The Sunnyvale School District is located in the northwestern section of Santa Clara County, the heart of the Santa Clara Valley. This area is home of the largest and most progressive electronic firms and is often referred to as "Silicon Valley." About two thirds of the K-8 students who live in the City of Sunnyvale are within the boundaries of the Sunnyvale School District. As of January 2003, the district enrollment was 6,588 students. The District has experienced modest enrollment growth over the past few years and this trend is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. The District operates eight elementary schools, serving students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade, and two middle schools, serving students in grades six, seven, and eight.

The District encompasses a student population that is racially and ethnically representative of the state of California. The Sunnyvale School District student body is made up of the following ethnic percentages: American Indian 0.8%, Pacific Islander 1%, African-American 3.5%, Filipino 9.1%, Asian 19.6%, Hispanic 41.3%, White 26%.

The Sunnyvale School District is a Kindergarten through Eighth Grade District. After eighth grade, students transfer to the Fremont Union High School District. It varies by address, but most students who attended Sunnyvale Middle School will attend Homestead High School. Most students who attended Columbia Middle School will attend Fremont High School.

The Sunnyvale School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, marital status, sex, or handicap in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs and activities.