Aptos High School, established in 1968, is located in the beautiful hills of the Aptos community between the cities of Watsonville to the south and Santa Cruz to the north.  Aptos, with a population of 25,000, is an unincorporated area of Santa Cruz County. Residents of Aptos enjoy close proximity to the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park and Seacliff State Beach. The community is made up of beach resorts and rentals, suburban developments, and rural cabins in the country. The AHS geographic attendance area is large; we serve a diverse student body from Aptos, Corralitos, and Watsonville. AHS is a “commuter school” with just less than half of our students using district school bus transportation at least one direction to and from school. One of three comprehensive high schools in the K-12 Pajaro Valley Unified School District, AHS has a population of 1,450 students, 70 teachers, and 40 support staff. 

Since 2005, enrollment has dropped and relieved overcrowding. AHS is in its third year of planned declining enrollment due to the opening of a third comprehensive high school in the district. Construction on the AHS campus and the planned enrollment drop has led to the removal of a dozen portable classrooms from campus. Enrollment will decline for one more year when the new high school will have four full classes and AHS enrollment will stabilize at around 1,300 students for the 08-09 school year. Enrollment could be higher than that estimate due to the large number of intra-district requests for transfer to AHS.

This declining enrollment means a shift in ethnic diversity: a lower percentage of Hispanic population and a decrease in the English Language Learner population and the migrant population. Asian and African American populations are growing too, but have not reached the ten percent of the total population to be considered a sub-group by the state.

Sub Group-% of Total Enrollment

Despite AHS's declining enrollment, special programs still offer dedicated courses and support in Advanced Placement, Special Education, and English Language Development. Six years ago, 235 students (12%) were enrolled in ten AP courses and this year, the 265 students (17%) are enrolled in a dozen AP courses.

Special Programs- % of Total Enrollment

The dropout rate for AHS for the last several years, at two to three percent, is below the county average and well below the state average of 13%.

Aptos High students attend a modified block schedule : three days per week, a traditional 1 – 6 period schedule of 55-minute periods three days per week and 100-minute blocks and a tutorial two days per week. The 50-minute academic tutorial is organized by grade level for homework, making up tests, and distributing school information. Three Math courses are offered during a zero period; two Visual and Performing Arts classes are offered during a seventh period, extending the school day and offering more student choice regarding their schedules. Freshmen and sophomores have a minimum six period day; juniors have a minimum five period day, and seniors may have a four period day if they're enrolled at the local community college.

AHS site governance is vested in two groups: Instructional Council (IC) and Site Council. Both groups have responsibility for reviewing, revising, and approving the school budget and school improvement plan. IC is made up of ten department chairs, the activity director, the migrant counselor, an administration representative, and the principal. They meet twice monthly and make curriculum, staff development, and daily scheduling decisions. The Site Council meets monthly in the evenings (open to the public) and is made up of three parents, three students, three teachers, one other school personnel, (elected by their peer group) and the principal. They monitor school categorical grants such as Carl Perkins, Limited English (LEP), Targeted Instruction for Underperforming Groups (TIIG), and School Improvement Program (SIP) funds. The largest discretionary budget is SIP and is awarded through an application process to staff and programs.