Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified
Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified has 15 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 77.9/100 — 34.1 points above the California state average of 43.8. The highest-scoring school is Cornerstone at Pedregal Elementary at 93/100, where 68.3% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $12,873 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 1 school shows positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 9.5%, below the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Avg Score | Schools | Exceeded | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | 78.1 | 10 | 56.3% | 8.4% |
| Middle | 72.6 | 3 | 46.8% | 9.8% |
| High | 84.5 | 2 | 51.3% | 14.6% |
K–12 pipeline
The typical school path in Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified, top-scoring shown first.
District Analysis
Strongest level: Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified's high schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 84.5.
Growth story: District-wide elementary growth averages +4.5pp (state avg: -3.0pp), suggesting schools are adding meaningful value.
Consistency: Score range of 31.7 points — showing significant variation between schools.
Absenteeism: District chronic absenteeism averages 9.5%, 8.6pp above the state average of 18.1%.
Suspensions: District suspension rate averages 1.0%, near the state average of 1.7%.
Top school: Cornerstone at Pedregal Elementary leads the district at 93 with 68.3% exceeding standard.
How we score · Scope Score methodology
School archetypes in Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified
Hidden gems: 1 school in Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified is classified as Growth Engine — showing positive growth trajectories that raw proficiency scores alone don't capture. These are schools where students leave with more than they arrived with.
Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more
Student demographics
District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data
District Funding
Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified spends $12,873 per student in current expenditures — $1,941 below the state average of $14,815.
Data source: NCES Common Core of Data, Fiscal Survey (F-33) · 2019–2020
Teacher compensation
CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25
Elementary Schools (10)
Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified has 10 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 78.1 — 34.3 points above the state average of 43.8. 1 of 10 elementary schools have Scope Scores above 90.
District-wide growth averages +4.5pp, suggesting schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.
The highest-scoring elementary school is Cornerstone at Pedregal Elementary with a Scope Score of 93 and 68.3% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Score | Exceeded | Met+ | Growth | Absent | Susp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cornerstone at Pedregal Elementary Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified High Ceiling | 93 | 68.3% | 91.2% | +6.3pp | 7.9% | 0.1% |
| 2 | Soleado Elementary Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified High Ceiling | 83 | 65.0% | 87.2% | +2.8pp | 6.1% | 0.5% |
| 3 | Vista Grande Elementary Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified High Ceiling | 80 | 59.2% | 81.3% | -1.3pp | 5.8% | 0.4% |
| 4 | Silver Spur Elementary Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified High Ceiling | 80 | 61.4% | 86.7% | +2.0pp | 6.8% | 0.1% |
| 5 | Montemalaga Elementary Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified High Ceiling | 79 | 60.1% | 83.0% | +6.4pp | 11.0% | 0.6% |
| 6 | Rancho Vista Elementary Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified High Ceiling | 78 | 59.3% | 80.9% | +18.6pp | 9.9% | 0.2% |
| 7 | Point Vicente Elementary Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified High Ceiling | 78 | 54.6% | 80.7% | -10.8pp | 11.3% | 0.9% |
| 8 | Lunada Bay Elementary Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified High Ceiling | 76 | 50.1% | 76.8% | +1.6pp | 7.8% | 1.5% |
| 9 | Mira Catalina Elementary Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified Growth Engine | 70 | 46.8% | 72.8% | +16.8pp | 11.0% | 0.4% |
| 10 | Dapplegray Elementary Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified Strong All-Around | 65 | 38.5% | 71.7% | +2.3pp | 6.4% | 0.5% |
Middle Schools (3)
Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified has 3 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 72.6 — 32.1 points above the state average of 40.5. 2 of 3 middle schools score above 70.
Growth is essentially flat at -0.9pp.
The highest-scoring middle school is Ridgecrest Intermediate with a Scope Score of 81 and 56.4% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Score | Exceeded | Met+ | Growth | Absent | Susp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ridgecrest Intermediate Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified High Ceiling | 81 | 56.4% | 82.2% | -3.5pp | 6.4% | 2.9% |
| 2 | Palos Verdes Intermediate Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified Strong All-Around | 76 | 48.4% | 77.8% | +4.5pp | 10.5% | 1.0% |
| 3 | Miraleste Intermediate Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified Solid Base | 61 | 35.7% | 65.7% | -3.6pp | 12.4% | 4.3% |
High Schools (2)
Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified has 2 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 84.5 — 37.1 points above the state average of 47.5. 2 of 2 high schools score above 70.
The highest-scoring high school is Palos Verdes Peninsula High with a Scope Score of 87 and 57.8% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Score | Exceeded | Met+ | Absent | Susp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palos Verdes Peninsula High Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified High Ceiling | 87 | 57.8% | 82.4% | 14.1% | 1.1% |
| 2 | Palos Verdes High Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified Strong All-Around | 82 | 44.8% | 69.6% | 15.1% | 1.0% |
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2024-25 · Methodology
Scores are SchoolScope's analysis of public data, not official CDE ratings. They represent one way of interpreting test results and should not be the sole basis for school decisions.
What Scope Scores can't tell you about Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified
- Class sizes and student-teacher interaction quality
- Quality of arts, music, athletics, and enrichment programs
- Teacher experience, turnover, and professional development
- Campus safety, bullying climate, and social-emotional support
- Parent and community engagement levels
- Quality of special education and gifted programs
- How resources are distributed across schools within the district
Scope Scores measure academic performance and school climate using public data. They are one lens among many. Full methodology