Palm Springs Unified School District
School District · Palm Springs, California
Avg Rating
5.9
out of 10
Schools
28
16 elem, 5 mid, 5 high
Per-Pupil Spending
$20,811
Student-Teacher Ratio
20.4:1
Avg Rating
5.9
out of 10
Schools
28
16 elem, 5 mid, 5 high
Per-Pupil Spending
$20,811
Student-Teacher Ratio
20.4:1
Evaluating Palm Springs Unified?
A district shares budget, policy, and attendance zones across its schools — use this page to judge Palm Springs Unified as a whole, then compare how its individual schools differ.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Cathedral City High
Cathedral City · High. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Raymond Cree Middle
Palm Springs · Middle. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Vista Del Monte Elementary
Palm Springs · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
How this district compares
California rank
#425 of 713
districts by avg. composite
Vs. state average
-0.3
below California avg
Per-pupil spending
$20,811
+$3,164 vs California median
District size
20,416 students
Much larger than California median
The short answer
Palm Springs Unified ranks #425 of 713 California districts by overall school rating. Palm Springs Unified's schools with real test data average 5.9/10 across 27 schools. Its top-rated schools are Cathedral City High (8.2/10), Raymond Cree Middle (7.5/10), and Vista Del Monte Elementary (7.3/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Rates 8.2/10 despite 96% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.1 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Palm Springs Unified schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +5.0 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Palm Springs Unified schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Palm Springs Unified
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (27 of 28). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cathedral City High | 8.2 / 10 |
| 2 | Raymond Cree Middle | 7.5 / 10 |
| 3 | Vista Del Monte Elementary | 7.3 / 10 |
| 4 | Palm Springs High | 7.2 / 10 |
| 5 | Desert Hot Springs High | 7.1 / 10 |
| 6 | Desert Learning Academy | 7.1 / 10 |
| 7 | Mt. San Jacinto High | 7.0 / 10 |
| 8 | Rancho Mirage High | 6.9 / 10 |
| 9 | Sunny Sands Elementary | 6.8 / 10 |
| 10 | Della S. Lindley Elementary | 6.6 / 10 |
See all 28 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
About Palm Springs Unified
Palm Springs Unified is a Palm Springs, California school district serving 28 schools. The district educates 20,416 students with a student-teacher ratio of 20.4:1. The district invests $20,811 per student annually.
With an average rating of 5.9/10, Palm Springs Unified demonstrates solid academic performance.
The highest-rated school in the district is Cathedral City High, which has a composite score of 8.2/10.
In standardized testing, Palm Springs Unified students show an average math proficiency of 32.7% and ELA proficiency of 39.8%.
The district includes 16 elementary schools , 5 middle schools , and 5 high schools.
District Map
Schools in Palm Springs Unified, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.
District Average Test Scores
Average proficiency across all schools in Palm Springs Unified with test data.
Schools in Palm Springs Unified
28 schools Elementary Schools 16
Middle Schools 5
High Schools 5
Other Schools 2
District Details
- State
- California
- City
- Palm Springs
- Total Enrollment
- 20,416
- Teachers (FTE)
- 999
- Child Poverty Rate
- 0.2%
- Data Year
- 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in Palm Springs Unified?
Palm Springs Unified has 28 schools in total — 16 elementary, 5 middle, and 5 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.
What is the average rating for Palm Springs Unified?
The average composite rating for Palm Springs Unified is 5.9/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.
What is the per-pupil spending in Palm Springs Unified?
Palm Springs Unified spends $20,811 per student per year.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Palm Springs Unified?
The average student-teacher ratio in Palm Springs Unified is 20.4:1.
What is the top-rated school in Palm Springs Unified?
Cathedral City High is the highest-rated school in Palm Springs Unified with a composite score of 8.2/10.
What are the test scores in Palm Springs Unified?
Across schools in Palm Springs Unified with test data, the average math proficiency is 32.7% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 39.8%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.
How does Palm Springs Unified compare to other districts in California?
Palm Springs Unified has an average school rating of 5.9/10 across 28 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in California by visiting individual district pages. Factors like school size, available programs, and community demographics also play a role in choosing the right fit.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools?
MySchoolScout ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and learning environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context without being factored into the score. Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.
District Averages
- Overall Rating
- 5.9/10
- Math Proficiency
- 32.7%
- ELA Proficiency
- 39.8%
Resources
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateOther School Districts in CA
Compare Palm Springs Unified with neighboring districts in the state.
- Los Angeles Unified (785)
- San Diego Unified (175)
- San Francisco Unified (113)
- Fresno Unified (101)
- Long Beach Unified (82)
- Oakland Unified (82)
- San Bernardino City Unified (76)
- Sacramento City Unified (73)
- San Juan Unified (68)
- Elk Grove Unified (67)
- Garden Grove Unified (66)
- Capistrano Unified (59)
- West Contra Costa Unified (54)
- Stockton Unified (54)
- Corona-norco Unified (53)
- Mt. Diablo Unified (52)
- Santa Ana Unified (52)
- Clovis Unified (50)
- Lodi Unified (49)
- Riverside Unified (49)
- Bakersfield City (45)
- Irvine Unified (45)
- Fontana Unified (44)
- Fremont Unified (44)
Data from NCES Common Core of Data, California Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.
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