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Elementary Schools in Cathedral City, California: 5 schools. Average score 3.9 points below the state. Here is what that number does — and doesn't — tell you.

Near Average2024–25 data5 schools · avg 34.8/100

Cathedral City, California has 5 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 34.8/100 — 3.9 points below the state average of 38.8. The highest-scoring school is Sunny Sands Elementary at 44/100, where 19.9% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. Cathedral City schools average 13.7% exceeded standard (state: 21.3%) — this exceeded-vs-met distinction reveals whether schools push students beyond proficiency or pace toward it. Of 5 schools, 1 Growth Engine stand out for their performance profiles. Chronic absenteeism averages 17.6% (near the state average of 17.9%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
34.8
State avg: 38.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
13.8
30.6 – 44.4
Avg Exceeded %
13.7%
State avg: 21.3%
CDE CAASPP 2025
Chronic Absenteeism
17.6%
State avg: 17.9%
CDE Attendance 2025
Schools Ranked
5
With Scope Scores
LevelSchoolsAvg ScoreExceededvs State
Elementary5Developing
34.8/100
13.7%-3.9
High2Developing
35.8/100
7.0%-10.8
Middle2Needs Support
29.0/100
10.1%-9.0

How Cathedral City schools compare

Cathedral City has 5 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 34.8/100 — 3.9 points below the state average of 38.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

The top-ranked school is Sunny Sands Elementary with a Scope Score of 44 and 19.9% of students exceeding standard.

Chronic absenteeism in Cathedral City averages 17.6% — near the state average of 17.9%.

How we score · Weighted composite of test performance, growth, and school climate · Full weights on the methodology page

School archetypes in Cathedral City

2 On the Rise1 Growth Engine2 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 3 schools in Cathedral City are classified as On the Rise (2) or Growth Engine \u2014 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

For the data nerds

Every school in Cathedral City

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

#SchoolExceededScore
1Cathedral City High
Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum
10.9%Developing
46/100
2Sunny Sands Elementary
Palm Springs Unified Growth Engine
19.9%Developing
44/100
3Rio Vista Elementary
Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum
18.7%Developing
34/100
4James Workman Middle
Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum
13.3%Developing
33/100
5Cathedral City Elementary
Palm Springs Unified On the Rise
7.3%Developing
33/100
6Agua Caliente Elementary
Palm Springs Unified On the Rise
7.8%Developing
32/100
7Landau Elementary
Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum
15.0%Developing
31/100
8Mt. San Jacinto High
Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum
3.1%Needs Support
26/100
9Nellie N. Coffman Middle
Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum
6.8%Needs Support
25/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 9 schoolsMethodology · Explore all schools · Download this data (CSV)

Free to download, CC BY 4.0 with attribution.

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 Cathedral City

Numbers tell you whether students are clearing the bar. A school visit tells you whether they're happy doing it. These metrics are intentionally missing from the Scope Score: class sizes and student-teacher interaction quality; arts, music, athletics, and enrichment programs; teacher experience and turnover; campus safety and social-emotional support; parent and community engagement; quality of special education and gifted programs; how school zones and enrollment boundaries affect access. Full methodology

Frequently asked questions

Are the schools in Cathedral City good?
Cathedral City's 5 ranked elementary schools average a Scope Score of 34.8/100, which is 3.9 points below the state average. 13.7% of students exceed the state standard on average (state average: 21.3%). The Scope Score weights 6 dimensions for elementary schools: exceeded standard (42%), met or exceeded (proficient) (23%), grade 3-to-5 growth (20%), chronic absenteeism (5%), suspension rate (5%), and ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What is the best elementary school in Cathedral City?
The highest-scoring elementary school in Cathedral City is Sunny Sands Elementary with a Scope Score of 44/100 and 19.9% of students exceeding the state standard. Rankings are based on SchoolScope's 2025 Scope Score, which measures academic performance and school climate using publicly available California data. See full methodology.
How do Cathedral City schools compare to the state average?
Cathedral City elementary schools average a Scope Score of 34.8/100 — 3.9 points below the state average of 38.8. The exceeded rate averages 13.7% vs. 21.3% statewide. Chronic absenteeism averages 17.6% vs. 17.9% statewide.
How many schools are in Cathedral City?
Cathedral City has 5 ranked elementary schools with Scope Scores. Schools are ranked using a weighted composite of CAASPP test performance, growth trajectory, chronic absenteeism, and suspension rate. Schools with insufficient testing data are not ranked.
What does the Scope Score measure?
The Scope Score is SchoolScope's proprietary composite rating (0–100) based on seven dimensions of publicly available California school data: the exceeded-vs-met standard split, overall proficiency, grade 3–5 growth, chronic absenteeism, suspension rate, ELPAC English Learner proficiency, and baseline proficiency. Unlike single-number ratings, the Scope Score separates students who "exceeded" from those who "met" the standard — revealing whether a school pushes students beyond proficiency or paces toward it. Full methodology and weights.

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