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Coachella Valley Unified: Coachella Valley Unified schools score 11.0 points below the state average. The trajectory from grade 3 to 5 falls 4.9 points.

Below Average2024–25 data19 schools · avg 33.8/100

Coachella Valley Unified has 19 ranked schools across elementary and high levels with an average Scope Score of 33.8/100 — 11.0 points below the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is NOVA Academy - Coachella at 46/100, where 17.1% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $16,179 per student (above the state average of $14,815). Chronic absenteeism averages 34.3%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
33.8
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
33.3
12.5 – 45.9
Avg Exceeded %
8.8%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
34.3%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
19
With Scope Scores
Charter Schools
1
of 19 ranked
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementaryDeveloping
32.1/100
149.0%31.4%
HighDeveloping
38.5/100
58.4%42.2%

Coachella Valley Unified's high schools average 38.5/100 — 5.2 points below the state average.

K–12 pipeline

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

Elementary
32.1
avg score · 14 schools
Valley View Elementary
Developing
39/100
Coral Mountain Academy
Developing
38/100
+11 more elementary schools
High
38.5
avg score · 5 schools
NOVA Academy - Coachella
Developing
46/100
Coachella Valley High
Developing
45/100
Desert Mirage High
Developing
45/100
+2 more high schools

District Analysis

Coachella Valley Unified has 19 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 33.8/100 — 11.0 points below the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Strongest level: Coachella Valley Unified's high schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 38.5.

District-wide elementary growth averages -4.9pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — a declining trend worth examining school by school.

Score range of 33.3 points — showing significant variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 34.3%, 16.3pp above the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 2.5%, near the state average of 1.6%.

NOVA Academy - Coachella leads the district at 46 with 17.1% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in Coachella Valley Unified

1 On the Rise18 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 1 school in Coachella Valley Unified is classified as 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
97.6%
White
1.1%
Asian
0.1%
Black
0.2%
Other
1.0%
Free/Reduced Lunch
93%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

Coachella Valley Unified spends $16,179 per student in current expenditures — $1,364 above the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$16,179
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
17,299
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 8.9%
$14,857 → $16,179
Spending Efficiency
2.09
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 65%Support 30%Other 5%
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
$65,655–$136,033
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
823
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

For the data nerds

Every school in Coachella Valley Unified

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (14)

Coachella Valley Unified has 14 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 32.1 — 12.7 points below the state average of 44.8.

Growth averages -4.9pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Peter Pendleton Elementary with a Scope Score of 46 and 20.2% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Peter Pendleton Elementary
Coachella Valley Unified Building Momentum
20.2%Developing
46/100
2Valley View Elementary
Coachella Valley Unified Building Momentum
11.6%Developing
39/100
3Coral Mountain Academy
Coachella Valley Unified Building Momentum
10.8%Developing
38/100
4John Kelley Elementary
Coachella Valley Unified On the Rise
5.6%Developing
36/100
5Las Palmitas Elementary
Coachella Valley Unified Building Momentum
5.9%Developing
35/100
6Cesar Chavez Elementary
Coachella Valley Unified Building Momentum
5.8%Developing
35/100
7Valle del Sol Elementary
Coachella Valley Unified Building Momentum
12.5%Developing
34/100
8Mecca Elementary
Coachella Valley Unified Building Momentum
6.3%Developing
31/100
9Saul Martinez Elementary
Coachella Valley Unified Building Momentum
10.4%Developing
30/100
10Sea View Elementary
Coachella Valley Unified Building Momentum
4.0%Needs Support
29/100
11Westside Elementary
Coachella Valley Unified Building Momentum
11.2%Needs Support
27/100
12Mountain Vista Elementary
Coachella Valley Unified Building Momentum
8.9%Needs Support
26/100
13Palm View Elementary
Coachella Valley Unified Building Momentum
10.0%Needs Support
24/100
14Oasis Elementary
Coachella Valley Unified Building Momentum
2.9%Needs Support
18/100

High Schools (5)

Coachella Valley Unified has 5 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 38.5 — 5.2 points below the state average of 43.7.

The highest-scoring high school is NOVA Academy - Coachella with a Scope Score of 46 and 17.1% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1NOVA Academy - Coachella
Coachella Valley Unified Building Momentum
17.1%Developing
46/100
2Coachella Valley High
Coachella Valley Unified Building Momentum
7.7%Developing
45/100
3Desert Mirage High
Coachella Valley Unified Building Momentum
10.1%Developing
45/100
4West Shores High
Coachella Valley Unified Building Momentum
6.9%Developing
44/100
5La Familia Continuation High
Coachella Valley Unified Building Momentum
0.0%Needs Support
13/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 19 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 Coachella 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 Coachella Valley Unified a good school district?
Coachella Valley Unified has 19 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 33.8/100, which is 11.0 points below the state average. 8.8% 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 Coachella Valley Unified?
The highest-scoring school in Coachella Valley Unified is NOVA Academy - Coachella with a Scope Score of 46/100 and 17.1% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Coachella Valley Unified spend per student?
Coachella Valley Unified spends $16,179 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 Coachella Valley Unified?
Teacher salaries in Coachella Valley Unified range from $65,655–$136,033 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.