Elementary school (grades K-5) · Santa Cruz, CA
Happy Valley Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Happy Valley Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
The verdict
Happy Valley Elementary earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 81% of California schools.
- #6 of 14
- elementary schools in Santa Cruz · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.7:1
- small classes for California
- 10.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Happy Valley Elementary has class sizes smaller than 81% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Happy Valley Elementary ranks #6 of 14 elementary schools in Santa Cruz, CA.
School address
NCES ID 061656002088 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+2 students YoY
Happy Valley Elementary held near 122 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+2 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 6.4 → 6.4 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+2 students YoY 061656002088 · Santa Cruz, CA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
106 enr · 17.7:1 · 10.0% lunch · RII 27
Nearest enrollment peer: Fort Smith Virtual Academy (106 students)
Happy Valley Elementary held near 122 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+2 headcount). Teacher FTE held 6.4 → 6.4 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
How Happy Valley Elementary compares
Happy Valley Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.7:1 | ▼ 18% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 10.0% | ▼ 82% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 106 | top 89% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
Equity indicators methodology
Student demographics
Largest group: White at 78.1% of enrollment.
Simpson diversity index - at 36.6, Happy Valley Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for Happy Valley Elementary reports $16,825 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
Similar elementary schools in Santa Cruz
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~106 students)
Frequently asked questions about Happy Valley Elementary
How many students attend Happy Valley Elementary?
Happy Valley Elementary has 106 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Santa Cruz, CA. CCD year-over-year: 120 (2022-23) → 122 (2023-24), nearly flat (+2).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Happy Valley Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Happy Valley Elementary is 17.7:1, which is 18% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 13% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Happy Valley Elementary?
10.0% of students at Happy Valley Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Happy Valley Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Happy Valley Elementary is White at 78.1% of enrollment, in Santa Cruz, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Happy Valley Elementary?
Happy Valley Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Happy Valley Elementary rank among elementary schools in Santa Cruz?
By Resource Investment Index, Happy Valley Elementary ranks #6 of 14 elementary schools in Santa Cruz, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Santa Cruz on the city page.
What other schools are in Happy Valley Elementary?
None reported; Happy Valley Elementary operates only Happy Valley Elementary as a public school district in NCES's records.