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Palo Verde Unified: Palo Verde Unified schools score 18.8 points below the state average. The trajectory from grade 3 to 5 falls 9.0 points.

Below Average2024–25 data6 schools · avg 26.1/100

Palo Verde Unified has 6 ranked schools across elementary and high levels with an average Scope Score of 26.1/100 — 18.8 points below the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Scale Leadership Academy - East at 40/100, where 18.5% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $14,210 per student (below the state average of $14,815). Chronic absenteeism averages 31.1%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
26.1
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
22.5
17.1 – 39.6
Avg Exceeded %
6.4%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
31.1%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
6
With Scope Scores
Charter Schools
1
of 6 ranked
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementaryNeeds Support
26.5/100
48.6%21.1%
HighNeeds Support
25.3/100
22.1%51.2%

Palo Verde Unified's elementary schools average 26.5/100 — 18.4 points below the state average with a −9.0pp declining trajectory.

K–12 pipeline

The typical school path in Palo Verde Unified, top-scoring shown first.

Elementary
26.5
avg score · 4 schools
Margaret White Elementary
Needs Support
26/100
Ruth Brown Elementary
Needs Support
23/100
+1 more elementary schools
High
25.3
avg score · 2 schools
Palo Verde High
Developing
32/100
Twin Palms Continuation
Needs Support
18/100

District Analysis

Palo Verde Unified has 6 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 26.1/100 — 18.8 points below the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Strongest level: Palo Verde Unified's elementary schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 26.5.

District-wide elementary growth averages -9.0pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — a declining trend worth examining school by school.

Score range of 22.5 points — showing notable variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 31.1%, 13.2pp above the state average of 17.9%.

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

Scale Leadership Academy - East leads the district at 40 with 18.5% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in Palo Verde Unified

1 Culture First5 Building Momentum

Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more

Student demographics

Hispanic
64.3%
White
18.7%
Asian
2.1%
Black
10.3%
Other
4.6%
Free/Reduced Lunch
80%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

Palo Verde Unified spends $14,210 per student in current expenditures — $605 below the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$14,210
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
2,821
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 19.7%
$11,876 → $14,210
Spending Efficiency
1.83
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 57%Support 38%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
$63,061–$127,355
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
133
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

For the data nerds

Every school in Palo Verde Unified

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (4)

Palo Verde Unified has 4 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 26.5 — 18.4 points below the state average of 44.8.

Growth averages -9.0pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Scale Leadership Academy - East with a Scope Score of 40 and 18.5% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Scale Leadership Academy - East
Palo Verde Unified Culture First
18.5%Developing
40/100
2Margaret White Elementary
Palo Verde Unified Building Momentum
4.3%Needs Support
26/100
3Ruth Brown Elementary
Palo Verde Unified Building Momentum
5.7%Needs Support
23/100
4Felix J. Appleby Elementary
Palo Verde Unified Building Momentum
5.8%Needs Support
17/100

High Schools (2)

Palo Verde Unified has 2 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 25.3 — 18.5 points below the state average of 43.7.

The highest-scoring high school is Palo Verde High with a Scope Score of 32 and 4.3% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Palo Verde High
Palo Verde Unified Building Momentum
4.3%Developing
32/100
2Twin Palms Continuation
Palo Verde Unified Building Momentum
0.0%Needs Support
18/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 6 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 Palo Verde 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 Palo Verde Unified a good school district?
Palo Verde Unified has 6 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 26.1/100, which is 18.8 points below the state average. 6.4% 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 Palo Verde Unified?
The highest-scoring school in Palo Verde Unified is Scale Leadership Academy - East with a Scope Score of 40/100 and 18.5% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Palo Verde Unified spend per student?
Palo Verde Unified spends $14,210 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 Palo Verde Unified?
Teacher salaries in Palo Verde Unified range from $63,061–$127,355 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.