Middle schools in Santa Cruz County
41 middle schools in Santa Cruz County, serving roughly 17,640 students. SweetSpot ranks each one on your family's priorities.
Top schools
- 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
- 6.9
Ocean Alternative Education Center
Live Oak Elementary · K-8
- 6.9
Bonny Doon Elementary
Bonny Doon Union Elementary · K-6
- 6.3
Mission Hill Middle
Santa Cruz City High · 6-8
- 6.2
Tierra Pacifica Charter
Live Oak Elementary · K-8 · Charter
- 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
- 5.9
Ocean Grove Charter
San Lorenzo Valley Unified · K-12 · Charter
- 5.7
New Brighton Middle
Soquel Union Elementary · 6-8
- 5.7
Shoreline Middle
Live Oak Elementary · 6-8
- 5.5
Valencia Elementary
Pajaro Valley Unified · K-6
- 5.5
Rio del Mar Elementary
Pajaro Valley Unified · K-6
- 5.4
California Online Public Schools Monterey Bay
Scotts Valley Unified · K-12 · Charter
- 5.4
Branciforte Middle
Santa Cruz City High · 6-8
- 5.3
Mar Vista Elementary
Pajaro Valley Unified · K-7
- 5.2
Linscott Charter
Pajaro Valley Unified · K-8 · Charter
- 4.8
Brite Horizons School
Scotts Valley Unified · 1-12 · Specialized
- 4.7
Ceiba College Preparatory Academy
Pajaro Valley Unified · 6-12 · Charter
- 4.6
Ark Independent Studies
Santa Cruz City High · 6-12 · Alternative school of choice
- 4.6
The Bay School
Santa Cruz City Elementary · K-12 · Specialized
- 4.5
Watsonville Prep
SBE - Watsonville Prep · K-8 · Charter
These rankings use default priorities. Tune them to your family in 30 seconds.
Other grade levels
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Common questions
How many middle schools are in Santa Cruz County?
41 middle schools in Santa Cruz County, serving 17,640 students.
What counts as a "middle" school?
Any school whose grade span includes grades 6–8. K-8 schools appear under both elementary and middle.
How is the ranking computed?
By default, schools are ranked by SweetSpot's neutral baseline score — the mean of their academics, attendance, suspension rate, and teacher metrics. Tune your priorities to see a ranking calibrated to your family.
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.
Is this data accurate?
Yes — SweetSpot pulls directly from the California Department of Education's annual SARC (School Accountability Report Card) release. Last refreshed when the CDE publishes new data.
All schools in Middle schools, Santa Cruz County
- Happy Valley Elementary · K-6
- Pacific Collegiate Charter · 7-12
- Mountain Elementary · K-6
- Pacific Elementary · P-6
- Ocean Alternative Education Center · K-8
- Bonny Doon Elementary · K-6
- Mission Hill Middle · 6-8
- Tierra Pacifica Charter · K-8
- Alternative Family Education · K-12
- Scotts Valley Middle · 6-8
- SLVUSD Charter · K-12
- Ocean Grove Charter · K-12
- New Brighton Middle · 6-8
- Shoreline Middle · 6-8
- Valencia Elementary · K-6
- Rio del Mar Elementary · K-6
- California Online Public Schools Monterey Bay · K-12
- Branciforte Middle · 6-8
- Mar Vista Elementary · K-7
- Linscott Charter · K-8
- Brite Horizons School · 1-12
- 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
- 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
- Ohlone Elementary · K-6
- Bradley Elementary · K-6
- Hall District Elementary · K-6
- Cesar E. Chavez Middle · 6-8
- Rolling Hills Middle · 6-8
- Lakeview Middle · 6-8
- Calabasas Elementary · K-6
- Pajaro Middle · 6-8
- E. A. Hall Middle · 6-8