Soquel Union Elementary, CA

Original Research by School Decision on Soquel Union Elementary

Soquel Union Elementary is a kindergarten-through-eighth-grade district serving a spread of small communities in the coastal Santa Cruz County region: Soquel itself, Aptos, Capitola, and parts of Santa Cruz. The district enrolls a solid mid-sized population across five schools, with student composition that is just over half white and a significant Hispanic presence of about a third of enrollment. Demographic breakdowns on free-or-reduced-price lunch status and English learner counts are not publicly available; a parent looking to understand whether the district serves high-need populations would need to request that information directly.

Test results show an uneven academic picture. In English language arts, proficiency climbs markedly through the upper middle grades, reaching a majority of students by seventh grade and staying strong through eighth. Math proficiency sits lower and flatter across the grade span, hovering in the low-to-mid range at every tested level, with a notable dip in eighth grade. Science proficiency, measured only at fifth and eighth grade, sits below the ELA line. Overall proficiency across subjects places the district below the midpoint among Santa Cruz County's other districts, a position that reflects the weight of mid-range to lower math and science results.

Attendance emerges as a material concern. The chronic absenteeism rate is in the bottom quartile among county districts, meaning a notably high proportion of students are missing school on a regular basis. For parents considering whether to enroll here, this is worth examining closely: attendance challenges at scale can affect classroom dynamics and instructional continuity, and the district's rate is notably worse than most of its neighbors.

The housing market across the district's service area is expensive. Home values are substantial, with median weighted home value well above the state benchmark, and rental costs are similarly high relative to regional income. Monthly mortgage estimates on a typical home in the area would consume a large share of household budget. Affordability is tight; housing costs run well above what the national median would carry.

A significant recent development is the passage of Measure P in November 2024, a general obligation bond for school facilities. This adds a lasting property tax that funds turf field replacement, classroom and food-service upgrades, and infrastructure repair across the district's schools. For homeowners, this is a permanent tax increase; for families considering the district, it reflects a commitment to physical plant renewal but also signals that facilities had been aging and that voters felt the need to invest substantially to address that.

The district has tried and failed repeatedly to pass parcel taxes intended to fund music, art, and teacher salaries. Three separate attempts in past years each fell short of the required two-thirds threshold despite winning majority support. For families who see arts and enrichment as core to their children's education, this is a real gap: the successful funding avenue has been buildings, not programs or staffing.

The district comprises five schools and serves kindergarten through eighth grade, sending its eighth-grade students onward to high school elsewhere in the county. State data on graduation rates and long-term outcomes is therefore not available for this district.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

1,566

Grades

KG–08

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 34%

Black 1%

White 55%

Asian 2%

Two+ 7%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

38%

—

Gr 3

29%

51%

Gr 4

36%

56%

Gr 5

35%

64%

Gr 6

41%

65%

Gr 7

46%

72%

Gr 8

38%

60%

Math

Gr ALL

26%

—

Gr 3

27%

52%

Gr 4

34%

52%

Gr 5

26%

43%

Gr 6

29%

52%

Gr 7

30%

55%

Gr 8

13%

44%

Science

Gr 5

23%

51%

Gr 8

17%

53%

Gr HS

20%

—

Schools in this District

5 schools are officially reported under this district.

Main Street Elementary

New Brighton Middle

Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary

Soquel Elementary

Opal Cliffs

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

44%

Grade 3

46%

Grade 4

38%

Grade 5

44%

Grade 6

48%

Grade 7

35%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

44%

Grade 3

49%

Grade 4

55%

Grade 5

56%

Grade 6

65%

Grade 7

53%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

43%

Grade 5

43%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

69%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$1.34M

Year-over-year change+2.6%

Range across 5 ZIP codes$1.3M to $1.4M

vs. state typical1.73x

vs. national typical3.64x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (5 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
95073	Soquel	$1.3M	+3.4%	63.3%
95065	Santa Cruz	$1.4M	+2.1%	14.2%
95003	Aptos	$1.4M	-0.1%	11.3%
95010	Capitola	$1.3M	+1.6%	8.9%
95062	Santa Cruz	$1.3M	+2.1%	2.3%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$3,893/mo

Year-over-year change+4.7%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$3,319 to $4,424/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
95003	Aptos	$4,424	+5.3%	11.3%
95010	Capitola	$3,319	+4.7%	8.9%
95062	Santa Cruz	$3,500	+1.9%	2.3%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$6,764/mo

Home price / national median income16.0x

Annual rent / national median income55.8%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$2,871/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.