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Email BoardPajaro Valley High
500 Harkins Slough Road, Watsonville, CA 95076-9453
Summary
Pajaro Valley High is underperforming.
Reading and math results average to the 43rd percentile among comparable California schools.
51.0% of students met California's reading standard, and it is quickly trending up.
Math is weaker: 14.5% of students met California's math standard, and it is trending down slightly.
Proficiency stats
| Current Reading Proficiency | 51.0% |
| Current Math Proficiency | 14.5% |
| Reading State Rank | 799/1,596 (50th percentile) |
| Math State Rank | 1,018/1,596 (36th percentile) |
School information
| Student / Teacher Ratio | 22:1 |
| Student enrollment (2024–25) | 1,293 |
| Low-Income Students | 1,090 (84.3%) |
| English Learners | 313 (24.2%) |
School Website
Great Schools
Niche
Ed-Data
CAASPP| Admissions | Open enrollment |
|---|---|
| Charter school | No |
| Magnet school | No |
Test score trends
Reading rose 11.0 points from last year and rose 14.3 points over the full period. Math rose 5.7 points from last year and fell 0.5 points over the full period.
•Math -0.5 percentage points (2024–2026)Reading Proficiency Scores
2026 state test results
Race and Ethnicity
Only one group has a reportable reading result.
Distribution of Scores by Grade
51.0% of tested students meet the reading standard in the grade shown. Overall, the school’s reading results rank No. 799 of 1,596 among California schools in the same grade-level category.
Low-Income vs Non-Low-Income
The 19.0-point reading income gap is slightly wider than the 14.7-point gap at a typical California 9–12 school. It widened over the period shown.
•English Learners vs English Native
6.9% of English learners meet the reading standard, compared with 47.2% of English-only students. The gap narrowed as English-learner results rose and English-only results fell.
•Math Proficiency Scores
2026 state test results
Race and Ethnicity
Only one group has a reportable math result.
Distribution of Scores by Grade
14.5% of tested students meet the math standard in the grade shown. Overall, the school’s math results rank No. 1,018 of 1,596 among California schools in the same grade-level category.
Low-Income vs Non-Low-Income
The 11.2-point math income gap is narrower than the 14.2-point gap at a typical California 9–12 school. It widened over the period shown.
•English Learners vs English Native
10.3% of English learners meet the math standard, compared with 8.3% of English-only students. The gap narrowed as English-learner results rose and English-only results fell.
•How we compare income gaps
“Typical” means the median gap across 876 schools for reading and 882 for math. The comparison uses 2026 California 9–12 schools with at least 20 tested students in each income group and a reported low-income student population. Each school counts once. Its gap is non-low-income proficiency minus low-income proficiency, including negative gaps. California state test data
Understanding this school
How does Pajaro Valley High compare within the district?
Pajaro Valley High is No. 3 in reading and No. 4 in math proficiency among the 4 9–12 schools in Pajaro Valley Unified with 2026 results.
Explore the district’s schoolsHow does Pajaro Valley High rank in California?
Pajaro Valley High ranks No. 799 of 1,596 in reading and No. 1,018 of 1,596 in math for 2026. These proficiency rankings compare California schools in the same grade-level category.
How do low-income students at Pajaro Valley High compare within the district?
Low-income students here rank No. 1 in reading and No. 2 in math among 3 9–12 district schools with reportable 2026 results for this group. 49.8% meet the reading standard and 13.8% meet the math standard.
See results by student groupHow does Pajaro Valley High compare with other schools in Watsonville?
Pajaro Valley High is No. 2 in reading and No. 3 in math proficiency among the 3 9–12 schools in Watsonville with 2026 results.
Explore schools in WatsonvilleHow does Pajaro Valley High compare with other schools in Santa Cruz County?
Pajaro Valley High is No. 9 in both reading and math proficiency among the 11 9–12 schools in Santa Cruz County with 2026 results.
Explore schools in Santa Cruz CountyWhich schools should I compare?
Schools serving 9–12 in the same district.
| School | Math | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Pajaro Valley HighThis school | 14.5% | 51.0% |
| Diamond Technology Institute | 22.7% | 77.3% |
| Watsonville High | 15.4% | 34.9% |
