Palo Alto Unified School District
School District · Palo Alto, California
Avg Rating
8.8
out of 10
Schools
19
13 elem, 3 mid, 2 high
Per-Pupil Spending
$28,533
Student-Teacher Ratio
17.1:1
Avg Rating
8.8
out of 10
Schools
19
13 elem, 3 mid, 2 high
Per-Pupil Spending
$28,533
Student-Teacher Ratio
17.1:1
Evaluating Palo Alto Unified?
A district shares budget, policy, and attendance zones across its schools — use this page to judge Palo Alto 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.
Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle
Palo Alto · Middle. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Ellen Fletcher Middle
Palo Alto · Middle. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Ohlone Elementary
Palo Alto · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
How this district compares
California rank
#17 of 713
districts by avg. composite
Vs. state average
+2.6
above California avg
Per-pupil spending
$28,533
+$10,886 vs California median
District size
10,271 students
Much larger than California median
The short answer
Palo Alto Unified ranks #17 of 713 California districts by overall school rating. Palo Alto Unified's schools with real test data average 8.8/10 across 17 schools. Its top-rated schools are Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle (9.4/10), Ellen Fletcher Middle (9.4/10), and Ohlone Elementary (9.3/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Rates 8.7/10 despite 26% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 0.7 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 Palo Alto Unified schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +7.2 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Palo Alto Unified schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Palo Alto Unified
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (17 of 19). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle | 9.4 / 10 |
| 2 | Ellen Fletcher Middle | 9.4 / 10 |
| 3 | Ohlone Elementary | 9.3 / 10 |
| 4 | Henry M. Gunn High | 9.2 / 10 |
| 5 | Frank S. Greene Jr. Middle | 9.2 / 10 |
| 6 | Herbert Hoover Elementary | 9.2 / 10 |
| 7 | Lucille M. Nixon Elementary | 9.2 / 10 |
| 8 | Juana Briones Elementary | 9.1 / 10 |
| 9 | Palo Verde Elementary | 9.0 / 10 |
| 10 | Fairmeadow Elementary | 8.9 / 10 |
See all 19 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
About Palo Alto Unified
Palo Alto Unified is a Palo Alto, California school district serving 19 schools. The district educates 10,271 students with a student-teacher ratio of 17.1:1. The district invests $28,533 per student annually.
With an average rating of 8.8/10, Palo Alto Unified is among the strongest-performing districts in the state.
The highest-rated school in the district is Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle, which has a composite score of 9.4/10.
In standardized testing, Palo Alto Unified students show an average math proficiency of 81.7% and ELA proficiency of 81.8%.
The district includes 13 elementary schools , 3 middle schools , and 2 high schools.
District Map
Schools in Palo Alto Unified, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.
District Average Test Scores
Average proficiency across all schools in Palo Alto Unified with test data.
Schools in Palo Alto Unified
19 schools Elementary Schools 13
Middle Schools 3
High Schools 2
Other Schools 1
District Details
- State
- California
- City
- Palo Alto
- Total Enrollment
- 10,271
- Teachers (FTE)
- 599
- Child Poverty Rate
- 0.0%
- Data Year
- 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in Palo Alto Unified?
Palo Alto Unified has 19 schools in total — 13 elementary, 3 middle, and 2 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.
What is the average rating for Palo Alto Unified?
The average composite rating for Palo Alto Unified is 8.8/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.
What is the per-pupil spending in Palo Alto Unified?
Palo Alto Unified spends $28,533 per student per year.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Palo Alto Unified?
The average student-teacher ratio in Palo Alto Unified is 17.1:1.
What is the top-rated school in Palo Alto Unified?
Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle is the highest-rated school in Palo Alto Unified with a composite score of 9.4/10.
What are the test scores in Palo Alto Unified?
Across schools in Palo Alto Unified with test data, the average math proficiency is 81.7% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 81.8%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.
How does Palo Alto Unified compare to other districts in California?
Palo Alto Unified has an average school rating of 8.8/10 across 19 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
- 8.8/10
- Math Proficiency
- 81.7%
- ELA Proficiency
- 81.8%
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 Palo Alto 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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