- Enrollment
- 585
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Santa Cruz, CA
Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063729006310
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 57
📋 Attendance 13
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of California schools.
- #7 of 14
- elementary schools in Santa Cruz · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 26.8:1
- large classes for California
- 30.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary has class sizes larger than 89% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary ranks #7 of 14 elementary schools in Santa Cruz, CA.
School address
District: Soquel Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 063729006310 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-28 students YoY
Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary shrank from 232 students in 2022-23 to 204 in 2023-24 (-12.1%).
Teacher FTE held 8.8 → 8.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-28 students YoY 063729006310 · Santa Cruz, CA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
214 enr · 26.8:1 · 30.6% lunch · RII 25
Nearest enrollment peer: New Brighton Middle (585 students)
Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary shrank from 232 students in 2022-23 to 204 in 2023-24 (-12.1%). Teacher FTE held 8.8 → 8.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- New Brighton M
New Brighton Middle
585 students
- Main Street El
Main Street Elementary
383 students
- Soquel Element
Soquel Elementary
337 students
- This school 214
Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary
214 students
- Opal Cliffs 3
Opal Cliffs
3 students
What this shows Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary reports 214 students on the CCD universe file.
How Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary compares
Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 26.8:1 | ▲ 25% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.6% | ▼ 45% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 214 | top 82% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
26.8:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
214
Bigger than 21% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
30.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
26.8:1
students per teacher
- 25% above state mean
Top 89% in California - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
35.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$15,473
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 214 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 52.8%
Hispanic or Latino 38.3%
Two or More 7.5%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 52.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.9, Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for Soquel Union Elementary reports $15,473 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Brighton Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Main Street Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Soquel Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Opal Cliffs | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 383
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 337
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 3
- Students per teacher
- 3:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
Similar elementary schools in Santa Cruz
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Brook Knoll Elementary
Standard public school
498 students 24.9:1 students per teacher
De Laveaga Elementary
Standard public school
481 students 22.9:1 students per teacher
Westlake Elementary
Standard public school
453 students 21.6:1 students per teacher
Bay View Elementary
Standard public school
394 students 21.9:1 students per teacher
Live Oak Elementary
Standard public school
362 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Del Mar Elementary
Standard public school
322 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
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 (~214 students)
Frequently asked questions about Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary
How many students attend Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary?
Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary has 214 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Santa Cruz, CA. CCD year-over-year: 232 (2022-23) → 204 (2023-24), down 28.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary is 26.8:1, which is 25% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 71% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary?
30.6% of students at Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary is White at 52.8% of enrollment, in Santa Cruz, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary?
Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary rank among elementary schools in Santa Cruz?
By Resource Investment Index, Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary ranks #7 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 Soquel Union Elementary?
Besides Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary, Soquel Union Elementary also operates New Brighton Middle (585 students), Main Street Elementary (383 students), and Soquel Elementary (337 students). See the Soquel Union Elementary district page for the complete list.