Elementary Schools in Palo Alto, California: Palo Alto schools aren't just reaching proficiency — they're pushing students beyond it.

Above Average2024–25 data10 schools · avg 79.4/100

Palo Alto, California has 10 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 79.4/100 — 35.6 points above the state average of 43.8. The highest-scoring school is Herbert Hoover Elementary at 92/100, where 79.2% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. Palo Alto schools average 60.0% exceeded standard (state: 21.6%) — this exceeded-vs-met distinction reveals whether schools push students beyond proficiency or pace toward it. Of 10 schools, 9 High Ceiling stand out for their performance profiles. Chronic absenteeism averages 10.5% (below the state average of 18.1%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score

79.4

State avg: 43.8

SchoolScope composite

Score Range

35.7

56.3 – 92.0

Avg Exceeded %

60.0%

State avg: 21.6%

CDE CAASPP 2025

Chronic Absenteeism

10.5%

State avg: 18.1%

CDE Attendance 2025

Schools Ranked

With Scope Scores

Level	Schools	Avg Score	Exceeded	vs State
Elementary	10	Strong 79.4/100	60.0%	+35.6
High	2	Strong 88.4/100	59.0%	+41.0
Middle	3	Strong 81.1/100	57.2%	+40.6

How Palo Alto schools compare

Palo Alto has 10 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 79.4/100 — 35.6 points above the state average of 43.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

The top-ranked school is Herbert Hoover Elementary with a Scope Score of 92 and 79.2% of students exceeding standard.

These schools are pushing students past the bar, not just to it. Palo Alto schools average 60.0% exceeding standard — well above the statewide average of 21.6%.

Chronic absenteeism in Palo Alto averages 10.5% — below the state average of 18.1%.

How we score · Exceeded 40% · Met+Exceeded 22% · Growth 15% · Absenteeism 10% · Suspension 5% · ELPAC 5% · Baseline 3%

School archetypes in Palo Alto

9 High Ceiling1 Building Momentum

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

For the data nerds

Every school in Palo Alto

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

#	School	Exceeded	Score
1	Herbert Hoover Elementary Palo Alto Unified High Ceiling	79.2%	Strong 92/100
2	Ohlone Elementary Palo Alto Unified High Ceiling	66.4%	Strong 91/100
3	Henry M. Gunn High Palo Alto Unified High Ceiling	62.9%	Strong 89/100
4	Juana Briones Elementary Palo Alto Unified High Ceiling	65.5%	Strong 88/100
5	Palo Alto High Palo Alto Unified High Ceiling	55.0%	Strong 88/100
6	Fairmeadow Elementary Palo Alto Unified High Ceiling	65.9%	Strong 88/100
7	Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle Palo Alto Unified High Ceiling	63.5%	Strong 87/100
8	Ellen Fletcher Middle Palo Alto Unified High Ceiling	57.6%	Strong 81/100
9	Palo Verde Elementary Palo Alto Unified High Ceiling	58.8%	Strong 79/100
10	Walter Hays Elementary Palo Alto Unified High Ceiling	58.9%	Strong 79/100
11	Duveneck Elementary Palo Alto Unified High Ceiling	58.6%	Strong 77/100
12	Frank S. Greene Jr. Middle Palo Alto Unified High Ceiling	50.5%	Strong 76/100
13	El Carmelo Elementary Palo Alto Unified High Ceiling	51.6%	Strong 72/100
14	Addison Elementary Palo Alto Unified High Ceiling	54.4%	Strong 72/100
15	Barron Park Elementary Palo Alto Unified Building Momentum	40.9%	Solid 56/100

Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 15 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.

Private Schools in Palo Alto

Private schools don't participate in California's standardized testing (CAASPP) and cannot be scored or ranked. Showing enrollment, student-teacher ratio, and affiliation where available.

Silicon Valley International School

Nonsectarian · Grades Pre-K-12 · 585 students

6:1Private

Castilleja School

Nonsectarian · Grades 6-12 · 422 students

7:1Private

Synapse School

Nonsectarian · Grades Pre-K-8 · 321 students

5:1Private

Keys Family Day School

Nonsectarian · Grades Pre-K-8 · 317 students

9:1Private

Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School

Episcopal · Grades Pre-K-8 · 315 students

5:1Private

What Scope Scores can't tell you about Palo Alto

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 school zones and enrollment boundaries affect access. Full methodology

Frequently asked questions

Are the schools in Palo Alto good?

Palo Alto's 10 ranked elementary schools average a Scope Score of 79.4/100, which is 35.6 points above the state average. 60.0% of students exceed the state standard on average (state average: 21.6%). The Scope Score weights seven dimensions: exceeded standard (40%), met standard (22%), grade-level growth (15%), chronic absenteeism (10%), ELPAC proficiency (5%), suspension rate (5%), and baseline proficiency (3%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.

What is the best elementary school in Palo Alto?

The highest-scoring elementary school in Palo Alto is Herbert Hoover Elementary with a Scope Score of 92/100 and 79.2% of students exceeding the state standard. Rankings are based on SchoolScope's 2025 Scope Score, which measures academic performance and school climate using publicly available California data. See full methodology.

How do Palo Alto schools compare to the state average?

Palo Alto elementary schools average a Scope Score of 79.4/100 — 35.6 points above the state average of 43.8. The exceeded rate averages 60.0% vs. 21.6% statewide. Chronic absenteeism averages 10.5% vs. 18.1% statewide.

How many schools are in Palo Alto?

Palo Alto has 10 ranked elementary schools with Scope Scores. Schools are ranked using a weighted composite of CAASPP test performance, growth trajectory, chronic absenteeism, and suspension rate. Schools with insufficient testing data are not ranked.

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 3–5 growth, chronic absenteeism, suspension rate, ELPAC English Learner proficiency, and baseline proficiency. Unlike single-number ratings, the Scope Score separates students who "exceeded" from those who "met" the standard — revealing whether a school pushes students beyond proficiency or paces toward it. Full methodology and weights.

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