ExploreMapCompareBlogSign in

Public school district · California

Santa Clara Unified.Many schools. Many different stories.

Compare elementary, middle, and high schools across Santa Clara Unified—and look beyond a single district average.

Millikin ElementaryLaurelwood ElementaryWashington Open ElementaryAdrian Wilcox HighSanta Clara HighDon CallejonMission Early College HighKathleen MacDonald HighPonderosa ElementaryJuan Cabrillo MiddleMarian A. Peterson MiddleSutter ElementaryBraly ElementaryAbram Agnew ElementaryCentral Park ElementaryBuchser MiddleGeorge Mayne ElementaryBriarwood ElementaryWestwood ElementaryBowers ElementaryPomeroy ElementaryKathryn Hughes ElementaryC. W. Haman ElementaryBracher ElementaryDolores Huerta MiddleMontague ElementaryNew Valley Continuation HighWilson AlternativeScott Lane ElementarySanta Clara UnifiedN ↑
29 schools mapped · Location contextOpen map →
Census district boundary
The K–12 path at a glance
Elementary19 schools
avg 49.5/1009 Strong, 7 Solid, +3 more
Middle4 schools
avg 47.8/1002 Strong, 1 Solid, +1 more
High6 schools
avg 51.1/1004 Strong, 1 Solid, +1 more

Each level is scored on its own scale — elementary, middle, and high are never ranked against each other.

Stage 1 of 3

The elementary years

66 points separate Millikin Elementary (88) from Scott Lane Elementary (22) — at this level, which school matters more than which district.

0100
Strong Solid Developing Needs Support district avg state avg

66 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 19 elementary schools — the average hides more than it tells.

The strength

Millikin Elementary (88/100) holds the Strong band — 72.0% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 32.5%. 2 schools here rank as Growth Engines — returning cohorts gaining more than most schools statewide.

The catch

66 points separate the top and bottom elementary schools — the district average won't predict the school in front of you.

99th percentile · StrongScope Score 88/100
97th percentile · StrongScope Score 75/100
95th percentile · StrongScope Score 71/100

All 19 elementary schools, ranked, in the appendix →

Stage 2 of 3

The middle years

The middle schools average 47.8/100 — 9.2 points above the state average, with 2 of 4 in the Strong band.

0100

4 middle schools span 23 points around an average of 47.8.

The strength

Juan Cabrillo Middle (57/100) holds the Strong band — 31.7% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 28.0%. 1 school here ranks as a Growth Engine — returning cohorts gaining more than most schools statewide.

The catch

The suspension rate averages 5.8% against 3.6% statewide — worth a direct question on a visit.

86th percentile · StrongScope Score 57/100
Marian A. Peterson Middle
Building Momentum
85th percentile · StrongScope Score 56/100
Buchser Middle
Building Momentum
68th percentile · SolidScope Score 44/100

All 4 middle schools, ranked, in the appendix →

Stage 3 of 3

The high school years

The high schools sit at the state line (51.1 vs 54.0) — the 44-point school-to-school spread is where the choice lives.

0100

44 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 6 high schools — the average hides more than it tells.

3 continuation/alternative schools not plotted — they rank within their own class, not on this statewide axis.

The strength

Adrian Wilcox High (67/100) holds the Strong band — 37.4% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 24.4%. 3 schools classify as Strong All-Around — no weak dimension we measure.

The catch

28.6% 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.

Adrian Wilcox High
Strong All-Around
83rd percentile · StrongScope Score 67/100
Santa Clara High
Strong All-Around
83rd percentile · StrongScope Score 67/100
81st percentile · StrongScope Score 66/100

All 6 high schools, ranked, in the appendix →

What it means for your family

If you're choosing a neighborhood

Compare schools at your child’s level before deciding on an address. The strongest attendance-zone candidate is Millikin Elementary at 88/100 — confirm the exact boundary with the district before the house.

If you already live here

No charters or magnets among the ranked schools here, so the main lever is an intra-district transfer — California districts run them on their own windows and criteria. If your zoned school sits low in the appendix below, ask the district office for this year's dates.

If your kid is enrolled now

A band is a position, not a prophecy — 4 campuses here rank as Growth Engine (3) or On the Rise (1), 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:

Millikin Elementary 99th percentile · StrongScope Score 88/100Juan Cabrillo Middle 86th percentile · StrongScope Score 57/100Adrian Wilcox High 83rd percentile · StrongScope Score 67/100

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.

Santa Clara Unified has 29 public schools in this SchoolScope results directory. Compare schools by their primary reporting level below.

2024–25 CAASPP reporting · SchoolScope analysis. Directory coverage, not a complete inventory of every campus. Each school appears at its primary reporting level; K–8 and K–12 campuses can serve additional grades. Sources and methodology →

One district, three stages

The average changes with the journey.

Elementary schools

Explore elementary →
Lower reported resultsHigher reported results

19 comparable schools · average 49.5/100 · range 21.7–87.9

Middle schools

Explore middle →
Lower reported resultsHigher reported results

4 comparable schools · average 47.8/100 · range 34.0–56.8

High schools

Explore high →
Lower reported resultsHigher reported results

3 comparable schools · average 66.4/100 · range 65.5–67.0

Explore Santa Clara Unified by place.

Districts nearby

DistrictAverage scoreRanked schoolsTop schoolDistance
Santa Clara Unifiedthis district51.1 / 10026Millikin Elementary—
Fremont Union High83.8 / 1005Lynbrook High4.3 mi
Mountain View-Los Altos Union High82.8 / 1002Mountain View High6.5 mi
Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High86.8 / 1002Saratoga High8.5 mi
Palo Alto Unified81.4 / 1004Herbert Hoover Elementary8.9 mi
Fremont Unified82.2 / 1003Warm Springs Elementary9.3 mi

Averages blend every school level in a district and carry no score band. Compare a level at a time in the spreads above, then open the schools. Distances run between school-location centers.

Cities served

City pages include schools from other districts too. Check the district named on each school profile.

Patterns across the district

What kinds of schools are here?

Patterns worth exploring.

Choose a pattern to find matching schools in the lists below. Open a profile to see the underlying measures and questions to ask on a visit.

How patterns are defined →

Archetypes describe reported patterns, not school quality or fit. Available measures differ by school level.

Schools in Santa Clara Unified

Browse by level, then compare the evidence behind each profile.

Map ↗

Elementary schools in Santa Clara Unified · 19 schools

CompareSchoolExceededScore
Millikin Elementary
Santa Clara Unified High Ceiling
72.0%99th percentile · StrongScope Score 88/100
Laurelwood Elementary
Santa Clara Unified High Ceiling
56.8%97th percentile · StrongScope Score 75/100
Washington Open Elementary
Santa Clara Unified Growth Engine
49.4%95th percentile · StrongScope Score 71/100
Don Callejon
Santa Clara Unified Strong All-Around
50.9%91st percentile · StrongScope Score 66/100
Ponderosa Elementary
Santa Clara Unified Strong All-Around
45.5%88th percentile · StrongScope Score 62/100
Sutter Elementary
Santa Clara Unified Solid Base
42.5%83rd percentile · StrongScope Score 55/100

Middle schools in Santa Clara Unified · 4 schools

CompareSchoolExceededScore
Juan Cabrillo Middle
Santa Clara Unified Growth Engine
31.7%86th percentile · StrongScope Score 57/100
Marian A. Peterson Middle
Santa Clara Unified Building Momentum
40.2%85th percentile · StrongScope Score 56/100
Buchser Middle
Santa Clara Unified Building Momentum
24.5%68th percentile · SolidScope Score 44/100
Dolores Huerta Middle
Santa Clara Unified Building Momentum
15.8%45th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 34/100

High schools in Santa Clara Unified · 6 schools

CompareSchoolExceededScore
Adrian Wilcox High
Santa Clara Unified Strong All-Around
37.4%83rd percentile · StrongScope Score 67/100
Santa Clara High
Santa Clara Unified Strong All-Around
35.0%83rd percentile · StrongScope Score 67/100
Mission Early College High
Santa Clara Unified Strong All-Around
45.9%81st percentile · StrongScope Score 66/100
Kathleen MacDonald High
Santa Clara Unified alternative school
25.7%98th percentile · StrongWithin its own school classScope Score 62/100
New Valley Continuation High
Santa Clara Unified continuation high school
0.0%44th percentile · DevelopingWithin its own school classScope Score 23/100
Wilson Alternative
Santa Clara Unified alternative school
2.6%56th percentile · SolidWithin its own school classScope Score 23/100
Compare selected schools

Select two to four schools at the same level. Rankings and score bands compare each school with its own enrollment group.

District finance · FY 2024–25

Where the district's dollars go.

Santa Clara Unified spent $32,023 per student in FY 2024–25 — $11,532 more than the median California district ($20,491), about 56% higher. About 62 cents of every dollar goes to classroom instruction.

Current expense per student

Current expense of education per unit of average daily attendance, from the district's annual SACS filing to the California Department of Education. District-wide: it includes central administration and costs never assigned to one campus. Spending is context, not a measure of school quality.

Share by function

  • Instruction62%
  • Instruction support14%
  • Student services7%
  • Administration7%
  • Buildings & maintenance9%

Shares of the same current-expense total, by SACS function. Names are simplified from the filing's own categories.

The system behind the schools

The people behind the classrooms — district-grain context that never enters a school's score.

People
Teacher salary range$95,734–$171,568
Teaching staff970 · FTE
District enrollment14,808 · students
Who attends
Hispanic 42.1% · White 15.2% · Black 2.7% · Asian 28.1% · Other 12.0%
Free/reduced lunch33% · economic need indicator

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule 2024–25 · CDE enrollment (district averages)

See how the school years fit together.

Explore the next stage, then verify the schools available for your address.

These are browsing links, not a feeder path. Assignments vary by residence, program, permits, and available space.

Looking beyond Santa Clara Unified?

Explore public, private, and early-learning options.

Know what you’re comparing.

Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2024-25 · Methodology

Scores are SchoolScope's analysis of public data, not official CDE ratings. They represent one way of interpreting test results and should not be the sole basis for school decisions.

Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 29 schoolsMethodology · Download this data (CSV)

Free to download, CC BY 4.0 with attribution.

Frequently asked questions

How many schools are listed in Santa Clara Unified?
This SchoolScope directory lists 29 public schools in Santa Clara Unified with 2024–25 reporting records. This is directory coverage, not a complete campus inventory. Each school appears under its primary reporting level; a K–8 or K–12 campus may serve additional grades.
Which schools have the highest scores in Santa Clara Unified?
Among comprehensive public schools listed here, the highest Scope Score at each primary reporting level is: Elementary: Millikin Elementary (88/100). Middle: Juan Cabrillo Middle (57/100). High: Adrian Wilcox High (67/100). These are separate level rankings, not a single cross-level league table. A score does not establish fit or enrollment eligibility. See the methodology.
Can I compare elementary, middle, and high schools directly?
Compare schools at the same level and within the same enrollment group. Scope Score formulas and available measures differ by level. The plots show comprehensive public schools separately for each level; individual profiles explain their comparison group.
Does living in Santa Clara Unified guarantee a particular school?
A district outline does not establish assignment to an individual school. Attendance boundaries, programs, permits, and available space can affect enrollment. Confirm the requirements directly with the district.
What does a SchoolScope pattern mean?
Archetypes summarize patterns in publicly reported academic and school-climate measures. They describe reported results, not a school’s quality or a child’s fit. Open the school profile for reporting years, missing measures, and questions to ask. Read how the patterns are defined.
Where do these results come from?
The underlying public data comes from the California Department of Education, including CAASPP reporting for 2024–25. Scope Scores and archetypes are SchoolScope calculations, not official CDE ratings. View CDE data and SchoolScope’s methodology and limitations.