Top Rankings
Pajaro Valley Unified School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in California for:
Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 8 public high schools serving 5,198 students in Pajaro Valley Unified School District. This district's average high testing ranking is 4/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public high schools in California.
Public High Schools in Pajaro Valley Unified School District have an average math proficiency score of 16% (versus the California public high school average of 28%), and reading proficiency score of 41% (versus the 51% statewide average).
Public High School in Pajaro Valley Unified School District have a Graduation Rate of 88%, which is more than the California average of 86%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Aptos High School, with 95% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in California or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 88% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the California public high school average of 79% (majority Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (CA)
# Schools
34 Schools
2,801 Schools
# Students
16,482 Students
2,122,788 Students
# Teachers
779 Teachers
101,054 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
21:1
21:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Pajaro Valley Unified School District, which is ranked #1567 of all 1,904 school districts in California (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 89% has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#1561 out of 1932 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
17%
34%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
27%
47%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
17%
29%
Graduation Rate
89%
87%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.28
0.63
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
1%
12%
% Hispanic
84%
56%
% Black
n/a
5%
% White
13%
21%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
2%
5%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $20,702 is higher than the state median of $20,100. The school district revenue/student has grown by 31% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $19,256 is higher than the state median of $18,511. The school district spending/student has grown by 11% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$341 MM
$116,387 MM
Spending
$317 MM
$107,188 MM
Revenue / Student
$20,702
$20,100
Spending / Student
$19,256
$18,511
Best Pajaro Valley Unified School District Public High Schools (2026)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Diamond Technology Institute
Charter School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
112 Diamond Dr.
Watsonville, CA 95076
(831) 728-6225
Watsonville, CA 95076
(831) 728-6225
Gr: 9-12 | 87 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 95%
Rank: #22.
Aptos High School
(Math: 31% | Reading: 66%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
100 Mariner Way
Aptos, CA 95003
(831) 728-7832
Aptos, CA 95003
(831) 728-7832
Gr: 9-12 | 1,274 students Student-teacher ratio: 22:1 Minority enrollment: 60%
Rank: #33.
New School Community Day
Alternative School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: <50%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
165 Harkins Slough Rd.
Watsonville, CA 95076
(831) 761-6140
Watsonville, CA 95076
(831) 761-6140
Gr: 9-12 | 42 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1
Rank: #44.
Pvusd Virtual Academy
Alternative School
(Math: 15-19% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
250 East Beach St.
Watsonville, CA 95076
(831) 786-2482
Watsonville, CA 95076
(831) 786-2482
Gr: K-12 | 43 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 88%
Rank: #55.
Pacific Coast Charter
Charter School
(Math: 15-19% | Reading: 30-39%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
294 Green Valley Rd.
Watsonville, CA 95076
(831) 786-2180
Watsonville, CA 95076
(831) 786-2180
Gr: K-12 | 132 students Student-teacher ratio: 22:1 Minority enrollment: 90%
Rank: #66.
Pajaro Valley High School
(Math: 8% | Reading: 36%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
500 Harkins Slough Rd.
Watsonville, CA 95076
(831) 728-8102
Watsonville, CA 95076
(831) 728-8102
Gr: 9-12 | 1,293 students Student-teacher ratio: 22:1 Minority enrollment: 98%
Rank: #77.
Watsonville High School
(Math: 9% | Reading: 31%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
250 East Beach St.
Watsonville, CA 95076
(831) 728-6390
Watsonville, CA 95076
(831) 728-6390
Gr: 9-12 | 2,215 students Student-teacher ratio: 24:1 Minority enrollment: 98%
Rank: #88.
Renaissance High Continuation
Alternative School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: ≤10%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
11 Spring Valley Rd.
Watsonville, CA 95076
(831) 728-6344
Watsonville, CA 95076
(831) 728-6344
Gr: 9-12 | 112 students Student-teacher ratio: 7:1 Minority enrollment: 96%
Recent Articles
When “Free Public School” Still Isn’t Free
Discover the hidden costs of public school in 2026, from supplies and fees to transportation, technology, and extracurricular expenses.
What a District Budget Cut Means for Your Child's School Experience
Learn how district budget cuts can affect class sizes, programs, staffing, transportation, and your child's daily school experience in 2026.
School Closure Risk: What Parents Should Check Before Moving
Learn how parents can assess school closure risk before buying or renting in a district, using enrollment, funding, and boundary data.
