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Scotts Valley Middle · Scotts Valley

Scotts Valley Middle: Most kids here clear the bar, year after year. The question is what happens after that.

Scotts Valley posts 61% meeting the standard, and 31.6% going well past it. Most kids here keep up. Fewer get pushed further. Ask the school what it does for a child who already finds the work easy.

8 Bean Creek Road, 95066 (opens in new tab)·Scotts Valley Unified·Scotts Valley·Grades 6-8·463 students·11% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(831) 438-0610·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope6143
% Exceeded32%17%
% Met+61%39%
Growth+7.0+1.5
Absence8.8%18.5%
Suspension6.6%3.7%
Scope Score
61
🚀 Growth Engine · Solid
ranked #285 statewide

Scotts Valley Middle scores 61 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 87th percentile of 2,238 California middle schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Measures test performance, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How we score →

🚀 Growth Engine — Ask how the school tracks each kid's growth year to year, and what happens when a kid stalls instead of gaining.

Most rating sites would stop at “61% proficient” and call it done. Scotts Valley deserves a closer read. It sits at the 87th percentile of 2,238 California middle schools — but the ranking is the least interesting thing on this page.

The headline number: 8.8% chronic absenteeism — versus 18.5% statewide. Attendance is the quietest strong signal a school can post.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,238 middle schools statewide

Slipped from the 96th to the 87th percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAYellow(Declined Significantly)MathGreen(Increased)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 61% meet the standard today, versus 73% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 673%57%62%64%72%
Grade 776%63%58%74%66%
Grade 885%65%65%62%70%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 663%50%54%49%44%
Grade 766%56%62%63%54%
Grade 873%59%58%50%60%

The story this school is actually telling

The school, grade by grade

ELA · CAASPP 2024–25

Different students, same year — each bar is one grade's proficiency mix.

29%
43%
28%
Grade 6 · 72% proficient
30%
36%
34%
Grade 7 · 66% proficient
27%
43%
30%
Grade 8 · 70% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding falls 1.7pp across grades; the proficiency floor barely moves. The state average falls 0.5pp over the same span. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
31.6%
State 16.8%
14.8pp above state avg
Growth (G6→G8)
+7.0pp
State +1.5pp
Scores improve across grades
Met or exceeded
61.0%
State 39.3%
21.7pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
8.8%
State 18.5%
9.7pp below state avg
Suspension rate
6.6%
State 3.7%
2.9pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
45.5%
State 18.0%
27.5pp above state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask how the school challenges kids who clear the standard early. The gap between meeting and exceeding is where pacing shows.

  • Ask whether the tour can step into a working classroom — watch how the teacher handles a student who's stuck.
  • Ask to tour while school's in session, and notice how hallways and transitions feel — culture shows up between classes, not just in them.
  • Ask how the school communicates with families when a child starts to struggle.
  • Ask what a typical day looks like for a new student in the first few weeks.

How every group of students does here

At Scotts Valley Middle in Scotts Valley, 43.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 49.7% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Scotts Valley Middle trails its district average for low-income students by 6.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (30.5% Math proficient); White students (74.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 57.7 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 60 students tested.

All students at this school: 61% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 61%, district —, state 39%61%
WhiteWhite: this school 66%, district 67%, state 56%66% · +5 vs school
MaleMale: this school 60%, district 63%, state 42%60% · −1 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 63%, district 65%, state 44%63% · +1 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 42%, district 50%, state 32%42% · −19 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 37%, district 44%, state 32%37% · −24 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 11%, district 21%, state 15%11% · −50 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 62%, district 71%, state 56%62% · +1 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 58%, district 73%, state 72%58% · −3 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: too few students to report‹11
HomelessHomeless: too few students to report‹11
Black/African AmericanBlack/African American: too few students to report‹11
American Indian/Alaska NativeAmerican Indian/Alaska Native: too few students to report‹11
this school district, same group California, same group
Subgroup growth by grade

Change in proficiency from the lowest tested grade — which groups gain ground the longer they stay. Groups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.

Low-income student ELA proficiency falls by 12.3pp from grade 6 to grade 8 at this school. District average: -12.3pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 8.8%, district 13.6%, state 18.5%8.8% · −9.7pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 6.6%, district —, state 3.7%6.6% · +2.9pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–67.1%
Grades 7–89.2%

Where the path goes

The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.

K-12 Feeder Path

Feeder patterns derived from NCES attendance boundary data. Boundaries are approximate and may have changed — verify with your school district for current assignments.

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 20:1, district 22:120:1
Teaching staff26 teachers
Avg. experience12.9 years
Fully credentialed73%
Intern / emergency permit4.2%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$52,653 – $105,234
Principal salary$127,486 – $130,566
Superintendent salary$291,088

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $16,115, CA average $14,815$16,115 · spent at this school
Federal share$480 per student

$480 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$16,584 per student

The district's current expense of education per student, from CDE's annual SACS filing — the freshest district spending figure the state publishes.

Where the district's dollars go · FY 2024–25 · CDE SACS
Instruction62%
Instruction support11%
Student services9%
Administration8%
Buildings & maintenance8%
Other1%

District-level, from the district's own SACS general-ledger filing — school-by-school breakdowns aren't published by the state.

district detail, 2016–2020 — the newest published
2020$10,643 per pupil
2019$9,894 per pupil
2018$10,448 per pupil
2017$10,590 per pupil
2016$10,521 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White65.4%
District 65.3% · CA 19.9%
Hispanic18.4%
District 17.8% · CA 56.1%
Other9.3%
District 10.8% · CA 9.0%
Asian6.7%
District 5.8% · CA 10.2%
Black0.2%
District 0.3% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 11.2% (53pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$151K · CA $85K
Median home value$1.14M · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+57% · CA 35%
ZIP population15,135
Median age47 years

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level

Worth Knowing

At 463 students, this school is much smaller than the typical California middle school (≈860).

On the state's science test (CAST), 57% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Scotts Valley Middle a good middle school?

Scotts Valley Middle has a Scope Score of 61 out of 100, placing it in the 87th percentile of California middle schools and ranked #285 statewide. 31.6% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 14.8 percentage points above the California average of 16.8%. The Scope Score weights 6 dimensions for middle schools: exceeded standard (38%), grade 6-to-8 growth (27%), met or exceeded (proficient) (20%), chronic absenteeism (5%), suspension rate (5%), and ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.

What are Scotts Valley Middle's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 61.0% of students at Scotts Valley Middle met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 31.6% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 29.4% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 31.6% pushed past it. Most rating sites report only the combined "proficient" number. SchoolScope surfaces the exceeded-vs-met split because it reveals whether a school's curriculum challenges students beyond minimum proficiency or paces toward it. 902 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Scotts Valley Middle rank in California?

Scotts Valley Middle ranks #285 among California middle schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 87th percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), grade-level growth (Grade 6 to grade 8 growth), chronic absenteeism, and suspension rate. Unlike single-number ratings, the Scope Score shows what drives the ranking so parents can decide what matters most to their family. See full methodology.

Is Scotts Valley Middle getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Scotts Valley Middle increases by 7.0 percentage points from Grade 6 to grade 8 growth. This upward trajectory suggests the school is adding measurable value — students leave with higher proficiency rates than they entered with. Growth trajectory is weighted at 15% in the middle Scope Score because it measures what the school does, not just who walks in the door.

What is the attendance and school culture like at Scotts Valley Middle?

8.8% of students at Scotts Valley Middle are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 18.5%. The suspension rate is 6.6%. SchoolScope includes these culture metrics in the Scope Score because they reflect day-to-day school experience in ways test scores alone cannot.

How does Scotts Valley Middle compare to other schools in Scotts Valley?

Scotts Valley Middle scores 61/100 (87th percentile) among California middle schools. To compare with nearby schools, SchoolScope shows the same metrics side by side: exceeded rate, proficiency, growth trajectory, and school culture indicators. The school serves 463 students. Use the schools in Scotts Valley page or the map view to compare all middle schools nearby.

How does Scotts Valley Middle serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Scotts Valley Middle in Scotts Valley, 43.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 49.7% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Scotts Valley Middle trails its district average for low-income students by 6.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (30.5% Math proficient); White students (74.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 57.7 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 60 students tested. SchoolScope shows disaggregated test scores by demographic subgroup so you can see how a school performs for your child's specific group — not just the school-wide average. Subgroup data is context, not part of the Scope Score: we don't penalize schools for who they serve. See our equity approach.

Your other options

Private alternatives nearby

Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.


For the data nerds

Every number on this page

Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.

01Score factorsWeighted composite · 2024–25
Exceeded standard · 38%
31.6%
↑ vs CA 16.8% · 66th pctile
Growth (G6→G8) · 27%
+7.0pp
↑ vs CA +1.5pp · 58th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
61.0%
↑ vs CA 39.3% · 67th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
8.8%
↑ vs CA 18.5% · 64th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
6.6%
↓ vs CA 3.7% · 38th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
45.5%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 83th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 615229%43%18%10%72%+25
Grade 714330%36%20%13%66%+19
Grade 815827%43%21%9%70%+24
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 615226%18%38%18%44%+9
Grade 714136%18%28%18%54%+20
Grade 815641%19%24%17%60%+27
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/1115732%25%37%6%

CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.

Subgroup · ELATestedMET+vs districtvs CA
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged6043.3%−6+5
White29974.2%+1+12
Hispanic/Latino8153.1%−4+14
03Peer comparison · nearest middle schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Scotts Valley Middle ←6131.6%61.0%+7.06.6%
California average4316.8%39.3%+1.53.7%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20197296#8541.3%72.7%6.3%3.5%+10.9pp
20225988#26428.9%58.4%9.9%4.7%+8.6pp
20236287#28230.6%59.7%15.1%4.7%+3.0pp
20246289#25231.4%60.1%11.7%3.0%-0.3pp
20256187#28531.6%61.0%8.8%6.6%+7.0pp
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female6.4%11.0%+4.6pp
Male6.0%6.5%+0.5pp
Asian0.0%6.5%+6.5pp
Hispanic/Latino7.6%10.5%+2.9pp
Two or More Races4.5%5.1%+0.6pp
Students with Disabilities12.1%19.0%+6.9pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged10.1%21.3%+11.2pp
All Students6.2%8.5%+2.3pp
English Learners16.7%
Homeless27.8%
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=2,238 middle schools · Vintages: climate subgroups 2019+2025 · district finance per its label · ACS 2022 · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue

SchoolScope scores and verdicts are our interpretation of public California Department of Education data — independent analysis, not an official rating. How we analyze · Request a correction