C. T. English Middle, Los Gatos CA

Original Research by School Decision on C. T. English Middle

C. T. English Middle is a small public middle school in Los Gatos, located on Summit Road and serving grades six through eight. The school enrolls a small group of students with relatively shallow diversity: the enrollment is predominantly white, with modest representation of Asian, multiracial, and Hispanic students. A small share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

Academically, the school's state assessment results in 2024-25 show proficiency rates that are respectable but uneven. In math, seventh-grade students performed best, while eighth-graders showed notably lower proficiency. English language arts proficiency was stronger in seventh grade and somewhat softer in sixth grade. In eighth-grade science, proficiency was solid. These grade-level swings suggest the school may face particular instructional challenges in the upper grades or transitions between courses. Overall, the school's proficiency index places it in the top quartile of Santa Cruz County districts when comparing across all tested subjects and grades, which is a genuine strength.

The school sits within the Loma Prieta Joint Union Elementary District, a small two-school, kindergarten-through-eighth-grade district that has faced significant fiscal headwinds. In November 2022, district voters rejected Measure M, a proposed parcel tax intended to fund teacher retention, core academic programs, classroom technology, and instructional materials. This was the district's second consecutive failed parcel tax, leaving it without the annual revenue it sought. At the same time, the district has experienced sustained enrollment decline over recent years, which compounds the financial pressure and raises questions about long-term program stability and staffing continuity.

Los Gatos itself is an affluent, small-town community organized around a walkable historic downtown with independent retail and restaurants, set against residential neighborhoods with established homes. Housing values are substantially above state and national medians. Netflix, headquartered in Los Gatos, is the defining employer and has anchored a streaming-tech ecosystem in the area. The town has historically taken a conservative approach to development and density, though 2026 has brought significant new mixed-use projects that will add housing and retail. Civic life centers on the public library, Pageant Park, and the Los Gatos Creek Trail. Public transit is served by VTA buses and light rail.

For a family considering this school, the main academic read is solid proficiency in most grades and subjects, with a notable softness in eighth-grade math worth discussing with the school. The defining structural question is the district's fiscal instability following the failed parcel tax and ongoing enrollment decline, which could affect teaching hires, program breadth, and instructional resources in ways a parent may want to look into further.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 676%

School 76% · District 75% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 46 pts above state median · ▲ 39 pts above county median

Grade 779%

School 79% · District 79%

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

Grade 864%

School 64% · District 64%

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

English language arts

Grade 667%

School 67% · District 66% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 781%

School 81% · District 81%

▲ 35 pts above state median · ▲ 24 pts above county median

Grade 875%

School 75% · District 75%

▲ 30 pts above state median · ▲ 24 pts above county median

Science

Grade 869%

School 69% · District 69%

▲ 43 pts above state median · ▲ 32 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 886%

School 86% · District 86%

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

This schoolLoma Prieta Joint 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.