Palm Springs Unified: Palm Springs Unified schools score 9.4 points below the state average. The trajectory from grade 3 to 5 falls 3.6 points.
Palm Springs Unified has 27 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 35.5/100 — 9.4 points below the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Sunny Sands Elementary at 50/100, where 19.9% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $16,422 per student (above the state average of $14,815). Chronic absenteeism averages 28.1%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Avg Score | Schools | Exceeded | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | Developing 35.8/100 | 17 | 11.9% | 23.4% |
| Middle | Needs Support 28.1/100 | 5 | 8.2% | 33.4% |
| High | Developing 41.5/100 | 5 | 10.2% | 38.6% |
Palm Springs Unified's high schools average 41.5/100 — 2.3 points below the state average.
K–12 pipeline
The typical school path in Palm Springs Unified, top-scoring shown first.
District Analysis
Palm Springs Unified has 27 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 35.5/100 — 9.4 points below the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).
Strongest level: Palm Springs Unified's high schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 41.5.
District-wide elementary growth averages -3.6pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — a declining trend worth examining school by school.
Score range of 32.0 points — showing significant variation between schools.
District chronic absenteeism averages 28.1%, 10.2pp above the state average of 17.9%.
District suspension rate averages 3.6%, near the state average of 1.6%.
Sunny Sands Elementary leads the district at 50 with 19.9% exceeding standard.
How we score · Scope Score methodology
School archetypes in Palm Springs Unified
Hidden gems: 4 schools in Palm Springs Unified are classified as On the Rise (4) — 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
District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data
District Funding
Palm Springs Unified spends $16,422 per student in current expenditures — $1,607 above the state average of $14,815.
Data source: NCES Common Core of Data, Fiscal Survey (F-33) · 2019–2020
Teacher compensation
CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25
Every school in Palm Springs Unified
ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP
Elementary Schools (17)
Palm Springs Unified has 17 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 35.8 — 9.0 points below the state average of 44.8.
Growth averages -3.6pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.
The highest-scoring elementary school is Sunny Sands Elementary with a Scope Score of 50 and 19.9% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunny Sands Elementary Palm Springs Unified Culture First | 19.9% | Solid 50/100 |
| 2 | Cielo Vista Charter Palm Springs Unified Culture First | 26.9% | Developing 47/100 |
| 3 | Rio Vista Elementary Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum | 18.7% | Developing 41/100 |
| 4 | Cathedral City Elementary Palm Springs Unified Culture First | 7.3% | Developing 40/100 |
| 5 | Katherine Finchy Elementary Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum | 19.4% | Developing 40/100 |
| 6 | Agua Caliente Elementary Palm Springs Unified On the Rise | 7.8% | Developing 40/100 |
| 7 | Landau Elementary Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum | 15.0% | Developing 37/100 |
| 8 | Rancho Mirage Elementary Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum | 16.4% | Developing 36/100 |
| 9 | Bella Vista Elementary Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum | 8.2% | Developing 35/100 |
| 10 | Cahuilla Elementary Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum | 9.6% | Developing 34/100 |
| 11 | Vista del Monte Elementary Palm Springs Unified On the Rise | 6.3% | Developing 32/100 |
| 12 | Cabot Yerxa Elementary Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum | 6.2% | Developing 32/100 |
| 13 | Julius Corsini Elementary Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum | 4.6% | Developing 32/100 |
| 14 | Desert Learning Academy Palm Springs Unified On the Rise | 14.8% | Developing 31/100 |
| 15 | Bubbling Wells Elementary Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum | 6.6% | Developing 30/100 |
| 16 | Della S. Lindley Elementary Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum | 8.0% | Needs Support 29/100 |
| 17 | Two Bunch Palms Elementary Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum | 6.0% | Needs Support 24/100 |
Middle Schools (5)
Palm Springs Unified has 5 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 28.1 — 14.5 points below the state average of 42.6.
Grade-to-grade growth averages +0.4pp — schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.
The highest-scoring middle school is James Workman Middle with a Scope Score of 38 and 13.3% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Workman Middle Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum | 13.3% | Developing 38/100 |
| 2 | Nellie N. Coffman Middle Palm Springs Unified On the Rise | 6.8% | Developing 31/100 |
| 3 | Raymond Cree Middle Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum | 12.3% | Developing 31/100 |
| 4 | Painted Hills Middle Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum | 4.5% | Needs Support 22/100 |
| 5 | Desert Springs Middle Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum | 3.9% | Needs Support 18/100 |
High Schools (5)
Palm Springs Unified has 5 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 41.5 — 2.3 points below the state average of 43.7.
The highest-scoring high school is Palm Springs High with a Scope Score of 49 and 12.9% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palm Springs High Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum | 12.9% | Developing 49/100 |
| 2 | Rancho Mirage High Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum | 13.1% | Developing 49/100 |
| 3 | Cathedral City High Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum | 10.9% | Developing 43/100 |
| 4 | Desert Hot Springs High Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum | 11.2% | Developing 42/100 |
| 5 | Mt. San Jacinto High Palm Springs Unified Building Momentum | 3.1% | Needs Support 25/100 |
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.
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