Each level is scored on its own scale — elementary, middle, and high are never ranked against each other.
The elementary years
43 points separate Valencia Elementary (52) from Freedom Elementary (9) — at this level, which school matters more than which district.
43 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 19 elementary schools — the average hides more than it tells.
Valencia Elementary (52/100) holds the Strong band — 32.6% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 8.0%. 2 schools here rank as Growth Engines — returning cohorts gaining more than most schools statewide.
23.7% of students are chronically absent (state: 17.9%) — chronic means missing 10% or more of the school year. Whatever the scores say, ask each school what it is doing about attendance.
The middle years
The middle schools average 19.7/100 — 18.8 points below the state average. Here is what that number does and doesn't say.
6 middle schools span 22 points around an average of 19.7.
Ceiba College Preparatory Academy is the strongest option at 34/100 — 9.3% of its students exceed the state standard.
24.4% of students are chronically absent (state: 18.1%) — chronic means missing 10% or more of the school year. Whatever the scores say, ask each school what it is doing about attendance.
The high school years
The high schools average 45.0/100 — 9.0 points below the state average. Here is what that number does and doesn't say.
32 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 5 high schools — the average hides more than it tells.
1 continuation/alternative school not plotted — it ranks within its own class, not on this statewide axis.
Aptos High is the strongest option at 57/100 — 15.8% of its students exceed the state standard.
31.4% of students are chronically absent (state: 23.1%) — chronic means missing 10% or more of the school year. Whatever the scores say, ask each school what it is doing about attendance.
What it means for your family
Compare schools at your child’s level before deciding on an address. The strongest attendance-zone candidate is Valencia Elementary at 52/100 — confirm the exact boundary with the district before the house.
5 of the 30 ranked schools are charters — enrollment paths that don't depend on your address. If your zoned school sits low in the appendix below, those lotteries and applications are the levers worth the paperwork.
A band is a position, not a prophecy — 6 campuses here rank as On the Rise (4) or Growth Engine (2), their returning cohorts gaining more than most schools statewide. Ask your school two questions: what happens for a kid who arrives behind, and what the classroom looks like for one who arrives ahead.
The strongest-scoring run through the district:
Valencia Elementary 78th percentile · StrongScope Score 52/100Ceiba College Preparatory Academy 45th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 34/100Aptos High 64th percentile · SolidScope Score 57/100
Top scorers at each level — not necessarily one zoned sequence. Confirm feeder patterns and enrollment zones with the district, and visit before you decide.
What this page can't see: whether a campus feels safe and glad at 8 a.m. If a path above looks workable, the next step is a visit.