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5.9avg / 10

Palmdale Elementary School District

School District · Palmdale, California

Students: 17,935
Teachers (FTE): 758

Avg Rating

5.9

out of 10

Schools

29

23 elem, 5 mid

Enrollment

17,935

Student-Teacher Ratio

23.7:1

How this district compares

California rank

#478 of 713

districts by avg. composite

Vs. state average

-0.4

below California avg

Per-pupil spending

$17,861

+$214 vs California median

District size

17,935 students

Much larger than California median

The short answer

Palmdale Elementary ranks #478 of 713 California districts by overall school rating. Palmdale Elementary's schools with real test data average 5.9/10 across 29 schools. Its top-rated schools are Innovations Academy of Palmdale (8.1/10), Cimarron Elementary (7.1/10), and Palmdale Learning Plaza (7.0/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.

Best value · beats the odds
Innovations Academy of Palmdale

Rates 8.1/10 despite 87% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.2 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 Palmdale Elementary schools.

Most improved · 2022 → 2024
Barrel Springs Elementary

STAAR proficiency rose +13.3 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Palmdale Elementary schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.

Top-Rated Schools in Palmdale Elementary

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (29 of 29). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#SchoolRating
1Innovations Academy of Palmdale8.1 / 10
2Cimarron Elementary7.1 / 10
3Palmdale Learning Plaza7.0 / 10
4Barrel Springs Elementary7.0 / 10
5Desert Rose Elementary6.9 / 10
6Buena Vista Elementary6.8 / 10
7Quail Valley Elementary6.8 / 10
8Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy6.7 / 10
9Joshua Hills Elementary6.7 / 10
10Palmdale Academy Charter6.4 / 10

See all 29 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.

About Palmdale Elementary

Palmdale Elementary is a Palmdale, California school district serving 29 schools.The district educates 17,935 students with a student-teacher ratio of 23.7:1. District-level spending was $17,861 per student in fiscal year 2023 (NCES F-33).

With an average rating of 5.9/10, Palmdale Elementary demonstrates solid academic performance.

The highest-rated school in the district is Innovations Academy of Palmdale, which has a composite score of 8.1/10.

In standardized testing, Palmdale Elementary students show an average math proficiency of 23.5% and ELA proficiency of 30.4%.

The district includes 23 elementary schools, 5 middle schools.

District Map

Schools in Palmdale Elementary, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.

District Average Test Scores

Math Proficiency23.5%
School
State
Not reported
ELA Proficiency30.4%
School
State
Not reported

Average proficiency across all schools in Palmdale Elementary with test data.

District Details

State
California
City
Palmdale
Total Enrollment
17,935
Teachers (FTE)
758
District spending per student
$17,861NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
Child poverty rate
21.1%Census SAIPE · 2024
District directory year
2023

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Palmdale Elementary?

Palmdale Elementary has 29 schools in total — 23 elementary, 5 middle. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.

What is the average rating for Palmdale Elementary?

The average composite rating for Palmdale Elementary is 5.9/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.

What is the district spending per student in Palmdale Elementary?

Palmdale Elementary's district-level spending was $17,861 per student in fiscal year 2023, according to NCES F-33. This is district context, not an individual-school expense.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Palmdale Elementary?

The average student-teacher ratio in Palmdale Elementary is 23.7:1.

What is the top-rated school in Palmdale Elementary?

Innovations Academy of Palmdale is the highest-rated school in Palmdale Elementary with a composite score of 8.1/10.

What are the test scores in Palmdale Elementary?

Across schools in Palmdale Elementary with test data, the average math proficiency is 23.5% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 30.4%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.

How does Palmdale Elementary compare to other districts in California?

Palmdale Elementary has an average school rating of 5.9/10 across 29 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
23.5%
ELA Proficiency
30.4%

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 rate

Other School Districts in CA

Compare Palmdale Elementary with neighboring districts in the state.

See all districts in CA →

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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