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Best Schools in Palm Desert, CA
Palm Desert, CA has 22 public schools (4 high, 5 middle, 13 elementary) serving 17,040 students. On average they score 37% on state proficiency tests against a projected 31%, so schools in Palm Desert greatly exceed expectations. Rankings below compare each school’s actual results with the projection for its socioeconomic context.
Best High Schools in Palm Desert, CA
The top high schools in Palm Desert, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Palm Desert High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Desert Sands Unified • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 2050 Students
2. Rancho Mirage High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Palm Springs Unified • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1491 Students
3. Shadow Hills High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Desert Sands Unified • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1751 Students
4. Cathedral City High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Palm Springs Unified • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1395 Students
Best Middle Schools in Palm Desert, CA
The top middle schools in Palm Desert, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Palm Desert Charter Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Desert Sands Unified • Charter • Grades 6 - 8 • 1347 Students
2. La Quinta Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Desert Sands Unified • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 754 Students
3. Desert Ridge Academy
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Desert Sands Unified • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 1030 Students
4. Nellie N. Coffman Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Palm Springs Unified • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 953 Students
5. Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Desert Sands Unified • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 436 Students
Best Elementary Schools in Palm Desert, CA
The top elementary schools in Palm Desert, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. George Washington Charter
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Desert Sands Unified • Charter • Grades KG - 5 • 755 Students
2. Gerald R. Ford Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Desert Sands Unified • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 603 Students
3. James Earl Carter Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Desert Sands Unified • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 516 Students
4. Sunny Sands Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Palm Springs Unified • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 721 Students
5. Ronald Reagan Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Desert Sands Unified • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 834 Students
6. Rancho Mirage Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Palm Springs Unified • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 309 Students
7. Abraham Lincoln Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Desert Sands Unified • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 585 Students
8. Della S. Lindley Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Palm Springs Unified • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 584 Students
9. Sacred Heart School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Sacred Heart School • Private • Grades Pre K - 8 • 605 Students
10. Montessori School Of The Desert
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Montessori School Of The Desert • Private • Grades KG - 4 • 12 Students
Education & Community Snapshot in Palm Desert, CA
City-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.
Community Factors
Palm Desert, CA has a total population of 51,438 with 16% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 93%, and 39% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Students in Palm Desert, CA
K-12 Students
High School Graduates
Adults 25+ with HS diplomas
College Graduates
Adults 25+ with a Bachelor’s degree or higher
Demographics statistics provided by Best Neighborhood Palm Desert, CA.
Safety
Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.
Overall Crime Grade
25.62 per 1,000 Residents
Violent Crime Grade
4.89 per 1,000 Residents
Property Crime Grade
20.74 per 1,000 Residents
Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Palm Desert, CA.
Connectivity
Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Palm Desert, CA.
ISP Report Card
Internet Infrastructure Grade
Average Download Speed
Speed Most Residents Can Get
Digital Connectivity Index
ISP Connectivity Demand Report
To read more about these statistics, please visit Palm Desert, CA Internet Health Assessment.
Questions About Schools in Palm Desert, CA
How many schools are in Palm Desert, CA?
Palm Desert, CA has 22 public schools: 4 high schools, 5 middle schools and 13 elementary schools, serving 17,040 students in total.
How do schools in Palm Desert perform on state tests?
On average, 22 schools in Palm Desert score 37% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 31%, so on average schools in Palm Desert greatly exceed expectations.
How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Palm Desert?
Every public school gets a SchoolGrade from A+ to F based on the share of students at or above the state proficiency bar. The Impact Grade compares that result with what we would expect given the school’s student and community context, so schools that outperform their circumstances stand out. Schools cannot pay to change a grade. Read the full methodology.
Best Schools in Cities Near Palm Desert, CA
Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.
- Actual: 38%
- Projected: 28%
- Impact Grade: Greatly Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 33%
- Projected: 27%
- Impact Grade: Greatly Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 36%
- Projected: 31%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 28%
- Projected: 25%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 30%
- Projected: 26%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 27%
- Projected: 23%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 26%
- Projected: 21%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 33%
- Projected: 28%
- Impact Grade: Greatly Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 25%
- Projected: 19%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 22%
- Projected: 20%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Every school in Palm Desert
6 of 6 schools in Palm Desert carry a SchoolGrade. Grade distribution:
A: 2B: 3C: 1
All 6 public schools we grade in Palm Desert. The ranked lists above show the top ten per level; every school has its own page.
High schools (1)
Middle and junior high schools (1)
Elementary and primary schools (3)
Other schools and academies (1)
Private schools (6)
Private schools have a SchoolGrade only where their state publishes their test results.