Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District

In fiscal year 2012, Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District’s student achievement was similar to peer districts’, and its operations were reasonably efficient overall. The District’s per pupil administrative costs were much lower than peer districts’, on average. However, the District lacked adequate controls over its computer network and systems. The District’s per pupil plant operations costs were also lower than peer districts’, in part because the District operated less square footage than the peer districts averaged, but also because the District has been proactively managing its plant operations to keep costs down by closing or leasing out unused facilities and improving its energy efficiency. Further, despite higher per pupil costs in food service and transportation, the District operated in a reasonably efficient manner in these programs as well, with a similar cost per meal as peer districts’, on average, and efficient bus routes overall.