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Westlake Elementary · Santa Cruz

Westlake Elementary: Most kids here clear the bar, year after year. The question is what happens after that.

Westlake posts 65% meeting the standard, and 41.5% 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.

1000 High Street, 95060 (opens in new tab)·Santa Cruz City Elementary·Santa Cruz·Grades TK-5·453 students·25% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(831) 429-3878·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope6245
% Exceeded41%21%
% Met+65%43%
Growth+6.5-2.9
Absence15.7%17.9%
Suspension0.5%1.6%
Scope Score
62
🚀 Growth Engine · Solid
ranked #892 statewide · #2 of 5 in Santa Cruz City Elementary

Westlake Elementary scores 62 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 84th percentile of 5,744 California elementary 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.

CDE CAASPP 2025

Most rating sites would stop at “65% proficient” and call it done. Westlake deserves a closer read. It sits at the 84th percentile of 5,744 California elementary schools — but the ranking is the least interesting thing on this page.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 5,744 elementary schools statewide

Has held the 84th-percentile line every tested year since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAYellow(Declined Significantly)MathYellow(Declined Significantly)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 65% meet the standard today, versus 72% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 380%60%72%79%57%
Grade 478%76%59%65%73%
Grade 570%71%76%71%69%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 373%66%60%74%63%
Grade 469%64%63%53%67%
Grade 564%54%68%68%64%

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.

43%
14%
43%
Grade 3 · 57% proficient
59%
14%
27%
Grade 4 · 73% proficient
45%
23%
32%
Grade 5 · 68% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding rises 2.4pp across grades; the floor rises 11.9pp. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. Kids here gain ground the longer they stay — the pattern you want to see. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
41.5%
State 21.3%
20.1pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
+6.5pp
State -2.9pp
Scores improve across grades
Met or exceeded
65.4%
State 42.7%
22.7pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
15.7%
State 17.9%
2.2pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.5%
State 1.6%
1.1pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
6.9%
State 18.0%
11.1pp below 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 Westlake Elementary in Santa Cruz, 40.7% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 39.5% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Westlake Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 1.2 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (40.7% Math proficient); White students (74.7% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 46.1 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 54 students tested.

All students at this school: 66% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 66%, district —, state 43%66%
WhiteWhite: this school 72%, district 71%, state 56%72% · +6 vs school
MaleMale: this school 62%, district 53%, state 42%62% · −3 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 69%, district 55%, state 44%69% · +4 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 41%, district 35%, state 32%41% · −25 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 18%, district 21%, state 15%18% · −48 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 40%, district 32%, state 32%40% · −25 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 64%, district 64%, state 56%64% · −1 vs school

5 of 13 student groups here are too small to report — a privacy protection, not a gap.

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 rises by 3.5pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +4.7pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 15.7%, district 14.1%, state 17.9%15.7% · −2.2pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 0.5%, district —, state 1.6%0.5% · −1.1pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–616.0%
TK/K18.2%

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 21:1, district 22:121:1
Teaching staff29 teachers
Avg. experience19.1 years
Fully credentialed90%
First-year teachers7%

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $24,589, CA average $14,815$24,589 · spent at this school
Federal share$1,770 per student

$1,770 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White61.1%
District 46.3% · CA 19.9%
Hispanic22.3%
District 42.1% · CA 56.1%
Other10.4%
District 7.9% · CA 9.0%
Asian5.1%
District 2.9% · CA 10.2%
Black1.1%
District 0.9% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 24.5% (39pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$109K · CA $85K
Median home value$1.21M · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+55% · CA 35%
ZIP population46,268
Median age37 years

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

Worth Knowing

Transitional kindergarten is offered here — confirmed by actual Census Day enrollment, not just the listed grade span.

On the state's science test (CAST), 63% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Westlake Elementary a good elementary school?

Westlake Elementary has a Scope Score of 62 out of 100, placing it in the 84th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #892 statewide. 41.5% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 20.1 percentage points above the California average of 21.3%. The Scope Score weights 6 dimensions for elementary schools: exceeded standard (38%), grade 3-to-5 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 Westlake Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 65.4% of students at Westlake Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 41.5% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 23.9% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 41.5% 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. 469 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Westlake Elementary rank in California?

Westlake Elementary ranks #892 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 84th percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), grade-level growth (Grade 3 to grade 5 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 Westlake Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Westlake Elementary increases by 6.5 percentage points from Grade 3 to grade 5 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 elementary 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 Westlake Elementary?

15.7% of students at Westlake Elementary are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 0.5%, indicating a low-discipline-incident environment. 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 Westlake Elementary compare to other schools in Santa Cruz?

Westlake Elementary scores 62/100 (84th percentile) among California elementary 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 453 students. Use the schools in Santa Cruz page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does Westlake Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Westlake Elementary in Santa Cruz, 40.7% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 39.5% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Westlake Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 1.2 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (40.7% Math proficient); White students (74.7% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 46.1 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 54 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

All schools in Santa Cruz →

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%
41.5%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 69th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
+6.5pp
↑ vs CA -2.9pp · 56th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
65.4%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 67th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
15.7%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 54th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.5%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 60th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
6.9%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 35th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 37243%14%31%13%57%+14
Grade 48659%14%13%14%73%+28
Grade 57745%23%12%19%69%+21
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 37226%36%22%15%63%+17
Grade 48533%34%20%13%67%+25
Grade 57742%22%18%18%64%+28
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/117840%23%29%8%

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 Disadvantaged5440.7%+1+3
White15874.7%+0+13
Students with Disabilities5115.7%−8−1
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Westlake Elementary ←—6241.5%65.4%+6.50.5%
Santa Cruz City Elementary Alternative Education-M1.9 mi6230.9%57.0%+12.20.3%
Brook Knoll Elementary2.9 mi5837.0%68.9%−14.60.9%
Bay View Elementary1 mi4326.8%50.5%−13.12.3%
California average—4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20196585#80043.5%72.3%10.5%0.7%-9.8pp
20226087#71838.6%65.2%19.6%0.2%-0.3pp
20236992#48542.9%66.3%23.9%0.0%+5.9pp
20246890#56743.8%68.5%18.8%0.5%-6.8pp
20256284#89241.5%65.4%15.7%0.5%+6.5pp
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
Female10.0%14.2%+4.2pp
Male11.0%16.9%+5.9pp
Asian6.5%3.7%-2.8pp
Hispanic/Latino13.3%34.3%+21.0pp
Two or More Races16.7%9.3%-7.4pp
Students with Disabilities14.0%21.9%+7.9pp
English Learners17.0%35.0%+18.0pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged22.8%34.6%+11.8pp
All Students10.5%15.6%+5.1pp
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=5,744 elementary 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

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