- Enrollment
- 1,074
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Santa Cruz, CA
Santa Cruz High
Federal NCES profile for Santa Cruz High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 063560006067
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 27
📋 Attendance 50
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Santa Cruz High earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #2 of 3
- high schools in Santa Cruz · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.4:1
- students per teacher
- 24.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Santa Cruz High has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Santa Cruz High ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Santa Cruz, CA.
School address
District: Santa Cruz City High · California
NCES ID 063560006067 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+12 students YoY
Santa Cruz High held near 1,104 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+12 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 51.7 → 50.9 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+12 students YoY 063560006067 · Santa Cruz, CA High · MID · TRAD
1,093 enr · 21.4:1 · 24.1% lunch · RII 30
Nearest enrollment peer: Soquel High (1,074 students)
Santa Cruz High held near 1,104 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+12 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 51.7 → 50.9 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Santa Cruz High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- This school
Santa Cruz High
1,093 students
- Soquel High
Soquel High
1,074 students
- Harbor High
Harbor High
1,013 students
- Mission Hill M
Mission Hill Middle
510 students
- Branciforte Mi 409
Branciforte Middle
409 students
- Delta Charter 113
Delta Charter
113 students
What this shows Santa Cruz High reports 1,093 students on the CCD universe file.
How Santa Cruz High compares
Santa Cruz High 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 | 21.4:1 | ▼ 0% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 24.1% | ▼ 57% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,093 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.4:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,093
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
24.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 57% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
21.4:1
students per teacher
- 0% below state mean
Top 47% in California - lower ratio than 53% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
19.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 364 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 58.1%
Hispanic or Latino 29.0%
Two or More 8.7%
Asian 2.5%
African American 1.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 58.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.0, Santa Cruz High is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 18
How Santa Cruz High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soquel High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Harbor High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mission Hill Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Branciforte Middle | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Delta Charter | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Santa Cruz High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,013
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 510
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 409
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 113
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar high schools in Santa Cruz
2 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Nationwide high 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 (~1,093 students)
Frequently asked questions about Santa Cruz High
How many students attend Santa Cruz High?
Santa Cruz High has 1,093 students enrolled. It is a high school in Santa Cruz, CA. CCD year-over-year: 1,092 (2022-23) → 1,104 (2023-24), nearly flat (+12).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Santa Cruz High?
The student-teacher ratio at Santa Cruz High is 21.4:1, which is 0% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 36% 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 Santa Cruz High?
24.1% of students at Santa Cruz High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Santa Cruz High?
The largest demographic group at Santa Cruz High is White at 58.1% of enrollment, in Santa Cruz, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Santa Cruz High?
Santa Cruz High has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (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 High rank among high schools in Santa Cruz?
By Resource Investment Index, Santa Cruz High ranks #2 of 3 high 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 high schools in Santa Cruz on the city page.
What other schools are in Santa Cruz City High?
Besides Santa Cruz High, Santa Cruz City High also operates Soquel High (1,074 students), Harbor High (1,013 students), and Mission Hill Middle (510 students). See the Santa Cruz City High district page for the complete list.