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Palo Verde High · Blythe

Palo Verde High: No single number tells this school's story. Here's the honest picture.

Palo Verde posts 18% meeting the standard and 4.3% exceeding it, against 36% and 15.8% statewide. The gaps and the bright spots below are the real read.

667 North Lovekin Boulevard, 92225 (opens in new tab)·Palo Verde Unified·Blythe·Grades 9-12·740 students·77% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(760) 922-7148
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope3244
% Exceeded4%16%
% Met+18%36%
Grad rate93.3%87.6%
College readiness7.8%35.4%
Absence33.7%30.2%
Suspension7.4%3.6%
Scope Score
32
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #1,593 statewide · #2 of 3 in Palo Verde Unified

Palo Verde High scores 32 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 26th 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 “18% proficient” and call it done. Palo Verde deserves a closer read. The school sits in Blythe, where three in four students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,160 high schools statewide

Has stayed near the 26th percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELARed(Declined Significantly)MathRed(Declined Significantly)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 18% meet the standard today, versus 24% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1133%42%33%44%29%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1115%10%6%9%6%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
18%
State 36%
Graduate
93%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
8%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 18 are proficient by 11th grade → 93 graduate → 8 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
93.3%
State 87.6%
5.7pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
4.3%
State 15.8%
11.6pp below state avg
College readiness
7.8%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate below state avg
Met or exceeded
17.8%
State 35.7%
17.9pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
33.7%
State 30.2%
3.5pp above state avg
Suspension rate
7.4%
State 3.6%
3.7pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
4.5%
State 18.0%
13.4pp below state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask what the school is working on next. Strong numbers tell you where a school is, not where it's going.

  • Ask what typically leads to a suspension, and what happens before it gets there.
  • Ask what share of students complete the full college-prep course sequence, and who gets steered into it.
  • 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 Palo Verde High in Blythe, 24.5% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 21.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Palo Verde High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 3.4 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (4.4% Math proficient); Hispanic students (28.1% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 29.2 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 94 students tested.

All students at this school: 18% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 18%, district —, state 36%18%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 15%, district 16%, state 32%15% · −3 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 17%, district 17%, state 32%17% · −1 vs school
MaleMale: this school 15%, district 15%, state 42%15% · −3 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 21%, district 22%, state 44%21% · +3 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 27%, district 28%, state 56%27% · +9 vs school
Black/African AmericanBlack/African American: this school 10%, district 11%, state 26%10% · −8 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 0%, district 4%, state 15%0% · −18 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: too few students to report‹11
English LearnersEnglish Learners: too few students to report‹11
American Indian/Alaska NativeAmerican Indian/Alaska Native: too few students to report‹11
HomelessHomeless: too few students to report‹11
this school district, same group California, same group

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 33.7%, district 31.1%, state 30.2%33.7% · +3.5pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 7.4%, district —, state 3.6%7.4% · +3.7pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–1233.9%

Where the path goes

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

K-12 Feeder Path

Estimated path based on proximity within the same district. Contact your school district for official feeder information.

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 21:1, district 27:121:1
Teaching staff35 teachers
Avg. experience15.9 years
Fully credentialed77%
First-year teachers9%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$63,061 – $127,355
Principal salary$145,032 – $153,479
Superintendent salary$210,000

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered6
AP exam qualifiers8 students
CTE pathway completers49 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $22,965, CA average $14,815$22,965 · spent at this school
Federal share$787 per student

$787 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$22,577 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
Instruction54%
Instruction support12%
Student services12%
Administration7%
Buildings & maintenance14%
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$14,210 per pupil
2019$14,066 per pupil
2018$13,196 per pupil
2017$12,469 per pupil
2016$11,876 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic72.8%
District 54.0% · CA 56.1%
White15.1%
District 25.6% · CA 19.9%
Black7.2%
District 11.2% · CA 4.8%
Other4.5%
District 5.3% · CA 9.0%
Asian0.4%
District 3.9% · CA 10.2%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 76.9% (13pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$56K · CA $85K
Median home value$218K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+9% · CA 35%
ZIP population20,319
Median age39 years

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

Worth Knowing

At 740 students, this school is much smaller than the typical California high school (≈1450).

On the state's science test (CAST), 14% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Palo Verde High a good high school?

Palo Verde High has a Scope Score of 32 out of 100, placing it in the 26th percentile of California high schools and ranked #1,593 statewide. 4.3% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 11.6 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 Palo Verde High's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 17.8% of students at Palo Verde High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 4.3% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 13.6% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 4.3% 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. 254 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Palo Verde High rank in California?

Palo Verde High ranks #1,593 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 26th 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 Palo Verde High?

33.7% of students at Palo Verde High are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 30.2%. The suspension rate is 7.4%. 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 Palo Verde High compare to other schools in Blythe?

Palo Verde High scores 32/100 (26th 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 740 students. Use the schools in Blythe page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does Palo Verde High serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Palo Verde High in Blythe, 24.5% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 21.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Palo Verde High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 3.4 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (4.4% Math proficient); Hispanic students (28.1% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 29.2 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 94 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


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%
93.3%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 57th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
4.3%
↓ vs CA 15.8% · 38th pctile
College readiness · 20%
7.8%
↓ vs CA 35.4% · 34th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
17.8%
↓ vs CA 35.7% · 37th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
33.7%
↓ vs CA 30.2% · 47th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
7.4%
↓ vs CA 3.6% · 33th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
4.5%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 32th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 111307%22%19%52%29%−18
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 111242%5%13%81%6%−17
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/111460%14%71%14%

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 Disadvantaged9424.5%+3−14
Hispanic/Latino8928.1%+5−11
White2142.9%+9−19
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Palo Verde High ←324.3%17.8%7.4%
Twin Palms Continuation0.3 mi180.0%4.5%1.7%
California average4415.8%35.7%3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
93.3%
AP Exam Prepared
7.8%
A-G Completion
28.9%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
69.1%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20193732#13817.7%23.9%25.6%9.2%
20223531#143710.8%26.1%50.6%9.9%
20233228#15565.4%19.4%37.9%13.4%
20243431#14817.1%26.5%34.8%11.1%
20253226#15934.3%17.8%33.7%7.4%
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
What we can't show
  • — Low-income students here trail the state average for their group by 14 points in ELA — worth asking how the school is closing that gap.
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female27.5%39.1%+11.6pp
Male23.7%29.3%+5.6pp
Black/African American41.3%44.6%+3.3pp
Filipino58.8%
Hispanic/Latino24.6%33.7%+9.1pp
Students with Disabilities36.2%47.9%+11.7pp
English Learners20.8%33.3%+12.5pp
Military-Connected21.4%
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged29.6%37.7%+8.1pp
All Students25.5%33.9%+8.4pp
Two or More Races31.3%
Foster Youth53.8%
Homeless64.7%
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