Bonny Doon Union Elementary, CA

Original Research by School Decision on Bonny Doon Union Elementary

Bonny Doon Union Elementary serves kindergarten through sixth grade in Santa Cruz County as a single-school district. The enrollment is small, reflecting a sharp decline since 2020 tied to the CZU Lightning Complex Fire and slow rebuilding in the area. The student body is predominantly White, with smaller shares of Hispanic, multiracial, Asian, and Black students. Data on free-or-reduced-price lunch rates and special populations such as English learners or students with IEPs was not available.

The district's state assessment results from the most recent school year show uneven performance across grades and subjects. In English language arts, overall proficiency across tested grades is in the mid-range, with third grade performing above the midpoint and fourth grade notably lower. Math proficiency shows a steep decline from third to fifth grade, with fifth-grade math results particularly weak. The district's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among Santa Cruz County's districts, though the profile masks considerable grade-level volatility. Data for sixth grade in both math and English language arts was suppressed, likely due to small cohort size. Science proficiency in fifth grade fell in the mid-to-upper range. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand whether the lower proficiency in fourth and fifth grade math reflects curriculum transitions, specific cohort needs, or other factors.

The district operates in a region with significant housing costs. Homes in the area command prices well above California's state benchmark, and rental costs are similarly elevated relative to regional income. This is a high-cost area for housing, and families considering the district should factor that context into their planning.

The district has experienced important recent shifts. In November 2024, voters approved a general obligation bond for facility upgrades and construction, funded through property taxes. The bond is restricted to facility projects such as maintenance and infrastructure improvements aimed at reducing vulnerability to power outages and winter storms. This bond represents a long-term tax commitment for property owners. Additionally, following the 2020 fire, the district significantly expanded social-emotional and counseling support, increasing from limited hours to two full days weekly. The school has repositioned itself as a community resource center focused on healing and wellness. These are durable changes in the school's programming and culture that distinguish the district.

Staff are reducing hours across the district due to the smaller enrollment, which affects class sizes and program stability. A parent should ask the district directly about which positions or programs have been reduced and how the school is managing instruction with lower staffing. The chronic absenteeism rate is elevated relative to other districts in the county, sitting in the bottom quartile, which may reflect ongoing recovery dynamics or transportation and engagement challenges in this rural or semi-rural setting. Per-pupil spending is in the upper range among county districts, a reflection of the small enrollment base divided across a fixed cost structure.

See more original research from School Decision →

District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

Grades

KG–06

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 13%

Black 1%

White 75%

Asian 3%

Two+ 7%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

42%

—

Gr 3

—

85%

Gr 4

—

42%

Math

Gr ALL

50%

—

Gr 3

—

77%

Gr 4

—

50%

Schools in this District

1 schools are officially reported under this district.

Bonny Doon Elementary

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

3 grades reported

74%

Grade 3

50%

Grade 4

18%

Grade 5

English Language Arts

3 grades reported

68%

Grade 3

43%

Grade 4

55%

Grade 5

Science

1 grade reported

64%

Grade 5

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$1.38M

Year-over-year change+3.8%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$843K to $1.4M

vs. state typical1.78x

vs. national typical3.76x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
95060	Santa Cruz	$1.4M	+3.9%	98.5%
95017	Davenport	$979K	-5.4%	0.9%
95018	Ben Lomond	$843K	+1.7%	0.7%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$3,598/mo

Year-over-year change+2.5%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$2,500 to $3,605/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
95060	Santa Cruz	$3,605	+2.5%	98.5%
95018	Ben Lomond	$2,500	—	0.7%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$6,977/mo

Home price / national median income16.5x

Annual rent / national median income51.6%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$3,379/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$776,233 (-1.1% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.