Hillcrest Middle, Sebastopol CA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Hillcrest Middle

Hillcrest Middle is a charter middle school in Sebastopol serving grades six through eight within the Gravenstein Union Elementary district. The school enrolls a small cohort of about three hundred students, split nearly evenly across the three middle-grade levels. Its student body is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic enrollment and smaller shares of students of multiple races and Asian heritage. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

On state assessments, Hillcrest's performance shows strength in language arts and a more mixed picture in mathematics and science. In English language arts across all three grades, the school's proficiency rate is solid, with sixth graders performing notably well. Math proficiency drops in seventh grade and recovers somewhat by eighth grade. Science proficiency, assessed only in grade eight, sits at about the middle of the range. When averaged across all tested subjects and grades, Hillcrest ranks in the top quartile among schools across Sonoma County, indicating above-average overall academic standing in its county context.

The school is part of a district that operates with substantial inter-district choice. The Gravenstein district itself serves students well beyond its original boundaries through its charter schools and through an ENRICH! magnet program that pairs enriched curriculum—drama, STEM, music, maker lab—with an extended school day. This gives families some agency in the choice of schools and programs even within district enrollment. Hillcrest's charter status reflects this openness; it draws from a broader catchment than neighborhood assignment alone.

Sebastopol itself is a small wine-country city with a compact, artsy downtown and a progressive character. Housing costs are high, well above both state and national medians, and rents are also elevated. The town is set within walking distance to parks and trails, has independent retail and food service, and benefits from the nearby Barlow open-air marketplace and Main Street antique shops. Civic anchors include Ives Park, Ragle Ranch Regional Park, and the Joe Rodota Trail, which connects to Santa Rosa by bike. As of mid-2026 the public library was temporarily closed pending environmental review, though service continued through other branches.

The town is actively developing housing to meet state housing targets. Several projects are in the pipeline, including an eighty-unit condominium development, deed-restricted affordable rental units, and supportive housing backed by state grants. This growth activity is being negotiated against the scarcity of new for-sale homes and rising prices over recent years.

A significant shift may be coming to the district: a unification feasibility study completed in late 2024 examined merging Gravenstein with neighboring elementary districts and the high school district into a single West County Unified School District. Proponents stated no school closures were planned, but the study outlined potential cost savings and revenue shifts. This proposal still requires further approval and a voter measure, so families may want to track its progress as it shapes the district's future governance and resources. For now, Gravenstein remains its own district, with Hillcrest positioned as a charter option within it.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 669%

School 69% · District 69%

▲ 38 pts above state median · ▲ 34 pts above county median

Grade 753%

School 53% · District 53%

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Grade 864%

School 64% · District 64%

▲ 36 pts above state median · ▲ 34 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 680%

School 80% · District 80%

▲ 36 pts above state median · ▲ 30 pts above county median

Grade 768%

School 68% · District 68%

▲ 22 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Grade 873%

School 73% · District 73%

▲ 29 pts above state median · ▲ 26 pts above county median

Science

Grade 854%

School 54% · District 53% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 26 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 880%

School 80% · District 80%

▲ 31 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

This schoolGravenstein Union Elementary, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income74%Higher-income84%10 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income48%Higher-income77%29 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income58%Higher-income78%20 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income68%Higher-income69%2 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income38%Higher-income61%24 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income52%Higher-income68%15 pp gap