Palo Verde Unified’s 3 public elementary schools run from the bottom 1% to the 13th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests).
Elementary · 3 schools
from bottom 1% to 13th · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests
Ruth Brown Elementary: 13th percentile, Needs Support
Margaret White Elementary: 11th percentile, Needs Support
Felix J. Appleby Elementary: bottom 1%, Needs Support
3Needs Support
0Developing
0Solid
0Strong
← lower percentilehigher →
One dot per school.
Middle and high school pictures
Middle · 3 schools
from 5th to 25th · among 2,529 California middle schools we score · spring 2026 tests
Felix J. Appleby Elementary: 25th percentile, Developing
Margaret White Elementary: 8th percentile, Needs Support
Ruth Brown Elementary: 5th percentile, Needs Support
2Needs Support
1Developing
0Solid
0Strong
High · 1 school
at 14th · among 1,498 California high schools we score · spring 2025 tests
Palo Verde High: 14th percentile, Needs Support
1Needs Support
0Developing
0Solid
0Strong
← lower percentilehigher →
One dot per school. Each stage is placed only among California schools at its own level. 3 of the 4 ranked schools teach two levels, so they appear in more than one picture.
The average elementary school in Palo Verde Unified had 26 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 Palo Verde Unified score highest?
Felix J. Appleby Elementary is highest, at the 25th percentile.
That’s higher than 25 in 100 of the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests).
Highest in Palo Verde Unified
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.
The average middle school in Palo Verde Unified had 26 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.
High schools
Where does the high school we score in Palo Verde Unified stand?
Palo Verde High is at the 14th percentile.
That’s higher than 14 in 100 of the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). It’s the only public high school we score in Palo Verde Unified.
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.
Twin Palms ContinuationContinuation high school: compared only with other continuation schools
The district
Where does Palo Verde Unified’s money go, and what does it plan?
Palo Verde Unified spent $22,577 per student in the 2024–25 school year.
The typical California district spent $20,491. About 54 cents of every Palo Verde 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
Instruction54%
Instruction support12%
Student services12%
Administration7%
Buildings & maintenance14%
Other1%
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
$11.4 million
planned in its 2026–27 plan for 41 funded actions in 4 goals. That’s 20% of its $57.4 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, 157 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.
Where the money goes
The money is spread out. No action gets more than 14%, and the three largest, Lower class sizes, no combination classes; Positive behavior support; and Classroom intervention support, take 33% between them. The plan itself puts 85% of it toward staff.
Lower class sizes, no combination classes $1.6 million
Positive behavior support $1.5 million
Classroom intervention support $765,307
38 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help
3 of the plan’s 41 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.
Actions whose titles name catch-up help or English learners
Catch-up help $765,307
English learners $223,702
Largest of these
Classroom intervention support$765,307
EL paraprofessionals$210,069
English Learner Support$13,633
For high-need students (English learners, low-income students and foster youth), what changed and what its goals measure
For high-need students
It plans $9.7 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025–26, it planned $11.4 million and estimates it spent $12.0 million, $0.6 million (5%) more than planned (our arithmetic).
$12.0 million spent (estimated)$11.4 million planned
What changed
The total is $3.2 million (22%) lower than in the 2025–26 plan. The biggest change in dollars is EL paraprofessionals, which went from $1.9 million to $210,069.
Largest cuts
EL paraprofessionals−$1.7 million
Elementary certificated support−$404,150
Data, Assessment, and Accountability support−$296,529
Largest increases
Positive behavior support+$599,659
New curriculum adoptions+$126,000
Security / surveillance equipment+$88,357
New in the 2026–27 plan
Academic Coordinator TOSAs$652,942
Middle School VAPA$181,644
Ask: What did EL paraprofessionals pay for, and what changes now that the 2026–27 plan gives it $1.7 million less?
What its goals measure
Read these state results for the district’s own schools as context for the goals they measure; results alone can’t show what the plan caused.
What its goals measure: state results, 2024–25 and 2025–26
Measure
2024–25
2025–26
Change
English, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 1
24%
27%
up 3 pts
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 1
12%
14%
up 2 pts
Chronically absentCounted across all the district’s students, not averaged by schoolGoal 2
32 in 100
30 in 100
2 fewer in 100
Suspended at least onceGoal 2
6.3%
7.8%
up 1.5 pts
Goal 4 tracks named schools and Goal 3 tracks other measures, so they aren’t shown here.
Figures from CDE’s state test, chronic absence and suspension files. Test figures cover every grade the district tests (California tests grades 3–8 and 11), so they differ from a profile’s rated grades. We combined the district’s schools ourselves, weighted by students and leaving out charter schools. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days.
The plan’s own titles and amounts
Lower class sizes, no combination classes · $1,574,890
Positive behavior support · $1,474,996
Classroom intervention support · $765,307
The full plan4 goals, 36 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 ($11.4 million).
Where does the money go?
64% to Goal 1. 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.
not compared: unconfirmed, or repeated across goals
Every goal, in the plan’s order
Goal 1Increase student achievement to ensure all students will be college and career ready$7.3 million64% of action budgets
24 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $10.7 million (−$3.4 million) · p. 14 ↗
Largest funded actions
Lower class sizes, no combination classes$1.6 millionaction 1.1 · p. 110 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Classroom intervention support$0.8 millionaction 1.19 · p. 111 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Academic Coordinator TOSAs$0.7 millionaction 1.5 · p. 110 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $313,151 is state funding counted toward those services
Additional time$0.6 millionaction 1.2 · p. 110 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Secondary teachers$0.5 millionaction 1.3 · p. 110 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
19 more funded actions in this goal
Technology positions · action 1.12 · p. 111 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.4 million
Curriculum and Instruction Support · action 1.15 · p. 111 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $202,507 is state funding counted toward those services$0.4 million
New curriculum adoptions · action 1.16 · p. 111 ↗$0.3 million
CTE Offerings · action 1.9 · p. 111 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.3 million
Director of Special Services · action 1.14 · p. 111 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.2 million
Professional Learning · action 1.10 · p. 111 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $69,161 is state funding counted toward those services$0.2 million
EL paraprofessionals · action 1.24 · p. 112 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $124,243 is state funding counted toward those services$0.2 million
Data, Assessment, and Accountability support · action 1.11 · p. 111 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.2 million
Chromebooks / instructional technology · action 1.13 · p. 111 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $70,000 is state funding counted toward those services$0.2 million
Middle School VAPA · action 1.4 · p. 110 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.2 million
Site and district licenses · action 1.23 · p. 112 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $54,000 is state funding counted toward those services$0.2 million
Freshman and Senior Seminar · action 1.6 · p. 110 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Online / alternative classes · action 1.18 · p. 111 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Teacher Induction Program · action 1.22 · p. 112 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $31,582 is state funding counted toward those services$0.1 million
Journalism and Advanced Music Courses · action 1.8 · p. 110 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Junior and Senior Leadership class · action 1.7 · p. 110 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
English Learner Support · action 1.17 · p. 111 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Expanded elective programs · action 1.25 · p. 112 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
A-G Courses · action 1.21 · p. 112 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
EL paraprofessionals−$1.7 million$1.9 million → $0.2 million · p. 112 ↗
Data, Assessment, and Accountability support−$296,529$504,790 → $208,261 · p. 111 ↗
Lower class sizes, no combination classes−$0.3 million$1.8 million → $1.6 million · p. 110 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Classroom intervention support · $800,545 → $765,307 · p. 111 ↗−$35,238
Academic Coordinator TOSAs · $652,942 · p. 110 ↗new or renamed
Additional time · $606,782 → $592,938 · p. 110 ↗−$13,844
Secondary teachers · $657,556 → $475,074 · p. 110 ↗−$182,482
Technology positions · $618,295 → $425,922 · p. 111 ↗−$192,373
Curriculum and Instruction Support · $411,206 → $350,207 · p. 111 ↗−$60,999
New curriculum adoptions · $174,000 → $300,000 · p. 111 ↗+$126,000
CTE Offerings · $379,425 → $293,604 · p. 111 ↗−$85,821
Director of Special Services · $246,542 → $225,519 · p. 111 ↗−$21,023
Professional Learning · $352,795 → $214,161 · p. 111 ↗−$138,634
A-G Courses · $49,000 → $1,000 · p. 112 ↗−$48,000
A reworded title counts as new.
How the plan measures it · 19 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 14 ↗.
Goal 2Provide a safe and healthful learning environment for students, staff, and parents / guardians$3.8 million34% of action budgets
10 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $3.5 million (+$362,921) · p. 42 ↗
Largest funded actions
Positive behavior support$1.5 millionaction 2.4 · p. 112 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Elementary certificated support$0.6 millionaction 2.3 · p. 112 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $489,835 is state funding counted toward those services
Dropout Prevention Specialists$0.5 millionaction 2.8 · p. 113 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Health Service Support$0.4 millionaction 2.9 · p. 113 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Secondary counseling$0.3 millionaction 2.7 · p. 112 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $110,859 is state funding counted toward those services
5 more funded actions in this goal
Enhanced collaboration and support with local law enforcement · action 2.6 · p. 112 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.2 million
School Resource Officer · action 2.2 · p. 112 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.2 million
Security / surveillance equipment · action 2.1 · p. 112 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Professional learning-positive behavior · action 2.5 · p. 112 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $20,974 is state funding counted toward those servicesunder $0.1 million
Healthy Kids Survey · action 2.11 · p. 113 ↗under $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Positive behavior support+$0.6 million$0.9 million → $1.5 million · p. 112 ↗
Elementary certificated support−$0.4 million$1.0 million → $0.6 million · p. 112 ↗
Security / surveillance equipment+$88,357$31,000 → $119,357 · p. 112 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Student activity engagement$126,857action 3.1 · p. 113 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Professional learning to parents$1,631action 3.3 · p. 113 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Student activity engagement−$26,431$153,288 → $126,857 · p. 113 ↗
Professional learning to parents+$1,131$500 → $1,631 · p. 113 ↗
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. 57 ↗.
Goal 4 · Equity Multiplier Focus GoalImprove graduation rate at Twin Palms High School by providing meaning and purpose to students enrolled at…$169,0001% of action budgets
“Improve graduation rate at Twin Palms High School by providing meaning and purpose to students enrolled at the site. The 2025 California Dashboard shows that the Graduation Rate for All students, Hispanic students, and Low-Income students are in the medium level (yellow). The College and Career Indicator for Twin Palms shows that All students, Socioeconomically Disadvantaged students, and Hispanic students are in the low level (orange). The Suspension Rate Indicator shows that All students, Socioeconomically Disadvantaged students, and Hispanic students are in the very high level (blue). Teaching assignments for Twin Palms per the 2025 CA Dashboard show that 46.6% of teachers there have a clear credential in their teaching assignment” p. 64 ↗
5 funded actions · reworded since the 2025–26 plan
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, 3,871 students
1Hispanic or Latino54%
2White26%
3Black or African American11%
4Two or more races4%
5Asian4%
6American Indian or Alaska Native<1%
7Not reported<1%
8Filipino<1%
9Pacific Islander<1%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools.
Free or reduced-price meals
74%
Across California, 63% of students qualify.
2024–25 · 2,852 of 3,871 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?
Palo Verde Unified isn’t getting extra state help in 2026, only the standard support every district gets.
How English learners moved up on the state’s English test
From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 45% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (67 of 148 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.
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.
Which public schools in Palo Verde Unified rank highest?
Elementary: Ruth Brown Elementary, 13th percentile (Needs Support). Middle: Felix J. Appleby Elementary, 25th percentile (Developing). High: Palo Verde High, 14th percentile (Needs Support). 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 Palo Verde 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 Palo Verde Unified good?
Palo Verde Unified’s 3 public elementary schools run from the bottom 1% to the 13th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 3 Needs Support. Palo Verde Unified’s 3 public middle schools run from the 5th to the 25th percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Developing and 2 Needs Support. Palo Verde Unified has one public high school we score, Palo Verde High, at the 14th percentile among the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). By band: 1 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 Palo Verde Unified compare with California?
The average elementary school in Palo Verde Unified had 26 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 Palo Verde Unified had 26 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100. These are averages of school rates: each school counts once, whatever its size.
How much does Palo Verde Unified spend per student?
Palo Verde Unified spent $22,577 per student in the 2024–25 school year. The typical California district spent $20,491. About 54 cents of every Palo Verde 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 Palo Verde Unified’s 2026–27 spending plan?
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $11.4 million into 41 funded actions in 4 goals, 20% of its $57.4 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $7.3 million, 64% 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 Palo Verde 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.