Schools in Santa Cruz County
79 public schools across 12 cities in Santa Cruz County, serving roughly 36,970 students. SweetSpot scores each one against your family's priorities.
Top schools
- 8.1
Santa Cruz City Elementary Alternative Education-Monarch
Santa Cruz City Elementary · K-5 · Alternative school of choice
- 7.9
Happy Valley Elementary
Happy Valley Elementary · K-6
- 7.9
Pacific Collegiate Charter
Santa Cruz County Office of Education · 7-12 · Charter
- 7.7
Mountain Elementary
Mountain Elementary · K-6
- 7.6
Pacific Elementary
Pacific Elementary · P-6
- 7.5
Vine Hill Elementary
Scotts Valley Unified · K-5
- 7.4
Main Street Elementary
Soquel Union Elementary · K-5
- 7.3
Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary
Soquel Union Elementary · P-5
- 7.1
Westlake Elementary
Santa Cruz City Elementary · K-5
- 7.0
De Laveaga Elementary
Santa Cruz City Elementary · K-5
- 6.9
Ocean Alternative Education Center
Live Oak Elementary · K-8
- 6.9
Soquel Elementary
Soquel Union Elementary · K-5
- 6.9
Bonny Doon Elementary
Bonny Doon Union Elementary · K-6
- 6.9
Brook Knoll Elementary
Scotts Valley Unified · K-5
- 6.7
Gault Elementary
Santa Cruz City Elementary · K-5
- 6.5
Scotts Valley High
Scotts Valley Unified · 9-12
- 6.3
Mission Hill Middle
Santa Cruz City High · 6-8
- 6.3
San Lorenzo Valley Elementary
San Lorenzo Valley Unified · K-5
- 6.3
Santa Cruz High
Santa Cruz City High · 9-12
- 6.2
Boulder Creek Elementary
San Lorenzo Valley Unified · K-5
- 6.2
Tierra Pacifica Charter
Live Oak Elementary · K-8 · Charter
- 6.2
Green Acres Elementary
Live Oak Elementary · K-5
- 6.2
Alternative Family Education
Santa Cruz City High · K-12 · Alternative school of choice
- 6.0
Scotts Valley Middle
Scotts Valley Unified · 6-8
- 6.0
SLVUSD Charter
San Lorenzo Valley Unified · K-12 · Charter
These rankings use default priorities. Tune them to your family in 30 seconds.
Read the Santa Cruz County data report (3-cycle trends, biggest movers, teacher staffing) →
Cities in this county
By grade level
School districts
- Pajaro Valley Unified
- Santa Cruz City High
- Live Oak Elementary
- San Lorenzo Valley Unified
- Santa Cruz City Elementary
- Scotts Valley Unified
- Santa Cruz County Office of Education
- Soquel Union Elementary
- Bonny Doon Union Elementary
- Happy Valley Elementary
- Mountain Elementary
- Pacific Elementary
- SBE - Watsonville Prep
Common questions
How many public schools are in Santa Cruz County?
Santa Cruz County has 79 public schools across 12 cities, serving 36,970 students.
What's the largest school district in Santa Cruz County?
Pajaro Valley Unified is the largest, with 32 schools.
Which cities are covered?
SweetSpot covers every public school in every city in Santa Cruz County, including Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Aptos, Scotts Valley, Soquel, and 7 more.
How does SweetSpot score schools?
SweetSpot scores every California public school on a 0–10 scale across academics, school size, teacher pay, suspension rates, attendance, graduation, and demographics — based on actual data, not peer-relative ranking.
How is fit calculated for my family?
You pick which metrics matter and how much each one weighs. SweetSpot recomputes a custom 0–10 fit score for every school against your priorities — live, as you move the sliders.
All schools in Santa Cruz County
- Santa Cruz City Elementary Alternative Education-Monarch · K-5
- Happy Valley Elementary · K-6
- Pacific Collegiate Charter · 7-12
- Mountain Elementary · K-6
- Pacific Elementary · P-6
- Vine Hill Elementary · K-5
- Main Street Elementary · K-5
- Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary · P-5
- Westlake Elementary · K-5
- De Laveaga Elementary · K-5
- Ocean Alternative Education Center · K-8
- Soquel Elementary · K-5
- Bonny Doon Elementary · K-6
- Brook Knoll Elementary · K-5
- Gault Elementary · K-5
- Scotts Valley High · 9-12
- Mission Hill Middle · 6-8
- San Lorenzo Valley Elementary · K-5
- Santa Cruz High · 9-12
- Boulder Creek Elementary · K-5
- Tierra Pacifica Charter · K-8
- Green Acres Elementary · K-5
- Alternative Family Education · K-12
- Scotts Valley Middle · 6-8
- SLVUSD Charter · K-12
- Ocean Grove Charter · K-12
- Live Oak Elementary · K-5
- New Brighton Middle · 6-8
- San Lorenzo Valley High · 9-12
- Shoreline Middle · 6-8
- Santa Cruz County Career Advancement Charter · 12
- Bay View Elementary · K-5
- Soquel High · 9-12
- Valencia Elementary · K-6
- Rio del Mar Elementary · K-6
- California Online Public Schools Monterey Bay · K-12
- Branciforte Middle · 6-8
- Del Mar Elementary · K-5
- Mar Vista Elementary · K-7
- Linscott Charter · K-8
- Diamond Technology Institute · 9-12
- Brite Horizons School · 1-12
- Harbor High · 9-12
- Aptos High · 9-12
- Ceiba College Preparatory Academy · 6-12
- Ark Independent Studies · 6-12
- The Bay School · K-12
- Watsonville Prep · K-8
- San Lorenzo Valley Middle · 6-8
- Alianza Charter · K-8
- Starlight Elementary · K-5
- Santa Cruz County Special Education · K-12
- Watsonville Charter School of the Arts · K-8
- Santa Cruz County Court · 7-12
- Aptos Junior High · 7-8
- Santa Cruz County Community · 7-12
- Delta Charter · 9-12
- Pajaro Valley High · 9-12
- Ohlone Elementary · K-6
- Watsonville High · 9-12
- Landmark Elementary · K-5
- H. A. Hyde Elementary · K-5
- Ann Soldo Elementary · K-5
- Bradley Elementary · K-6
- Radcliff Elementary · K-5
- Amesti Elementary · K-5
- Hall District Elementary · K-6
- Mintie White Elementary · K-5
- Freedom Elementary · K-5
- Cesar E. Chavez Middle · 6-8
- Rolling Hills Middle · 6-8
- Lakeview Middle · 6-8
- T. S. MacQuiddy Elementary · K-5
- Calabasas Elementary · K-6
- Pajaro Middle · 6-8
- Renaissance High Continuation · 9-12
- E. A. Hall Middle · 6-8
- Costanoa Continuation High · 9-12
- New School Community Day · 9-12