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Palm Springs High · Palm Springs

Palm Springs High: This school runs ahead of the state average. The bar itself is the harder conversation.

Palm Springs posts 36% meeting the standard against 36% statewide — ahead of most, with real headroom above the bar.

2401 East Baristo Road, 92262 (opens in new tab)·Palm Springs Unified·Palm Springs·Grades 9-12·1,497 students·96% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(760) 778-0400·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope4944
% Exceeded13%16%
% Met+36%36%
Grad rate93.7%87.6%
College readiness66.4%35.4%
Absence31.8%30.2%
Suspension2.8%3.6%
Scope Score
49
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #836 statewide · #1 of 6 in Palm Springs Unified

Palm Springs High scores 49 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 61st percentile of 2,160 California high schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Measures test performance, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How we score →

🌱 Building Momentum — This label means the data doesn't clearly sort the school one way or the other — ask what the school is proud of, and what it's working on.

Most rating sites would stop at “36% proficient” and call it done. Palm Springs deserves a closer read. The school sits in Palm Springs, where nearly all students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

Palm Springs's low-income kids hit 53.4% proficiency in ELA — a number the same group reaches at 38.2% statewide. If you're trying to read past zip-code-driven test scores, that's the signal worth weighing.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,160 high schools statewide

Slipped from the 75th to the 61st percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAYellow(Declined Significantly)MathGreen(Increased Significantly)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 36% meet the standard today, versus 47% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1161%62%59%52%53%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1133%24%25%21%19%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
36%
State 36%
Graduate
94%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
66%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 36 are proficient by 11th grade → 94 graduate → 66 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

53.4%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

Palm Springs's most underrated number

53.4% of low-income students met the ELA standard — versus 38.2% for the same group statewide. That's the strongest kind of signal a school can post: it holds across income lines.

Palm Springs low-income: 53.4%State low-income: 38.2%Palm Springs EL: 4.0%State EL: 10.4%

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
93.7%
State 87.6%
6.1pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
12.9%
State 15.8%
2.9pp below state avg
College readiness
66.4%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate above state avg
Met or exceeded
35.9%
State 35.7%
0.2pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
31.8%
State 30.2%
1.6pp above state avg
Suspension rate
2.8%
State 3.6%
0.8pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
11.1%
State 18.0%
6.9pp below state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask how the school challenges kids who clear the standard early. The gap between meeting and exceeding is where pacing shows.

  • Ask whether extra support — tutoring, counseling, small groups — reaches kids across income lines, not just the students already ahead.
  • Ask whether the tour can step into a working classroom — watch how the teacher handles a student who's stuck.
  • Ask to tour while school's in session, and notice how hallways and transitions feel — culture shows up between classes, not just in them.
  • Ask how the school communicates with families when a child starts to struggle.
  • Ask what a typical day looks like for a new student in the first few weeks.

How every group of students does here

At Palm Springs High in Palm Springs, 53.4% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 35.8% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Palm Springs High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 17.6 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (18.6% Math proficient); Hispanic students (50.6% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 49.1 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 341 students tested.

All students at this school: 36% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 36%, district —, state 36%36%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 36%, district 29%, state 32%36% · +0 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 33%, district 27%, state 32%33% · −3 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 40%, district 30%, state 44%40% · +4 vs school
MaleMale: this school 32%, district 29%, state 42%32% · −4 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 2%, district 8%, state 11%2% · −34 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 47%, district 44%, state 56%47% · +11 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 12%, district 7%, state 15%12% · −24 vs school
HomelessHomeless: this school 30%, district 22%, state 22%30% · −6 vs school
Black/African AmericanBlack/African American: this school 33%, district 22%, state 26%33% · −2 vs school
FilipinoFilipino: this school 50%, district 59%, state 65%50% · +14 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 33%, district 39%, state 56%33% · −2 vs school

5 of 17 student groups here are too small to report — a privacy protection, not a gap.

this school district, same group California, same group

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 31.8%, district 28.1%, state 30.2%31.8% · +1.6pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 2.8%, district —, state 3.6%2.8% · −0.8pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–1231.8%

Where the path goes

The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.

K-12 Feeder Path

Feeder patterns derived from NCES attendance boundary data. Boundaries are approximate and may have changed — verify with your school district for current assignments.

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 21:1, district 20:121:1
Teaching staff72 teachers
Avg. experience12.4 years
Fully credentialed79%
First-year teachers4%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$66,051 – $133,990
Principal salary$168,793 – $197,021
Superintendent salary$303,050

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered39
AP exam qualifiers144 students
CTE pathway completers47 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $22,301, CA average $14,815$22,301 · spent at this school
Federal share$285 per student

$285 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$24,457 per student

The district's current expense of education per student, from CDE's annual SACS filing — the freshest district spending figure the state publishes.

Where the district's dollars go · FY 2024–25 · CDE SACS
Instruction61%
Instruction support11%
Student services10%
Administration6%
Buildings & maintenance11%
Other1%

District-level, from the district's own SACS general-ledger filing — school-by-school breakdowns aren't published by the state.

district detail, 2016–2020 — the newest published
2020$16,422 per pupil
2019$15,347 per pupil
2018$14,904 per pupil
2017$14,951 per pupil
2016$14,624 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic72.7%
District 82.2% · CA 56.1%
White12.0%
District 8.2% · CA 19.9%
Other7.2%
District 5.0% · CA 9.0%
Black6.5%
District 3.8% · CA 4.8%
Asian1.6%
District 0.8% · CA 10.2%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 95.7% (32pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$72K · CA $85K
Median home value$620K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+40% · CA 35%
ZIP population26,887
Median age55 years

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 20% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Palm Springs High a good high school?

Palm Springs High has a Scope Score of 49 out of 100, placing it in the 61st percentile of California high schools and ranked #836 statewide. 12.9% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 2.9 percentage points below the California average of 15.8%. The Scope Score weights 7 dimensions for high schools: graduation rate (25%), exceeded standard (22%), college/career readiness (20%), met or exceeded (proficient) (18%), chronic absenteeism (5%), suspension rate (5%), and ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.

What are Palm Springs High's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 35.9% of students at Palm Springs High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 12.9% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 23.0% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 12.9% pushed past it. Most rating sites report only the combined "proficient" number. SchoolScope surfaces the exceeded-vs-met split because it reveals whether a school's curriculum challenges students beyond minimum proficiency or paces toward it. 707 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Palm Springs High rank in California?

Palm Springs High ranks #836 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 61st percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), chronic absenteeism, and suspension rate. Unlike single-number ratings, the Scope Score shows what drives the ranking so parents can decide what matters most to their family. See full methodology.

What is the attendance and school culture like at Palm Springs High?

31.8% of students at Palm Springs High are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 30.2%. The suspension rate is 2.8%. SchoolScope includes these culture metrics in the Scope Score because they reflect day-to-day school experience in ways test scores alone cannot.

How does Palm Springs High compare to other schools in Palm Springs?

Palm Springs High scores 49/100 (61st percentile) among California high schools. To compare with nearby schools, SchoolScope shows the same metrics side by side: exceeded rate, proficiency, growth trajectory, and school culture indicators. The school serves 1,497 students. Use the schools in Palm Springs page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does Palm Springs High serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Palm Springs High in Palm Springs, 53.4% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 35.8% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Palm Springs High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 17.6 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (18.6% Math proficient); Hispanic students (50.6% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 49.1 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 341 students tested. SchoolScope shows disaggregated test scores by demographic subgroup so you can see how a school performs for your child's specific group — not just the school-wide average. Subgroup data is context, not part of the Scope Score: we don't penalize schools for who they serve. See our equity approach.

Your other options

Private alternatives nearby

Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.


For the data nerds

Every number on this page

Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.

01Score factorsWeighted composite · 2024–25
Graduation rate · 25%
93.7%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 57th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
12.9%
↓ vs CA 15.8% · 47th pctile
College readiness · 20%
66.4%
↑ vs CA 35.4% · 68th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
35.9%
↑ vs CA 35.7% · 50th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
31.8%
↓ vs CA 30.2% · 49th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
2.8%
↑ vs CA 3.6% · 54th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
11.1%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 42th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1135220%33%28%19%53%+6
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 113555%13%21%60%19%−5
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/117033%17%70%10%

CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.

Subgroup · ELATestedMET+vs districtvs CA
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged34153.4%+18+15
Hispanic/Latino25550.6%+17+12
English Learners504.0%−5−6
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Palm Springs High ←4912.9%35.9%2.8%
California average4415.8%35.7%3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
93.7%
AP Exam Prepared
66.4%
A-G Completion
59.3%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
65.7%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20195775#51019.8%47.2%14.3%4.2%
20225477#49021.2%43.2%25.9%6.1%
20235272#60016.3%41.7%27.7%5.9%
20245168#68616.1%36.6%31.4%6.0%
20254961#83612.9%35.9%31.8%2.8%
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female14.5%34.0%+19.5pp
Male13.0%29.7%+16.7pp
Asian0.0%16.7%+16.7pp
Black/African American27.1%40.8%+13.7pp
White7.1%10.9%+3.8pp
Hispanic/Latino11.6%31.4%+19.8pp
American Indian/Alaska Native42.9%
Two or More Races15.7%34.6%+18.9pp
Students with Disabilities26.1%42.6%+16.5pp
English Learners12.8%35.5%+22.7pp
Homeless27.0%38.2%+11.2pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged14.3%31.7%+17.4pp
All Students13.8%31.8%+18.0pp
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=2,160 high schools · Vintages: climate subgroups 2019+2025 · district finance per its label · ACS 2022 · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue

SchoolScope scores and verdicts are our interpretation of public California Department of Education data — independent analysis, not an official rating. How we analyze · Request a correction