School district · San Bernardino County

Apple Valley Unified schools

Apple Valley Unified’s 12 public elementary schools run from the 1st to the 86th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). They sit in all four bands, from Strong to Needs Support.

Elementary · 12 schools

from 1st to 86th · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests

  • Academy for Academic Excellence: 86th percentile, Strong
  • Yucca Loma Elementary: 64th percentile, Solid
  • Desert Knolls Elementary: 51st percentile, Solid
  • Rio Vista School of Applied Learning: 41st percentile, Developing
  • Vanguard Preparatory: 24th percentile, Needs Support
  • Sycamore Rocks Elementary: 21st percentile, Needs Support
  • Phoenix Academy: 12th percentile, Needs Support
  • Apple Valley Virtual Academy: 10th percentile, Needs Support
  • Sitting Bull Academy: 6th percentile, Needs Support
  • Mariana Academy: 2nd percentile, Needs Support
  • Rancho Verde Elementary: 1st percentile, Needs Support
  • Sandia Academy: 1st percentile, Needs Support
8Needs Support
1Developing
2Solid
1Strong

One dot per school.

Middle and high school pictures

Middle · 8 schools

from 3rd to 83rd · among 2,529 California middle schools we score · spring 2026 tests

  • Academy for Academic Excellence: 83rd percentile, Strong
  • Vanguard Preparatory: 43rd percentile, Developing
  • Sandia Academy: 31st percentile, Developing
  • Apple Valley Virtual Academy: 30th percentile, Developing
  • Sitting Bull Academy: 28th percentile, Developing
  • Mariana Academy: 6th percentile, Needs Support
  • Phoenix Academy: 3rd percentile, Needs Support
  • High Desert Premier Academy: 3rd percentile, Needs Support
3Needs Support
4Developing
0Solid
1Strong

High · 4 schools

from 1st to 78th · among 1,498 California high schools we score · spring 2025 tests

  • Academy for Academic Excellence: 78th percentile, Strong
  • Apple Valley High: 41st percentile, Developing
  • Granite Hills High: 22nd percentile, Needs Support
  • High Desert Premier Academy: 1st percentile, Needs Support
2Needs Support
1Developing
0Solid
1Strong

One dot per school. Each stage is placed only among California schools at its own level. 8 of the 15 ranked schools teach more than one level, 1 of them all three, so they appear in more than one picture.

  • 15 ranked schools

Schools around Apple Valley Unified

15 listed public schools with mapped locations.

Open full map →

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Percentile among California schools at the same level

  • Strong75th+
  • Solid50–74th
  • Developing25–49th
  • Needs Supportbelow 25th
  • Not scored

The school lists on this page are also available without the map.

Elementary schools

Which elementary schools in Apple Valley Unified score highest?

Academy for Academic Excellence is highest, at the 86th percentile.

That’s higher than 86 in 100 of the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests).

Highest in Apple Valley Unified

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level. What patterns mean

Show the other 9 elementary schools
Context

The average elementary school in Apple Valley Unified had 27 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once.

Middle schools

Which middle schools in Apple Valley Unified score highest?

Academy for Academic Excellence is highest, at the 83rd percentile.

That’s higher than 83 in 100 of the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests).

Highest in Apple Valley Unified

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.

Show the other 5 middle schools
Context

The average middle school in Apple Valley Unified had 32 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.

High schools

Which high schools in Apple Valley Unified score highest?

Academy for Academic Excellence is highest, at the 78th percentile.

That’s higher than 78 in 100 of the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests).

Highest in Apple Valley Unified

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.

Show the other 1 high school
Context

The average high school in Apple Valley Unified had 36 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California high school we score had 22 in 100.

The district

Where does Apple Valley Unified’s money go, and what does it plan?

Apple Valley Unified spent $19,836 per student in the 2024–25 school year.

That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 65 cents of every Apple Valley Unified dollar went to classroom instruction.

Spending by function

Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from the district’s annual financial report (SACS) to the California Department of Education. District-wide: it includes central administration and costs never assigned to one campus.

Share by function, 2024–25

  • Instruction65%
  • Instruction support10%
  • Student services8%
  • Administration6%
  • Buildings & maintenance11%

Shares of the same spending total, by the report’s spending categories, rounded so they add up to 100. Names are simplified from the report’s own categories.

What the district plans

$75.8 million

planned in its 2026–27 plan for 26 funded actions in 5 goals. That’s 29% of its $263.7 million general fund budget. These are planned amounts; the district reports what it spent in a later plan.

The plan in short

Source: the district’s yearly spending plan (Local Control and Accountability Plan, or LCAP, 182 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.

Where the money goes

Three actions take 39% of the money. The plan itself puts 80% of it toward staff.

  • Extended Learning Program $13.0 million
  • Reading and math intervention programs-intensive tier $9.6 million
  • Transportation Supports $6.9 million
  • 23 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help

7 of the plan’s 26 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.

Actions whose titles name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners
  • Reading $15.3 million
  • Math $15.3 million
  • Catch-up help $16.6 million
  • English learners $3.5 million

An action naming two of these appears under both.

Largest of these

  • Reading and math intervention programs-intensive tier$9.6 million
  • Multi-tiered Systems of support-In class interventions for Reading and Math$5.7 million
  • English Language Development Program$3.0 million
For high-need students (English learners, low-income students and foster youth) and what changed
For high-need students

It plans $45.0 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025–26, it planned $46.4 million and estimates it spent $47.6 million, $1.2 million (2%) more than planned (our arithmetic).

What changed

The total is $2.8 million (4%) higher than in the 2025–26 plan. The biggest change in dollars is Reading and math intervention programs-intensive tier, which went from $12.4 million to $9.6 million.

Largest cuts

  • Reading and math intervention programs-intensive tier−⁠$2.8 million
  • Extended Learning Program−⁠$602,102
  • Professional Learning−⁠$343,570

Largest increases

  • Family Centers+⁠$1.8 million
  • Transportation Supports+⁠$1.6 million
  • Multi-tiered Systems of support-In class interventions for Reading and Math+⁠$1.2 million

New in the 2026–27 plan

  • Healthcare support$1.2 million
The plan’s own titles and amounts
  • Extended Learning Program · $13,005,718
  • Reading and math intervention programs-intensive tier · $9,611,089
  • Transportation Supports · $6,906,219
The full plan5 goals, 3 measures and where the money goes

We calculate each action’s share of the plan by dividing its planned amount by the total of the plan’s funded actions ($75.8 million).

Where does the money go?

66% to Goal 2. Each box is one action, sized by its planned dollars and coloured by its change since last year’s plan. Tap a box to open its goal.

G1
G2
G3
G5

Change since the 2025–26 plan, same title

  • fell 25% or more
  • fell 10–25%
  • fell 2–10%
  • within 2%
  • grew 2–10%
  • grew 10–25%
  • grew 25% or more
  • new or renamed title
  • not compared: unconfirmed, or repeated across goals

Every goal, in the plan’s order

Goal 1Safe and Nurturing Learning Environment$18.7 million25% of action budgets

6 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $17.4 million (+⁠$1.3 million) · p. 23 ↗

Largest funded actions

  1. Transportation Supports$6.9 millionaction 1.4 · p. 135 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  2. School Climate supports$5.6 millionaction 1.3 · p. 135 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  3. Counseling Support$4.0 millionaction 1.1 · p. 135 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  4. Healthcare support$1.2 millionaction 1.2 · p. 135 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  5. Mental Health Supports$0.6 millionaction 1.5 · p. 136 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services

1 more funded action in this goal

  • English Learner Counseling Supports · action 1.6 · p. 136 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.5 million

Changes from last year’s plan, same title

  1. Transportation Supports+⁠$1.6 million$5.3 million → $6.9 million · p. 135 ↗
  2. Counseling Support−⁠$0.1 million$4.1 million → $4.0 million · p. 135 ↗
  3. Mental Health Supports−⁠$99,491$685,178 → $585,687 · p. 136 ↗

Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan

  • School Climate supports · $5.7 million → $5.6 million · p. 135 ↗−⁠$0.1 million
  • Healthcare support · $1.2 million · p. 135 ↗new or renamed
  • English Learner Counseling Supports · $376,102 → $454,315 · p. 136 ↗+⁠$78,213

A reworded title counts as new.

We couldn’t read this goal’s measures from the plan. They start near page 23. p. 23 ↗

Goal 2To increase overall student achievement as aligned to the Cradle to Career Road Map we will increase the…$50.2 million66% of action budgets

“To increase overall student achievement as aligned to the Cradle to Career Road Map we will increase the percentage of students Reading at grade level by 3rd grade, increase success in 9th- grade Integrated Math by raising the pass rate, and ensure students are prepared to Graduate ready for college or a career” p. 38 ↗

11 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $51.4 million (−⁠$1.2 million)

Largest funded actions

  1. Extended Learning Program$13.0 millionaction 2.7 · p. 137 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $11,450 is state funding counted toward those services
  2. Reading and math intervention programs-intensive tier$9.6 millionaction 2.9 · p. 138 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  3. CTE program support$6.1 millionaction 2.3 · p. 136 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $3.5 million is state funding counted toward those services
  4. Class Size Reduction$6.1 millionaction 2.10 · p. 138 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  5. Multi-tiered Systems of support-In class interventions for Reading and Math$5.7 millionaction 2.8 · p. 138 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $1.9 million is state funding counted toward those services

6 more funded actions in this goal

  • Music Program · action 2.4 · p. 136 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $1.7 million is state funding counted toward those services$4.1 million
  • English Language Development Program · action 2.6 · p. 137 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $2.6 million is state funding counted toward those services$3.0 million
  • Professional Learning · action 2.2 · p. 136 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $56,090 is state funding counted toward those services$1.7 million
  • Instructional Coaching Supports · action 2.1 · p. 136 ↗$0.4 million
  • College Entrance Programs · action 2.5 · p. 137 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $108,510 is state funding counted toward those services$0.3 million
  • Professional Development for staff to address the needs of English Learners · action 2.11 · p. 138 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million

Changes from last year’s plan, same title

  1. Reading and math intervention programs-intensive tier−⁠$2.8 million$12.4 million → $9.6 million · p. 138 ↗
  2. Multi-tiered Systems of support-In class interventions for Reading and Math+⁠$1.2 million$4.5 million → $5.7 million · p. 138 ↗
  3. Extended Learning Program−⁠$0.6 million$13.6 million → $13.0 million · p. 137 ↗

Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan

  • CTE program support · $5.9 million → $6.1 million · p. 136 ↗+⁠$0.2 million
  • Class Size Reduction · $5.6 million → $6.1 million · p. 138 ↗+⁠$0.4 million
  • Music Program · $3.7 million → $4.1 million · p. 136 ↗+⁠$0.4 million
  • English Language Development Program · $2.7 million → $3.0 million · p. 137 ↗+⁠$0.2 million
  • Professional Learning · $2.1 million → $1.7 million · p. 136 ↗−⁠$0.3 million
  • Instructional Coaching Supports · $334,488 → $368,436 · p. 136 ↗+⁠$33,948
  • College Entrance Programs · $285,556 → $348,117 · p. 137 ↗+⁠$62,561
  • Professional Development for staff to address the needs of English Learners · $100,000 → $100,000 · p. 138 ↗unchanged

We couldn’t read this goal’s measures from the plan. They start near page 38. p. 38 ↗

Goal 3Family and Community Engagement$3.2 million4% of action budgets

3 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $1.5 million (+⁠$1.7 million) · p. 68 ↗

Largest funded actions

  1. Family Centers$2.4 millionaction 3.1 · p. 138 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $115,357 is state funding counted toward those services
  2. Translation Support$0.7 millionaction 3.2 · p. 138 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  3. Parent Engagement$0.1 millionaction 3.3 · p. 138 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $2,092 is state funding counted toward those services

Changes from last year’s plan, same title

  1. Family Centers+⁠$1.8 million$0.6 million → $2.4 million · p. 138 ↗
  2. Translation Support−⁠$77,065$812,274 → $735,209 · p. 138 ↗
  3. Parent Engagement−⁠$17,714$73,469 → $55,755 · p. 138 ↗

How the plan measures it · 3 measures

None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 68 ↗.

Goal 4 · Equity Multiplier Focus GoalBy June 2027, AVUSD will improve academic performance, student engagement, and college/​career readiness at…$696,8161% of action budgets

“By June 2027, AVUSD will improve academic performance, student engagement, and college/​career readiness at Apple Valley Virtual Academy (AVVA) and High Desert Premier Academy (HDPA), as measured by school-specific 2025 Dashboard focus indicators. At AVVA, the district will reduce Chronic Absenteeism for All Students, Hispanic students, and Socioeconomically Disadvantaged students. At HDPA, the district will improve ELA and Math outcomes for All Students, Hispanic students, and Socioeconomically Disadvantaged students, and improve College/​Career outcomes for All Students, Hispanic students, Homeless students, and Socioeconomically Disadvantaged students. These Equity Multiplier schools are combined in one focus goal because both serve students in alternative or non-traditional learning settings and share a need for targeted counseling, academic monitoring, attendance outreach, and student engagement supports” p. 78 ↗

3 funded actions · reworded since the 2025–26 plan

Largest funded actions

  1. Increased intervention$275,665action 4.2 · p. 139 ↗
  2. Expand Counseling Supports$267,362action 4.1 · p. 138 ↗
  3. Support expanded alternative learning opportunities$153,789action 4.3 · p. 139 ↗

Changes from last year’s plan, same title

  1. Support expanded alternative learning opportunities−⁠$55,595$209,384 → $153,789 · p. 139 ↗
  2. Expand Counseling Supports+⁠$9,665$257,697 → $267,362 · p. 138 ↗
  3. Increased intervention+⁠$3,713$271,952 → $275,665 · p. 139 ↗

We couldn’t read this goal’s measures from the plan. They start near page 78. p. 78 ↗

Goal 5 · Equity Multiplier Focus GoalBy June 2027, AVUSD will improve academic performance, English learner progress, student engagement, and…$3.0 million4% of action budgets

“By June 2027, AVUSD will improve academic performance, English learner progress, student engagement, and school climate at Yucca Loma Elementary School and Phoenix Academy, as measured by school-specific 2025 Dashboard focus indicators. At Yucca Loma, the district will improve ELA, Math, and Chronic Absenteeism outcomes for English Learners and reduce Suspension Rate for African American students. At Phoenix Academy, the district will improve ELA outcomes for Students with Disabilities; improve Math outcomes for English Learners, Long-Term English Learners, Hispanic students, Students with Disabilities, and White students; improve English Learner Progress for English Learners and Long-Term English Learners; reduce Chronic Absenteeism for All Students, African American, English Learner, Foster Youth, Socioeconomically Disadvantaged, Students with Disabilities, and White student groups; and reduce Suspension Rate for African American, English Learner, Foster Youth, Long-Term English Learner, and Two or More Races student groups. These Equity Multiplier schools are combined in one focus goal because both sites have identified student groups with low performance on 2025 Dashboard indicators and share a need for targeted academic intervention, attendance outreach, student connection, and behavior support” p. 90 ↗

3 funded actions · reworded since the 2025–26 plan

Largest funded actions

  1. Academic, Behavioral, and attendance Intervention and training$1.5 millionaction 5.3 · p. 139 ↗
  2. Student Intensive Interventions$1.0 millionaction 5.2 · p. 139 ↗
  3. Mental and Emotional Health and wellness$0.5 millionaction 5.1 · p. 139 ↗

Changes from last year’s plan, same title

  1. Student Intensive Interventions+⁠$569,432$406,865 → $976,297 · p. 139 ↗
  2. Mental and Emotional Health and wellness+⁠$220,613$299,799 → $520,412 · p. 139 ↗
  3. Academic, Behavioral, and attendance Intervention and training+⁠$0.1 million$1.4 million → $1.5 million · p. 139 ↗

We couldn’t read this goal’s measures from the plan. They start near page 90. p. 90 ↗

All amounts are planned. We read them from the PDF and added up each goal’s actions ourselves. Page links open the plan at that page.

Who goes to the district’s schools
Who attends

Student mix

2024–25 · October enrollment count, 15,128 students
1. Hispanic or Latino: 60%2. White: 27%3. Black or African American: 7%4. Two or more races: 4%5. Asian: 1%6. Filipino: <1%7. American Indian or Alaska Native: <1%8. Pacific Islander: <1%9. Not reported: <1%Student mix2024–25
  1. Hispanic or Latino60%
  2. White27%
  3. Black or African American7%
  4. Two or more races4%
  5. Asian1%
  6. Filipino<1%
  7. American Indian or Alaska Native<1%
  8. Pacific Islander<1%
  9. Not reported<1%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools. Rounded labels may not total 100%; segments use the original shares.

Free or reduced-price meals

71%

Across California, 63% of students qualify.

2024–25 · 10,677 of 15,102 students qualify, summed from the CDE’s meal counts for every school it lists under the district, charters included. It comes from a different CDE file than the student mix, so the two totals differ.

The district’s state records

Is the state giving the district extra help?

The state is giving Apple Valley Unified extra help in 2026, the second year after it qualified on the 2025 Dashboard.

How English learners moved up on the state’s English test

From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 39% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (474 of 1,206 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.

5 schools getting state support, 2025–26

5 in targeted support

This list covers the district’s own schools; each charter school’s page shows its record. Federal designation under the Every Student Succeeds Act, 2025–26.

Sources: District help (CDE) ↗ · English learner progress (CDE) ↗ · School support (CDE) ↗. State results from the 2026 California School Dashboard.

Which places nearby can you look at next?

Cities in the district

More places (4)

Districts nearby

Common questions

Which public schools in Apple Valley Unified rank highest?

Elementary: Academy for Academic Excellence, 86th percentile (Strong). Middle: Academy for Academic Excellence, 83rd percentile (Strong). High: Academy for Academic Excellence, 78th percentile (Strong). Each percentile is among the California schools at the same level we score. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.

Does living in the Apple Valley Unified district decide which school my child attends?

Not by itself. Attendance boundaries, programs, transfers and space all matter. Confirm the school for your address, grade and program with the district.
More questions (5)

Are the public schools in Apple Valley Unified good?

Apple Valley Unified’s 12 public elementary schools run from the 1st to the 86th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Strong, 2 Solid, 1 Developing and 8 Needs Support. Apple Valley Unified’s 8 public middle schools run from the 3rd to the 83rd percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Strong, 4 Developing and 3 Needs Support. Apple Valley Unified’s 4 public high schools run from the 1st to the 78th percentile among the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). By band: 1 Strong, 1 Developing and 2 Needs Support. A percentile compares a school with California public schools at the same level that we score. How we score schools.

How does chronic absence in Apple Valley Unified compare with California?

The average elementary school in Apple Valley Unified had 27 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once. The average middle school in Apple Valley Unified had 32 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100. The average high school in Apple Valley Unified had 36 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California high school we score had 22 in 100. These are averages of school rates: each school counts once, whatever its size.

How much does Apple Valley Unified spend per student?

Apple Valley Unified spent $19,836 per student in the 2024–25 school year. That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 65 cents of every Apple Valley Unified dollar went to classroom instruction. Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from its annual financial report to the California Department of Education. The district’s spending, by function.

What is in Apple Valley Unified’s 2026–27 spending plan?

The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $75.8 million into 26 funded actions in 5 goals, 29% of its $263.7 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $50.2 million, 66% of the action budgets. The 2026–27 plan, goal by goal.

Where do these results come from?

California’s state tests (CAASPP): spring 2026 for elementary and middle schools, spring 2025 for high schools, and chronic-absence rates for 2025–26, published by the California Department of Education. Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s calculations. How we score schools.

Sources and methodology

This page lists the public schools governed and funded by Apple Valley Unified, with the district’s spending and state accountability records.

Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26 elementary and middle school; 2024–25 high school

Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.

View CDE data ↗ (opens in a new tab)How Scope Scores work →

Download these schools (CSV)Free to use under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.