ExploreMapCompareBlogSign in

Apple Valley Unified: Apple Valley Unified schools score 11.5 points below the state average. The trajectory from grade 3 to 5 falls 4.3 points.

Below Average2024–25 data15 schools · avg 33.3/100

Apple Valley Unified has 15 ranked schools across elementary and high levels with an average Scope Score of 33.3/100 — 11.5 points below the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Academy for Academic Excellence at 59/100, where 21.5% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $11,653 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 1 school shows positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 32.6%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
33.3
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
44.0
14.9 – 58.9
Avg Exceeded %
8.2%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
32.6%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
15
With Scope Scores
Charter Schools
1
of 15 ranked
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementaryDeveloping
31.8/100
138.1%32.4%
HighDeveloping
43.2/100
29.1%33.9%

Apple Valley Unified's high schools average 43.2/100 — within 0.5 points of the state average.

K–12 pipeline

The typical school path in Apple Valley Unified, top-scoring shown first.

Elementary
31.8
avg score · 13 schools
Yucca Loma Elementary
Developing
38/100
+10 more elementary schools
High
43.2
avg score · 2 schools
Apple Valley High
Developing
46/100
Granite Hills High
Developing
41/100

District Analysis

Apple Valley Unified has 15 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 33.3/100 — 11.5 points below the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Strongest level: Apple Valley Unified's high schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 43.2.

District-wide elementary growth averages -4.3pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — a declining trend worth examining school by school.

Score range of 44.0 points — showing significant variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 32.6%, 14.7pp above the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 4.4%, above the state average of 1.6%.

Academy for Academic Excellence leads the district at 59 with 21.5% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in Apple Valley Unified

1 Growth Engine1 On the Rise13 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 2 schools in Apple Valley Unified are classified as Growth Engine or On the Rise — 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

Student demographics

Hispanic
62.1%
White
25.0%
Asian
1.2%
Black
6.7%
Other
5.0%
Free/Reduced Lunch
75%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

Apple Valley Unified spends $11,653 per student in current expenditures — $3,162 below the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$11,653
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
12,892
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 30.4%
$8,939 → $11,653
Spending Efficiency
2.86
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 60%Support 36%Other 4%
NCES F-33 Finance · District-level data — not school-specific

Data source: NCES Common Core of Data, Fiscal Survey (F-33) · 2019–2020

Teacher compensation

Salary Range
$60,367–$136,253
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
715
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

For the data nerds

Every school in Apple Valley Unified

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (13)

Apple Valley Unified has 13 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 31.8 — 13.0 points below the state average of 44.8.

Growth averages -4.3pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Academy for Academic Excellence with a Scope Score of 59 and 21.5% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Academy for Academic Excellence
Apple Valley Unified Growth Engine
21.5%Solid
59/100
2Rio Vista School of Applied Learning
Apple Valley Unified Building Momentum
12.6%Developing
38/100
3Yucca Loma Elementary
Apple Valley Unified On the Rise
9.0%Developing
38/100
4Apple Valley Virtual Academy
Apple Valley Unified Building Momentum
7.3%Developing
38/100
5Vanguard Preparatory
Apple Valley Unified Building Momentum
10.7%Developing
34/100
6Phoenix Academy
Apple Valley Unified Building Momentum
4.0%Developing
32/100
7Sitting Bull Academy
Apple Valley Unified Building Momentum
13.5%Developing
32/100
8Sycamore Rocks Elementary
Apple Valley Unified Building Momentum
7.7%Developing
31/100
9Desert Knolls Elementary
Apple Valley Unified Building Momentum
6.7%Developing
31/100
10High Desert Premier Academy
Apple Valley Unified Building Momentum
1.6%Needs Support
27/100
11Sandia Academy
Apple Valley Unified Building Momentum
3.4%Needs Support
21/100
12Mariana Academy
Apple Valley Unified Building Momentum
4.7%Needs Support
18/100
13Rancho Verde Elementary
Apple Valley Unified Building Momentum
1.9%Needs Support
15/100

High Schools (2)

Apple Valley Unified has 2 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 43.2 — within 0.5 points of the state average of 43.7.

The highest-scoring high school is Apple Valley High with a Scope Score of 46 and 9.4% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Apple Valley High
Apple Valley Unified Building Momentum
9.4%Developing
46/100
2Granite Hills High
Apple Valley Unified Building Momentum
8.9%Developing
41/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 15 schoolsMethodology · Explore all schools

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 Apple Valley Unified

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 resources are distributed across schools within the district. Full methodology

Frequently asked questions

Is Apple Valley Unified a good school district?
Apple Valley Unified has 15 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 33.3/100, which is 11.5 points below the state average. 8.2% of students exceed the state standard on average. The Scope Score measures academic performance and school climate across seven dimensions. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What is the best school in Apple Valley Unified?
The highest-scoring school in Apple Valley Unified is Academy for Academic Excellence with a Scope Score of 59/100 and 21.5% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Apple Valley Unified spend per student?
Apple Valley Unified spends $11,653 per student in current expenditures. The state average is $14,815. Spending data comes from the NCES Common Core of Data Fiscal Survey (F-33). Higher spending does not automatically mean better outcomes — the Scope Score measures what happens in the classroom regardless of budget.
What is the teacher salary range in Apple Valley Unified?
Teacher salaries in Apple Valley Unified range from $60,367–$136,253 based on the district's salary schedule (CDE Form J-90). The California statewide median teacher salary is approximately $98,000.
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-level growth, chronic absenteeism, suspension rate, ELPAC English Learner proficiency, and baseline proficiency. Full methodology and weights.