School district · Los Angeles County

Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified schools

Of Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified’s 10 public elementary schools, 8 sit between the 88th and the 98th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests).

Elementary · 10 schools

from 86th to 99th · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests

  • Cornerstone at Pedregal Elementary: 99th percentile, Strong
  • Montemalaga Elementary: 98th percentile, Strong
  • Vista Grande Elementary: 96th percentile, Strong
  • Point Vicente Elementary: 96th percentile, Strong
  • Rancho Vista Elementary: 95th percentile, Strong
  • Soleado Elementary: 92nd percentile, Strong
  • Mira Catalina Elementary: 89th percentile, Strong
  • Silver Spur Elementary: 88th percentile, Strong
  • Dapplegray Elementary: 88th percentile, Strong
  • Lunada Bay Elementary: 86th percentile, Strong
0Needs Support
0Developing
0Solid
10Strong

One dot per school.

Middle and high school pictures

Middle · 3 schools

from 84th to 97th · among 2,529 California middle schools we score · spring 2026 tests

  • Ridgecrest Intermediate: 97th percentile, Strong
  • Palos Verdes Intermediate: 92nd percentile, Strong
  • Miraleste Intermediate: 84th percentile, Strong
0Needs Support
0Developing
0Solid
3Strong

High · 2 schools

from 95th to 97th · among 1,498 California high schools we score · spring 2025 tests

  • Palos Verdes Peninsula High: 97th percentile, Strong
  • Palos Verdes High: 95th percentile, Strong
0Needs Support
0Developing
0Solid
2Strong

One dot per school. Each stage is placed only among California schools at its own level.

Schools around Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified

15 listed public schools with mapped locations.

Open full map →

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Percentile among California schools at the same level

  • Strong75th+
  • Solid50–74th
  • Developing25–49th
  • Needs Supportbelow 25th
  • Not scored

The school lists on this page are also available without the map.

Elementary schools

Which elementary schools in Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified score highest?

Cornerstone at Pedregal Elementary is highest, at the 99th percentile.

That’s higher than 99 in 100 of the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests).

Highest in Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level. What patterns mean

Show the other 7 elementary schools
Context

The average elementary school in Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified had 7 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 Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified score highest?

Ridgecrest Intermediate is highest, at the 97th percentile.

That’s higher than 97 in 100 of the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests).

Highest in Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level. What patterns mean

Context

The average middle school in Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified had 8 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.

High schools

Which high schools in Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified score highest?

Palos Verdes Peninsula High is highest, at the 97th percentile.

That’s higher than 97 in 100 of the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests).

Highest in Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level. What patterns mean

The district

Where does Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified’s money go, and what does it plan?

Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified spent $17,611 per student in the 2024–25 school year.

The typical California district spent $20,491. About 67 cents of every Palos Verdes Peninsula 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

  • Instruction67%
  • Instruction support7%
  • Student services8%
  • Administration7%
  • Buildings & maintenance10%
  • 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

$87.7 million

planned in its 2026–27 plan for 36 funded actions in 3 goals. That’s 52% of its $170.4 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, 91 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.

Where the money goes

Three actions take 84% of the money. The plan itself puts 92% of it toward staff.

  • Certificated Staffing $64.6 million
  • Facilities Maintenance $5.9 million
  • Suicide Prevention Education $2.8 million
  • 33 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help

4 of the plan’s 36 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.

Actions whose titles name math, catch-up help or English learners
  • Math $0.1 million
  • Catch-up help $0.2 million
  • English learners $2.1 million

Largest of these

  • Language Acquisition Support For English Learners and/​or Long-term English Learners: Staff and Curriculum$2.1 million
  • Intervention/​Remediation$178,735
  • Math Adoption Professional Development$82,311
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 $3.3 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025–26, it planned $3.3 million and estimates it spent $3.2 million, $0.1 million (2%) less than planned (our arithmetic).

What changed

The total is $5.3 million (6%) lower than in the 2025–26 plan. The biggest change in dollars is Certificated Staffing, which went from $67.9 million to $64.6 million.

Largest cuts

  • Certificated Staffing−⁠$3.3 million
  • Instructional Materials−⁠$800,000
  • Facilities Maintenance−⁠$430,780

New in the 2026–27 plan

  • Language Acquisition Support For English Learners and/​or Long-term English Learners: Staff and Curriculum$2.1 million
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
Measure2024–252025–26Change
English, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 181%80%down 1 pt
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 175%74%down 1 pt
Chronically absentCounted across all the district’s students, not averaged by schoolGoal 211 in 10010 in 1001 fewer in 100
Suspended at least onceGoal 21.1%1.0%down 0.1 pts

Goal 3 isn’t shown because it tracks other measures.

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
  • Certificated Staffing · $64,595,441
  • Facilities Maintenance · $5,917,683
  • Suicide Prevention Education · $2,833,676
The full plan3 goals, 43 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 ($87.7 million).

Where does the money go?

82% 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.

G1
G2
G3

Change since the 2025–26 plan, same title

  • fell 25% or more
  • fell 10–25%
  • fell 2–10%
  • within 2%
  • grew 2–10%
  • grew 10–25%
  • grew 25% or more
  • new or renamed title
  • not compared: unconfirmed, or repeated across goals

Every goal, in the plan’s order

Goal 1Foster rigorous and supportive academic curriculum and initiatives taught by highly skilled staff, centered…$72.2 million82% of action budgets

“Foster rigorous and supportive academic curriculum and initiatives taught by highly skilled staff, centered on enabling high learning outcomes and ensuring access to a comprehensive selection of courses for all students to achieve academic excellence” p. 13 ↗

22 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $76.8 million (−⁠$4.6 million)

Largest funded actions

  1. Certificated Staffing$64.6 millionaction 1.2 · p. 52 ↗
  2. Language Acquisition Support For English Learners and/​or Long-term English Learners: Staff and Curriculum$2.1 millionaction 1.6 · p. 52 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  3. Instructional Materials$1.2 millionaction 1.1 · p. 52 ↗
  4. Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P)$1.2 millionaction 1.21 · p. 53 ↗
  5. Revisions and Development of IEP Goals$0.7 millionaction 1.10 · p. 52 ↗

17 more funded actions in this goal

  • Online Curriculum and Supplemental Software · action 1.17 · p. 53 ↗$0.6 million
  • Strategic Arts Plan · action 1.18 · p. 53 ↗$0.6 million
  • Instructional Coaches · action 1.5 · p. 52 ↗$0.2 million
  • Intervention/​Remediation · action 1.9 · p. 52 ↗$0.2 million
  • Professional Development · action 1.4 · p. 52 ↗$0.2 million
  • AVID · action 1.16 · p. 53 ↗$0.1 million
  • CTE Courses and Pathways · action 1.14 · p. 53 ↗$0.1 million
  • Dual Enrollment · action 1.19 · p. 53 ↗$0.1 million
  • Math Adoption Professional Development · action 1.23 · p. 53 ↗$0.1 million
  • Comprehensive Course Offerings and Post-Secondary Guidance · action 1.12 · p. 52 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
  • GATE · action 1.15 · p. 53 ↗$0.1 million
  • AI/​Technology Task Force · action 1.24 · p. 54 ↗under $0.1 million
  • K-2 Universal Screener · action 1.22 · p. 53 ↗under $0.1 million
  • Learning Needs Assessment · action 1.8 · p. 52 ↗under $0.1 million
  • Policies and Procedures · action 1.3 · p. 52 ↗under $0.1 million
  • Student Supports · action 1.20 · p. 53 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
  • Language Acquisition Support For English Learners and/​or Long-term English Learners: Professional Development · action 1.7 · p. 52 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million

Changes from last year’s plan, same title

  1. Certificated Staffing−⁠$3.3 million$67.9 million → $64.6 million · p. 52 ↗
  2. Instructional Materials−⁠$0.8 million$2.0 million → $1.2 million · p. 52 ↗
  3. Learning Needs Assessment−⁠$313,730$323,730 → $10,000 · p. 52 ↗

Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan

  • Language Acquisition Support For English Learners and/​or Long-term English Learners: Staff and Curriculum · $2.1 million · p. 52 ↗new or renamed
  • Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P) · $1.0 million → $1.2 million · p. 53 ↗+⁠$0.2 million
  • Revisions and Development of IEP Goals · $857,797 → $727,512 · p. 52 ↗−⁠$130,285
  • Online Curriculum and Supplemental Software · $674,349 → $603,031 · p. 53 ↗−⁠$71,318
  • Strategic Arts Plan · $446,067 → $577,285 · p. 53 ↗+⁠$131,218
  • Instructional Coaches · $239,984 → $210,138 · p. 52 ↗−⁠$29,846
  • Intervention/​Remediation · $269,360 → $178,735 · p. 52 ↗−⁠$90,625
  • Professional Development · $417,818 → $175,753 · p. 52 ↗−⁠$242,065
  • AVID · $114,686 → $139,686 · p. 53 ↗+⁠$25,000
  • CTE Courses and Pathways · $103,833 → $121,188 · p. 53 ↗+⁠$17,355
  • Dual Enrollment · $76,104 → $115,877 · p. 53 ↗+⁠$39,773
  • Math Adoption Professional Development · $82,311 · p. 53 ↗new or renamed
  • Comprehensive Course Offerings and Post-Secondary Guidance · $60,000 → $60,000 · p. 52 ↗unchanged
  • GATE · $50,000 → $52,572 · p. 53 ↗+⁠$2,572
  • AI/​Technology Task Force · $21,435 · p. 54 ↗new or renamed
  • K-2 Universal Screener · $10,123 → $10,123 · p. 53 ↗unchanged
  • Policies and Procedures · $10,000 → $8,000 · p. 52 ↗−⁠$2,000
  • Student Supports · $60,500 → $6,000 · p. 53 ↗−⁠$54,500
  • Language Acquisition Support For English Learners and/​or Long-term English Learners: Professional Development · $10,000 → $1,000 · p. 52 ↗−⁠$9,000

A reworded title counts as new.

How the plan measures it · 22 measures · 3 quoted

  • Percentage of Students with Sufficient Instructional Materials p. 13 ↗
    Baseline
    100% …
    Target for year 3
    100%
  • Fully Credentialed and Appropriately Assigned Teachers p. 13 ↗
    Baseline
    91.5% …
    Target for year 3
    100%
  • Percent of Teachers with English Language Development Authorization p. 14 ↗
    Baseline
    98% …
    Target for year 3
    100%

19 more measures in the plan’s table.

Goal 2Promote a positive, inclusive, and connected school culture and climate through clear communication…$6.7 million8% of action budgets

“Promote a positive, inclusive, and connected school culture and climate through clear communication, accountability, and community engagement” p. 30 ↗

11 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $6.8 million (−⁠$146,835)

Largest funded actions

  1. Suicide Prevention Education$2.8 millionaction 2.6 · p. 54 ↗
  2. Counseling Support$2.1 millionaction 2.2 · p. 54 ↗
  3. Schoolwide Prevention through School Connectedness$1.1 millionaction 2.7 · p. 54 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  4. Restorative Practices by Administration$0.4 millionaction 2.9 · p. 54 ↗
  5. Attendance Practices$0.3 millionaction 2.1 · p. 54 ↗

6 more funded actions in this goal

  • Employee Assistance Service for Education (EASE) · action 2.11 · p. 54 ↗under $0.1 million
  • Site Safety · action 2.10 · p. 54 ↗under $0.1 million
  • School Programs and Courses · action 2.5 · p. 54 ↗under $0.1 million
  • Online Meeting Platforms · action 2.4 · p. 54 ↗under $0.1 million
  • Surveys · action 2.3 · p. 54 ↗under $0.1 million
  • Engagement with Parent Community · action 2.8 · p. 54 ↗under $0.1 million

Changes from last year’s plan, same title

  1. Schoolwide Prevention through School Connectedness+⁠$0.1 million$1.0 million → $1.1 million · p. 54 ↗
  2. School Programs and Courses−⁠$102,865$112,865 → $10,000 · p. 54 ↗
  3. Suicide Prevention Education−⁠$0.1 million$2.9 million → $2.8 million · p. 54 ↗

Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan

  • Counseling Support · $2.1 million → $2.1 million · p. 54 ↗−⁠$0.1 million
  • Restorative Practices by Administration · $374,156 → $400,215 · p. 54 ↗+⁠$26,059
  • Attendance Practices · $251,825 → $261,972 · p. 54 ↗+⁠$10,147
  • Employee Assistance Service for Education (EASE) · $16,500 → $16,500 · p. 54 ↗unchanged
  • Site Safety · $11,880 → $12,510 · p. 54 ↗+⁠$630
  • Online Meeting Platforms · $6,218 → $6,754 · p. 54 ↗+⁠$536
  • Surveys · $3,000 → $1,000 · p. 54 ↗−⁠$2,000
  • Engagement with Parent Community · $15,000 → $850 · p. 54 ↗−⁠$14,150

How the plan measures it · 16 measures · 3 quoted

  • Chronic Absenteeism Rate p. 30 ↗
    Baseline
    All Students: 12% …
    Target for year 3
    All Students: 9% …
  • Overall District Average Daily Attendance Rates p. 31 ↗
    Baseline
    All: 95% …
    Target for year 3
    All Students: 98% …
  • Percentage of schools with Parents Partnerships Groups p. 31 ↗
    Baseline
    100% …
    Target for year 3
    100%

13 more measures in the plan’s table.

Goal 3Ensure that school facilities are safe, well-equipped, and properly maintained, incorporating technology to…$8.8 million10% of action budgets

“Ensure that school facilities are safe, well-equipped, and properly maintained, incorporating technology to support an optimal learning environment” p. 42 ↗

3 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $9.4 million (−⁠$564,740)

Largest funded actions

  1. Facilities Maintenance$5.9 millionaction 3.1 · p. 54 ↗
  2. Maintaining Optimal Condition of Technology Hardware for Effective Instruction$2.8 millionaction 3.3 · p. 54 ↗
  3. Equipping Classrooms with Essential Technology$0.2 millionaction 3.4 · p. 54 ↗

Changes from last year’s plan, same title

  1. Facilities Maintenance−⁠$0.4 million$6.3 million → $5.9 million · p. 54 ↗
  2. Maintaining Optimal Condition of Technology Hardware for Effective Instruction−⁠$0.1 million$2.9 million → $2.8 million · p. 54 ↗

Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan

  • Equipping Classrooms with Essential Technology · $150,000 → $150,000 · p. 54 ↗unchanged

How the plan measures it · 5 measures · 3 quoted

  • Percent of the PVPUSD's school site facilities with an overall rating of "good" p. 42 ↗
    Baseline
    0% …
    Target for year 3
    100%
  • Percentage of Schools that conduct Annual Safety Inspections to Evaluate Facilities p. 42 ↗
    Baseline
    100% …
    Target for year 3
    100%
  • Percentage of Schools that Perform Semi- Annual Reviews of all Technology Equipment to Monitor Condition and Functionality p. 42 ↗
    Baseline
    100% …
    Target for year 3
    100%

2 more measures in the plan’s table.

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, 10,177 students
1. White: 37%2. Asian: 30%3. Hispanic or Latino: 16%4. Two or more races: 12%5. Black or African American: 2%6. Filipino: 2%7. Not reported: <1%8. American Indian or Alaska Native: <1%9. Pacific Islander: <1%Student mix2024–25
  1. White37%
  2. Asian30%
  3. Hispanic or Latino16%
  4. Two or more races12%
  5. Black or African American2%
  6. Filipino2%
  7. Not reported<1%
  8. American Indian or Alaska Native<1%
  9. Pacific Islander<1%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools.

Free or reduced-price meals

11%

Across California, 63% of students qualify.

2024–25 · 1,087 of 10,131 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?

Palos Verdes Peninsula 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, 61% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (190 of 314 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.

2 schools getting state support, 2025–26

Miraleste Intermediate (Targeted support) · Montemalaga Elementary (Targeted support)

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.

Sources: District help (CDE) ↗ · English learner progress (CDE) ↗ · School support (CDE) ↗. State results from the 2026 California School Dashboard.

Which places nearby can you look at next?

Cities in the district

More places (6)

Districts nearby

Common questions

Which public schools in Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified rank highest?

Elementary: Cornerstone at Pedregal Elementary, 99th percentile (Strong). Middle: Ridgecrest Intermediate, 97th percentile (Strong). High: Palos Verdes Peninsula High, 97th percentile (Strong). 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 Palos Verdes Peninsula 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 Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified good?

Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified’s 10 public elementary schools run from the 86th to the 99th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 10 Strong. Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified’s 3 public middle schools run from the 84th to the 97th percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 3 Strong. Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified’s 2 public high schools run from the 95th to the 97th percentile among the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). By band: 2 Strong. 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 Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified compare with California?

The average elementary school in Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified had 7 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 Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified had 8 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 Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified spend per student?

Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified spent $17,611 per student in the 2024–25 school year. The typical California district spent $20,491. About 67 cents of every Palos Verdes Peninsula 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 Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified’s 2026–27 spending plan?

The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $87.7 million into 36 funded actions in 3 goals, 52% of its $170.4 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $72.2 million, 82% 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 Palos Verdes Peninsula 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.

View CDE data ↗ (opens in a new tab)How Scope Scores work →

Download these schools (CSV)Free to use under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.