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Public school district · California

Palm Springs Unified.Many schools. Many different stories.

Compare elementary, middle, and high schools across Palm Springs Unified—and look beyond a single district average.

Palm Springs HighRancho Mirage HighCathedral City HighDesert Hot Springs HighSunny Sands ElementaryCielo Vista CharterRio Vista ElementaryKatherine Finchy ElementaryJames Workman MiddleCathedral City ElementaryDesert Learning AcademyAgua Caliente ElementaryLandau ElementaryRancho Mirage ElementaryBella Vista ElementaryCahuilla ElementaryMt. San Jacinto HighNellie N. Coffman MiddleVista del Monte ElementaryRaymond Cree MiddleCabot Yerxa ElementaryJulius Corsini ElementaryBubbling Wells ElementaryDella S. Lindley ElementaryTwo Bunch Palms ElementaryPainted Hills MiddleDesert Springs MiddlePalm Springs UnifiedN ↑
27 schools mapped · Location contextOpen map →
Census district boundary
The K–12 path at a glance
Elementary17 schools
avg 29.2/1008 Developing, 7 Needs Support, +2 more
Middle5 schools
avg 21.1/1004 Needs Support, 1 Developing
High5 schools
avg 44.6/1003 Developing, 2 Solid

Each level is scored on its own scale — elementary, middle, and high are never ranked against each other.

Stage 1 of 3

The elementary years

29 points separate Sunny Sands Elementary (44) from Two Bunch Palms Elementary (16) — at this level, which school matters more than which district.

0100
Strong Solid Developing Needs Support district avg state avg

17 elementary schools span 29 points around an average of 29.2.

The strength

1 of the 16 elementary schools with measurable cohort evidence rank as Growth Engines — returning cohorts gaining more, grade to grade, than at most schools statewide.

The catch

23.4% of students are chronically absent (state: 17.9%) — chronic means missing 10% or more of the school year. Whatever the scores say, ask each school what it is doing about attendance.

68th percentile · SolidScope Score 44/100
Cielo Vista Charter
Culture First · Charter
64th percentile · SolidScope Score 42/100
Rio Vista Elementary
Building Momentum
46th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 34/100

All 17 elementary schools, ranked, in the appendix →

Stage 2 of 3

The middle years

The middle schools average 21.1/100 — 17.5 points below the state average. Here is what that number does and doesn't say.

0100

5 middle schools span 24 points around an average of 21.1.

The strength

James Workman Middle is the strongest option at 33/100 — 13.3% of its students exceed the state standard.

The catch

33.4% of students are chronically absent (state: 18.1%) — chronic means missing 10% or more of the school year. Whatever the scores say, ask each school what it is doing about attendance.

James Workman Middle
Building Momentum
43rd percentile · DevelopingScope Score 33/100
Nellie N. Coffman Middle
Building Momentum
24th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 25/100
Raymond Cree Middle
Building Momentum
21st percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 24/100

All 5 middle schools, ranked, in the appendix →

Stage 3 of 3

The high school years

The high schools average 44.6/100 — 9.4 points below the state average. Here is what that number does and doesn't say.

0100

5 high schools span 28 points around an average of 44.6.

1 continuation/alternative school not plotted — it ranks within its own class, not on this statewide axis.

The strength

Palm Springs High is the strongest option at 53/100 — 12.9% of its students exceed the state standard.

The catch

38.6% of students are chronically absent (state: 23.1%) — chronic means missing 10% or more of the school year. Whatever the scores say, ask each school what it is doing about attendance.

Palm Springs High
Building Momentum
52nd percentile · SolidScope Score 53/100
Rancho Mirage High
Building Momentum
50th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 53/100
Cathedral City High
Building Momentum
27th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 46/100

All 5 high schools, ranked, in the appendix →

What it means for your family

If you're choosing a neighborhood

Compare schools at your child’s level before deciding on an address. The strongest attendance-zone candidate is Sunny Sands Elementary at 44/100 — confirm the exact boundary with the district before the house.

If you already live here

1 of the 27 ranked schools is a charter — enrollment paths that don't depend on your address. If your zoned school sits low in the appendix below, those lotteries and applications are the levers worth the paperwork.

If your kid is enrolled now

A band is a position, not a prophecy — 7 campuses here rank as On the Rise (6) or Growth Engine (1), their returning cohorts gaining more than most schools statewide. Ask your school two questions: what happens for a kid who arrives behind, and what the classroom looks like for one who arrives ahead.

The strongest-scoring run through the district:

Sunny Sands Elementary 68th percentile · SolidScope Score 44/100James Workman Middle 43rd percentile · DevelopingScope Score 33/100Palm Springs High 52nd percentile · SolidScope Score 53/100

Top scorers at each level — not necessarily one zoned sequence. Confirm feeder patterns and enrollment zones with the district, and visit before you decide.

What this page can't see: whether a campus feels safe and glad at 8 a.m. If a path above looks workable, the next step is a visit.

Palm Springs Unified has 27 public schools in this SchoolScope results directory. Compare schools by their primary reporting level below.

2024–25 CAASPP reporting · SchoolScope analysis. Directory coverage, not a complete inventory of every campus. Each school appears at its primary reporting level; K–8 and K–12 campuses can serve additional grades. Sources and methodology →

One district, three stages

The average changes with the journey.

Elementary schools

Explore elementary →
Lower reported resultsHigher reported results

17 comparable schools · average 29.2/100 · range 15.5–44.4

Middle schools

Explore middle →
Lower reported resultsHigher reported results

5 comparable schools · average 21.1/100 · range 9.2–33.1

High schools

Explore high →
Lower reported resultsHigher reported results

4 comparable schools · average 49.3/100 · range 45.5–53.3

Explore Palm Springs Unified by place.

Districts nearby

DistrictAverage scoreRanked schoolsTop schoolDistance
Palm Springs Unifiedthis district30.7 / 10026Palm Springs High—
Desert Sands Unified46.4 / 1005Palm Desert High10.9 mi

Averages blend every school level in a district and carry no score band. Compare a level at a time in the spreads above, then open the schools. Distances run between school-location centers.

Cities served

City pages include schools from other districts too. Check the district named on each school profile.

Patterns across the district

What kinds of schools are here?

Patterns worth exploring.

Choose a pattern to find matching schools in the lists below. Open a profile to see the underlying measures and questions to ask on a visit.

How patterns are defined →

Archetypes describe reported patterns, not school quality or fit. Available measures differ by school level.

Schools in Palm Springs Unified

Browse by level, then compare the evidence behind each profile.

Map ↗

Elementary schools in Palm Springs Unified · 17 schools

CompareSchoolExceededScore
Sunny Sands Elementary
Palm Springs Unified Growth Engine
19.9%68th percentile · SolidScope Score 44/100
Cielo Vista Charter
Palm Springs Unified Culture First
26.9%64th percentile · SolidScope Score 42/100
Rio Vista Elementary
Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum
18.7%46th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 34/100
Katherine Finchy Elementary
Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum
19.4%45th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 34/100
Cathedral City Elementary
Palm Springs Unified On the Rise
7.3%42nd percentile · DevelopingScope Score 33/100
Desert Learning Academy
Palm Springs Unified Culture First
14.8%41st percentile · DevelopingScope Score 32/100

Middle schools in Palm Springs Unified · 5 schools

CompareSchoolExceededScore
James Workman Middle
Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum
13.3%43rd percentile · DevelopingScope Score 33/100
Nellie N. Coffman Middle
Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum
6.8%24th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 25/100
Raymond Cree Middle
Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum
12.3%21st percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 24/100
Painted Hills Middle
Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum
4.5%3rd percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 14/100
Desert Springs Middle
Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum
3.9%1st percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 9/100

High schools in Palm Springs Unified · 5 schools

CompareSchoolExceededScore
Palm Springs High
Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum
12.9%52nd percentile · SolidScope Score 53/100
Rancho Mirage High
Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum
13.1%50th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 53/100
Cathedral City High
Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum
10.9%27th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 46/100
Desert Hot Springs High
Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum
11.2%26th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 45/100
Mt. San Jacinto High
Palm Springs Unified continuation high school
3.1%60th percentile · SolidWithin its own school classScope Score 26/100
Compare selected schools

Select two to four schools at the same level. Rankings and score bands compare each school with its own enrollment group.

District finance · FY 2024–25

Where the district's dollars go.

Palm Springs Unified spent $24,457 per student in FY 2024–25 — $3,966 more than the median California district ($20,491), about 19% higher. About 61 cents of every dollar goes to classroom instruction.

Current expense per student

Current expense of education per unit of average daily attendance, from the district's annual SACS filing to the California Department of Education. District-wide: it includes central administration and costs never assigned to one campus. Spending is context, not a measure of school quality.

Share by function

  • Instruction61%
  • Instruction support11%
  • Student services10%
  • Administration6%
  • Buildings & maintenance11%
  • Other1%

Shares of the same current-expense total, by SACS function. Names are simplified from the filing's own categories.

The system behind the schools

The people behind the classrooms — district-grain context that never enters a school's score.

People
Teacher salary range$66,051–$133,990
Teaching staff1,138 · FTE
District enrollment21,705 · students
Who attends
Hispanic 81.8% · White 8.6% · Black 4.0% · Asian 0.8% · Other 4.8%
Free/reduced lunch94% · economic need indicator

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule 2024–25 · CDE enrollment (district averages)

See how the school years fit together.

Explore the next stage, then verify the schools available for your address.

These are browsing links, not a feeder path. Assignments vary by residence, program, permits, and available space.

Looking beyond Palm Springs Unified?

Explore public, private, and early-learning options.

Know what you’re comparing.

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.

Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 27 schoolsMethodology · Download this data (CSV)

Free to download, CC BY 4.0 with attribution.

Frequently asked questions

How many schools are listed in Palm Springs Unified?
This SchoolScope directory lists 27 public schools in Palm Springs Unified with 2024–25 reporting records. This is directory coverage, not a complete campus inventory. Each school appears under its primary reporting level; a K–8 or K–12 campus may serve additional grades.
Which schools have the highest scores in Palm Springs Unified?
Among comprehensive public schools listed here, the highest Scope Score at each primary reporting level is: Elementary: Sunny Sands Elementary (44/100). Middle: James Workman Middle (33/100). High: Palm Springs High (53/100). These are separate level rankings, not a single cross-level league table. A score does not establish fit or enrollment eligibility. See the methodology.
Can I compare elementary, middle, and high schools directly?
Compare schools at the same level and within the same enrollment group. Scope Score formulas and available measures differ by level. The plots show comprehensive public schools separately for each level; individual profiles explain their comparison group.
Does living in Palm Springs Unified guarantee a particular school?
A district outline does not establish assignment to an individual school. Attendance boundaries, programs, permits, and available space can affect enrollment. Confirm the requirements directly with the district.
What does a SchoolScope pattern mean?
Archetypes summarize patterns in publicly reported academic and school-climate measures. They describe reported results, not a school’s quality or a child’s fit. Open the school profile for reporting years, missing measures, and questions to ask. Read how the patterns are defined.
Where do these results come from?
The underlying public data comes from the California Department of Education, including CAASPP reporting for 2024–25. Scope Scores and archetypes are SchoolScope calculations, not official CDE ratings. View CDE data and SchoolScope’s methodology and limitations.