Best High Schools in Palm Desert, CA

Palm Desert, California, is served by one public high school, Palm Desert High, a grades 9-12 campus in the Desert Sands Unified district with over 2,000 students, which consistently ranks among the top 20% of high schools statewide.

Palm Desert High stands out as an exceptionally strong performer, particularly in ensuring student success, with a 96.4% graduation rate that far exceeds both district and state averages and an extremely low dropout rate of just 0.2%. Academically, the school shines in English Language Arts, where nearly 70% of students are proficient, significantly outperforming comparison benchmarks. While its mathematics proficiency matches the state average, it remains an area for potential growth alongside a notable dip in science scores for seniors.

An interesting finding is that the school achieves these high outcomes despite a majority of students coming from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, demonstrating effective support systems. A point of concern is a chronic absenteeism rate above the state average, suggesting that improving attendance could lead to even better results. Overall, Palm Desert High is a high-achieving school that serves as a pillar of its community, effectively preparing students for graduation and beyond.