Public schools in Aptos, CA
Aptos has 6 public schools with a 2024-25 address in the city: 2 high, 1 middle, 3 elementary, enrolling 3,124 students. They are run by 2 districts and agencies; Pajaro Valley Unified runs 5 of them.
NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25: schools open that year with enrollment · method
The 2 districts and agencies that run Aptos's public schools
Each district decides who can enroll where; its page holds its schools, spending and teachers.
| District | Schools in Aptos | District students, fall 2022 | Spending per student, FY23 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pajaro Valley Unified | 5 | 17,452 | $20,320 |
| Santa Cruz City Schools | 1 | 4,394 | not reported |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25: school location city and operating agency; NCES F-33 fiscal year 2022-23: district fall membership and current spending per student. Schools on a city's edge can serve students from outside it.
2 high schools in Aptos, 1,387 students
| School | Students 2024‑25 | Per teacher | Free lunch | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aptos High | 1,274 | 22.0 | 36.5% | Pajaro Valley Unified |
| Delta Charter | 113 | 13.3 | 38.1% | Santa Cruz City Schools |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (membership, staff, lunch); level from the directory. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count.
One middle school in Aptos, 587 students
| School | Students 2024‑25 | Per teacher | Free lunch | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aptos Junior High | 587 | 22.0 | 41.1% | Pajaro Valley Unified |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (membership, staff, lunch); level from the directory. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count.
3 elementary schools in Aptos, 1,150 students
| School | Students 2024‑25 | Per teacher | Free lunch | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valencia Elementary | 487 | 20.3 | 30.4% | Pajaro Valley Unified |
| Rio del Mar Elementary | 393 | 20.5 | 16.5% | Pajaro Valley Unified |
| Mar Vista Elementary | 270 | 17.9 | 40.0% | Pajaro Valley Unified |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (membership, staff, lunch); level from the directory. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count.
How Aptos's public schools compare with California's
The median Aptos school has 20.4 students per full-time teacher, fewer than the California median of 21.6. Its median school enrolls 440 students (state 471).
| Aptos | California | |
|---|---|---|
| Median students per teacher | 20.4 | 21.6 |
| Median school size (students) | 440 | 471 |
| Schools with a schoolwide Title I program (2021-22) | not reported | not reported |
| Schools where every student eats free (CEP) | 83% | 74% |
| Charter schools | 17% | 13% |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (membership, staff, lunch program, charter status; the 6 Aptos schools and the 9,918 California schools open that year with students); Title I status CCD 2021-22. Students per teacher counts 2024-25 teachers and ratios from 3 to 99.
What to look at next in Aptos
- Pajaro Valley UnifiedRuns 5 of Aptos's 6 public schools and spent $20,320 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$20,320
- Aptos High, the largest high school in Aptos1,274 students in 2024-25, 22.0 per teacher.1,274
- Compare Pajaro Valley Unified with Santa Cruz City SchoolsAptos's two largest operators side by side: enrollment, spending and schools.
- The largest public schools in CaliforniaCalifornia's 50 largest schools open in 2024-25, by enrollment.
- Find the school district for an Aptos addressA home's district, not its city, decides which public schools it can enroll in.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (schools and their operating agencies); NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 (spending per student).
Choosing among them: how to choose a school district with the federal data, and what a Title I school is.
Other cities in California
- Los Angeles564 schools
- San Diego283 schools
- San Jose232 schools
- Sacramento197 schools
- Fresno179 schools
- Bakersfield146 schools
- San Francisco123 schools
- Stockton122 schools
Questions about schools in Aptos
How many public schools are in Aptos, CA?
6 public schools with an address in Aptos were open in 2024-25: 2 high, 1 middle, 3 elementary, enrolling 3,124 students. 1 are charter schools.What is the largest high school in Aptos?
Aptos High, with 1,274 students in 2024-25 (Pajaro Valley Unified).Which districts run Aptos's schools?
Pajaro Valley Unified (5 schools), Santa Cruz City Schools (1 school). A school's district, not its city, decides who can enroll.
These figures are for information and are not a substitute for the district's enrollment office, which confirms the school a home is assigned to.
Sources
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership, staff and lunch files · 2024-25
Source: NCES Common Core of Data Public school search (the official record of each school) · 2024-25