School district · Santa Cruz County

Santa Cruz City High schools

Santa Cruz City High’s 5 public high schools run from the 6th to the 86th percentile among the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). They sit in three of the four bands: Strong, Solid and Needs Support.

High · 5 schools

from 6th to 86th · among 1,498 California high schools we score · spring 2025 tests

  • Santa Cruz High: 86th percentile, Strong
  • Soquel High: 72nd percentile, Solid
  • Harbor High: 53rd percentile, Solid
  • Ark Independent Studies: 12th percentile, Needs Support
  • Delta Charter: 6th percentile, Needs Support
2Needs Support
0Developing
2Solid
1Strong

One dot per school.

Middle school picture

Middle · 3 schools

from 55th to 80th · among 2,529 California middle schools we score · spring 2026 tests

  • Mission Hill Middle: 80th percentile, Strong
  • Branciforte Middle: 67th percentile, Solid
  • Alternative Family Education: 55th percentile, Solid
0Needs Support
0Developing
2Solid
1Strong

One dot per school. Each stage is placed only among California schools at its own level.

  • 1 school not ranked statewide

Schools around the Santa Cruz City High district

9 listed public schools with mapped locations.

Open full map →

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Percentile among California schools at the same level

  • Strong75th+
  • Solid50–74th
  • Developing25–49th
  • Needs Supportbelow 25th
  • Not scored

The school lists on this page are also available without the map.

Middle schools

Which middle schools in the Santa Cruz City High district score highest?

Mission Hill Middle is highest, at the 80th percentile.

That’s higher than 80 in 100 of the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests).

Highest in the Santa Cruz City High district

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.

Context

The average middle school in the Santa Cruz City High district had 14 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once.

High schools

Which high schools in the Santa Cruz City High district score highest?

Santa Cruz High is highest, at the 86th percentile.

That’s higher than 86 in 100 of the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests).

Highest in the Santa Cruz City High district

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.

Show the other 2 high schools
  • Ark Independent StudiesSanta Cruz · Check how it admits students.
    12thNeeds SupportScope Score 42
  • Delta CharterAptos · Charter school. Check how it admits students.
    6thNeeds SupportScope Score 37
Context

The average high school in the Santa Cruz City High district had 25 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California high school we score had 22 in 100.

1 high school not ranked statewide

The district

Who goes to Santa Cruz City High’s schools?

The district’s plan

Every California district publishes a yearly plan, the LCAP: its goals and what it will spend to reach them. Search it for a program, grade or student group you care about.

Sources: Plans (California School Dashboard) ↗

Who goes to the district’s schools
Who attends

Student mix

2024–25 · October enrollment count, 4,467 students
1. White: 47%2. Hispanic or Latino: 41%3. Two or more races: 7%4. Asian: 2%5. Not reported: 2%6. Black or African American: 1%7. Filipino: <1%8. Pacific Islander: <1%9. American Indian or Alaska Native: <1%Student mix2024–25
  1. White47%
  2. Hispanic or Latino41%
  3. Two or more races7%
  4. Asian2%
  5. Not reported2%
  6. Black or African American1%
  7. Filipino<1%
  8. Pacific Islander<1%
  9. American Indian or Alaska Native<1%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools. Rounded labels may not total 100%; segments use the original shares.

Free or reduced-price meals

32%

Across California, 63% of students qualify.

2024–25 · 1,415 of 4,455 students qualify, summed from the CDE’s meal counts for every school it lists under the district, charters included. It comes from a different CDE file than the student mix, so the two totals differ.

The district’s state records

Is the state giving the district extra help?

Santa Cruz City High isn’t getting extra state help in 2026, only the standard support every district gets.

How English learners moved up on the state’s English test

From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 45% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (100 of 222 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.

Sources: District help (CDE) ↗ · English learner progress (CDE) ↗. State results from the 2026 California School Dashboard.

Which places nearby can you look at next?

Cities in the district

More places (6)

Districts nearby

Common questions

Which public schools in the Santa Cruz City High district rank highest?

Middle: Mission Hill Middle, 80th percentile (Strong). High: Santa Cruz High, 86th percentile (Strong). Each percentile is among the California schools at the same level we score. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.

Does living in the Santa Cruz City High district decide which school my child attends?

Not by itself. Attendance boundaries, programs, transfers and space all matter. Confirm the school for your address, grade and program with the district.
More questions (3)

Are the public schools in the Santa Cruz City High district good?

Santa Cruz City High’s 3 public middle schools run from the 55th to the 80th percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Strong and 2 Solid. Santa Cruz City High’s 5 public high schools run from the 6th to the 86th percentile among the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). By band: 1 Strong, 2 Solid and 2 Needs Support. A percentile compares a school with California public schools at the same level that we score. How we score schools.

How does chronic absence in the Santa Cruz City High district compare with California?

The average middle school in the Santa Cruz City High district had 14 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once. The average high school in the Santa Cruz City High district had 25 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California high school we score had 22 in 100. These are averages of school rates: each school counts once, whatever its size.

Where do these results come from?

California’s state tests (CAASPP): spring 2026 for middle schools, spring 2025 for high schools, and chronic-absence rates for 2025–26, published by the California Department of Education. Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s calculations. How we score schools.

Sources and methodology

This page lists the public schools governed and funded by the Santa Cruz City High district, with the district’s spending and state accountability records.

Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26 middle school; 2024–25 high school

Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.

View CDE data ↗ (opens in a new tab)How Scope Scores work →

Download these schools (CSV)Free to use under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.