School Profile · Palmdale
Palmdale High: Three in four leave college-ready. But suspensions run 2× the state rate.
Palmdale is a school of real strengths with one number worth interrogating. Most rating sites pick a side; we think both belong on the same page.
2137 East Avenue R, 93550·Antelope Valley Union High·Palmdale·Grades 9-12·2,208 students·69% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(661) 273-3181·Website
Scope Score
42
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #1,140 statewide · #10 of 12 in Antelope Valley Union High
Palmdale High scores 42 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 34th percentile of 1,739 California high schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).
Measures test performance, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How we score →
Most rating sites would stop at “21% proficient” and call it done. Palmdale deserves a closer read. The school sits in Palmdale, where two-thirds of students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.
The headline number: 75.7% of students leave measurably college-ready, versus 35.5% statewide.
The story this school is actually telling
The launchpad · college readiness
75.7%
of students leave measurably college-ready, versus 35.5% statewide.
↑ what most “best schools” lists are measuring
The catch · suspensions
9.5%
of students were suspended, versus 4.0% statewide — worth asking about on a tour.
↓ the part no ranking site shows you
Proficient by 11th grade
21%
State 35%
Graduate
79%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
76%
State 36%
Of 100 students here: 21 are proficient by 11th grade → 79 graduate → 76 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.
The 7 things our score weighs
Graduation rate
79.2%
State 87.6%
8.4pp below state avg
Exceeded standard
5.3%
State 15.5%
10.2pp below state avg
College readiness
75.7%
State 35.5%
AP exam pass rate above state avg
Met or exceeded
21.0%
State 34.6%
13.6pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
31.7%
State 32.1%
0.4pp below state avg
Suspension rate
9.5%
State 4.0%
5.5pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
5.8%
State 17.7%
12.0pp below state avg
Worth a school visit
Ask about the discipline philosophy and what a typical suspension is for. Numbers can't tell you whether a campus feels strict or chaotic — a visit can.
Where the path goes
The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.
Estimated K-12 Path
Elementary
Academies of the Antelope…
No score
→
High
Palmdale High
42
This school
Estimated K-12 path based on district and proximity. Actual attendance zones may differ. Contact your school district for official feeder information.
Your other options
Nearby Elementary Schools
3 within ~3 mi · avg 45
Barrel Springs Elementary
Palmdale Elementary · 2.5 mi
Developing
47/100
Palmdale Learning Plaza
Palmdale Elementary · 2.2 mi
Developing
46/100
Innovations Academy of Palmdale
Palmdale Elementary · 1.9 mi
Developing
41/100
Nearby Middle Schools
3 within ~3 mi · avg 21
Space Aeronautics Gateway to Exploration Magnet Ac
Palmdale Elementary · 0.2 mi
Needs Support
22/100
Desert Willow Fine Arts, Science and Technology Ma
Palmdale Elementary · 2 mi
Needs Support
22/100
Cactus Medical, Health and Technology Magnet Acade
Palmdale Elementary · 1.3 mi
Needs Support
20/100
Private alternatives nearby
Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.
Academy for Advancement of Children With Autism
E Ave H · Nonsectarian · Grades 2-12 · 51 students
9:1Private11.1 mi
Stanza International Academy
Holston Dr · Nonsectarian · Grades 9-12 · 11 students
4:1Private6.7 mi
Stanza International Academy
Holston Dr · Nonsectarian · Grades 9-12 · 9 students
4:1Private6.7 mi
Paraclete High School
30th St W · Roman Catholic · Grades 9-12 · 548 students
15:1Private7.4 mi
Lancaster Baptist School
E Lancaster Blvd · Amish · Grades Pre-K-12 · 381 students
20:1Private8.7 mi
The community around it
Community Profile
Context — not part of the Scope ScoreStudent demographics
Hispanic80.0%
White2.9%
Asian0.3%
Black14.4%
Other2.5%
GenderFemale 46.4%Male 53.6%
Resources & Access
Enrollment
2,208
758 above CA avg (~1,450)
Free/Reduced Lunch
69%
5pp above CA avg (64%)
Student-Teacher Ratio
22:1
1 more students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$20,332
District avg: $13,452 · CA avg: $14,815 · School-level · CDE ESSA
EL Proficiency (ELPAC)
5.8% Level 4
Share of English Learners reaching full proficiency
Teacher Salary Range
$50,398 – $133,882
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At Palmdale High in Palmdale, 32.4% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 34.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Palmdale High trails its district average for low-income students by 1.7 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (5.4% Math proficient); Hispanic students (36.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 33.3 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 352 students tested.
Equity Gaps
Absenteeism · Homeless+16.6pp
48.3% vs 31.7% overall · n=60
Suspension · Black+13.6pp
23.1% vs 9.5% overall · n=373
ELA · English Learner−33.3pp
1.6% vs 35.0% overall · n=61
2 more gaps by subject
ELA Exceeded · English Learner−8.8pp
0.0% vs 8.8% overall · n=61
Math · English Learner−7.1pp
0.0% vs 7.1% overall · n=62
Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.
Subgroup Proficiency
Low-Income353 tested
ELA 32.4%·Math 5.4%· -1.7pp vs district
Hispanic385 tested
ELA 36.2%·Math 7.0%· -2.8pp vs district
Disabilities70 tested
ELA 5.7%·Math 1.4%· -3.8pp vs district
Weighted average across tested grades. Subgroups with fewer than 15 students excluded. Data: CDE CAASPP 2024-25.
Funding Breakdown
Neighborhood Context
Median Income
$62K
$23K below CA median
Median Home Value
$421K
$238K below CA median
Bachelor's+
10%
25pp below CA avg
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level
Whole Child
Teacher experience, college/career readiness, and more. Context only — never part of the Scope Score.
Teacher Experience
15.1 years avg experience
103 teachers · 12% first-year · 5% second-year
Teacher Credentials
77% fully credentialed
0.8% on intern/emergency permit
AP Courses Offered
35 AP courses
131 students qualified via AP exam
Sources: CDE SARC · CDE College/Career Indicator, 2024-25
Community Profile provides context about who attends this school and the resources available. These factors are never part of the Scope Score. Learn why →
For the data nerdsEvery number on this page
Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.
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%
79.2%
↓ vs CA 87.6% · 40th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
5.3%
↓ vs CA 15.5% · 39th pctile
College readiness · 20%
75.7%
↑ vs CA 35.5% · 73th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
21.0%
↓ vs CA 34.6% · 41th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
31.7%
↑ vs CA 32.1% · 50th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
9.5%
↓ vs CA 4.0% · 26th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
5.8%
↓ vs CA 17.7% · 38th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 11 | 466 | 9% | 26% | 26% | 39% | 35% | −12 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 11 | 467 | 2% | 5% | 10% | 82% | 7% | −16 |
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5/8/11 | 580 | 1% | 6% | 74% | 20% |
CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.
| Subgroup · ELA | Tested | MET+ | vs district | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socioeconomically Disadvantaged | 352 | 32.4% | −2 | −6 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 384 | 36.2% | −3 | −3 |
| Students with Disabilities | 70 | 5.7% | −4 | −11 |
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Growth | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmdale High ← | — | 42 | 5.3% | 21.0% | — | 9.5% |
| R. Rex Parris High | 1.9 mi | 11 | 0.8% | 8.8% | — | 3.5% |
| California average | — | 47 | 15.5% | 34.6% | — | 4.0% |
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
79.2%
AP Exam Prepared
75.7%
A-G Completion
34.6%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
53.9%
Scope Score history
2019 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · no testing 2020–21 (COVID) · rank #1119 → #1202 → #1187 → #1179 → #1140
Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=1,739 high schools · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue
A low score doesn't tell the whole story. Read: Your School Scored Low — Here's What That Actually Means
Frequently asked questions
Is Palmdale High a good high school?
Palmdale High has a Scope Score of 42 out of 100, placing it in the 34th percentile of California high schools and ranked #1,140 statewide. 5.3% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 10.2 percentage points below the California average of 15.5%. The Scope Score weights six dimensions for high schools: exceeded standard (43%), met or exceeded (22%), grade 3-to-5 growth (15%), chronic absenteeism (10%), ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%), and suspension rate (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What are Palmdale High's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 21.0% of students at Palmdale High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 5.3% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 15.8% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 5.3% 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. 933 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Palmdale High rank in California?
Palmdale High ranks #1,140 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 34th 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 Palmdale High?
31.7% of students at Palmdale High are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 32.1%. The suspension rate is 9.5%. 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 Palmdale High compare to other schools in Palmdale?
Palmdale High scores 42/100 (34th 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 2,208 students. Use the schools in Palmdale page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.
How does Palmdale High serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At Palmdale High in Palmdale, 32.4% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 34.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Palmdale High trails its district average for low-income students by 1.7 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (5.4% Math proficient); Hispanic students (36.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 33.3 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 352 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.