.8% of students met standards for English and 13.42% met standards for Math. Greatschools.org graded Pajaro Valley a 3/10, knocking the school for its Testing and Readiness.

If you’d like to read my whole blog report, are in need of a Santa Cruz Realtor, or have any questions about Santa Cruz real estate, please reach out!