| District | City | Rating | Students | Schools | Grades | Zip Codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Happy Valley Elementary School District | Santa Cruz | 10/10 Excellent · 97th pct | 120 | 1 | K–6 | 0 |
| Loma Prieta Joint Union Elementary School District | Los Gatos | 10/10 Excellent · 93rd pct | 436 | 2 | K–8 | 0 |
| Scotts Valley Unified School District | Scotts Valley | 10/10 Excellent · 90th pct | 2,168 | 4 | K–12 | 1 |
| Mountain Elementary School District | Soquel | 9/10 Excellent · 87th pct | 160 | 1 | K–6 | 0 |
| Pacific Elementary School District | Davenport | 9/10 Excellent · 87th pct | 154 | 1 | K–6 | 0 |
| Bonny Doon Union Elementary School District | Santa Cruz | 9/10 Excellent · 82nd pct | 115 | 1 | K–6 | 0 |
| Santa Cruz City Elementary School District | Santa Cruz | 8/10 Good · 78th pct | 1,724 | 5 | K–5 | 1 |
| Soquel Elementary School District | Capitola | 8/10 Good · 72nd pct | 1,654 | 5 | K–8 | 0 |
| San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District | Ben Lomond | 8/10 Good · 71st pct | 2,384 | 6 | K–12 | 5 |
| Santa Cruz City High School District | Davenport | 8/10 Good · 71st pct | 4,394 | 9 | K–12 | 6 |
| Live Oak Elementary School District | Santa Cruz | 6/10 Average · 58th pct | 1,691 | 7 | K–8 | 0 |
| Pajaro Valley Joint Unified School District | Aptos | 2/10 Poor · 15th pct | 17,452 | 34 | K–12 | 3 |
How Santa Cruz County compares
Together they enroll 32,452 students across 76 schools. The largest is Pajaro Valley Joint Unified School District with 17,452 students. Districts here average 8.1/10, above the California average of 5.7/10. Ratings range from 2/10 to 10/10.
School Districts in Santa Cruz County, California
Santa Cruz County has 12 public school districts covering 16 zip codes. The top-rated district in Santa Cruz County is Happy Valley Elementary School District (10/10). Ratings are based on the share of students proficient in reading and math on state assessments (CAASPP 2023–24), ranked against all districts in California. Directory details come from NCES CCD 2024–25.
Enter your zip code on any page to confirm your exact district assignment — district boundaries are address-specific and may not follow county or city lines.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many school districts are in Santa Cruz County, CA?
12 school districts serve zip codes in Santa Cruz County, CA. This page lists each one with its rating, enrollment, grade span and the zip codes it covers.
What is the best-rated school district in Santa Cruz County, CA?
Of the districts serving Santa Cruz County, Happy Valley Elementary School District has the highest rating on this site at 10/10. That places it in the 97th percentile among California school districts.
How are these school district ratings calculated?
Each rating is the share of students scoring proficient or above on California reading and math assessments, ranked against other districts in California and converted to a 1–10 scale. Percentiles compare districts within California only, never across state lines.