Enrollment
214
California · 2024-25 NCES data
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 →
Teachers (FTE)
8.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
26.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+25% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
-45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary
Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Santa Cruz, California, enrolling 214 students.
Class loads run heavy: 26.8:1 is larger than about 89% of California schools and 25% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 30.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 214 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 341 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #274, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and Hispanic or Latino (38%) (diversity index 57/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 214 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Soquel Union Elementary spends $12,894 per pupil, 22% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Santa Cruz's elementary schools, it stands alongside Brook Knoll Elementary (498 students): Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (26.8:1 vs 24.9:1).
Soquel Union Elementary also operates New Brighton Middle (585 students) and Main Street Elementary (383 students) alongside Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary compares
Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary on the metrics families compare, against 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 (what these measure)
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
$12,894
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that 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.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
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
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Soquel Union Elementary, which includes Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary.
$12,894
Per student
-22%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 67.6%
State 23.2%
Federal 9.2%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
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
- 585
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- 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
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~214 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~26.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Soquel Union Elementary's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
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.
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, counselor availability, attendance rates. 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.
Is Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary a good school?
Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of California schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
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.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.