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Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified


At a glance
43rdof 1,543 California districts▲ 35
Better than 97% of California districts
375 Via Almar
Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274-1277
·(310) 896-3404·All California district rankings →
Statewide performance 2016–2025
2025: better than 97.2% of districts
18
Schools
10,131
Students
15
5-star schools
Top rankedCornerstone at Pedregal Elementary17th of 5,857 California elementary schools
Biggest riser
Point Vicente Elementary up 230 spots statewide this year
Smallest classes
Point Vicente Elementary 17.8 students per teacher
SchoolDigger ratings
5★
3 schools without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)
Summary:

The Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified district is a top-tier public school system in an affluent Southern California community, consisting of 17 schools including 10 elementary, 3 middle, 3 high, and 1 alternative school, all serving students from kindergarten through 12th grade and consistently earning high state rankings.

Families can expect exceptional academic performance across the district, which far surpasses California averages, with standout elementary schools like Cornerstone at Pedregal Elementary achieving over 90% proficiency in English and Math. At the secondary level, Ridgecrest Intermediate is the top middle school, and Palos Verdes Peninsula High leads the high schools with a near 98% graduation rate. While all schools are high-performing, some variation exists; for instance, Miraleste Intermediate shows slightly lower proficiency scores compared to other district middle schools, and Rancho Vista Elementary has seen notable shifts in its state rank in recent years.

The district also demonstrates a strong commitment to student support, evidenced by very low chronic absenteeism rates at schools like Vista Grande Elementary and a significant investment in its continuation high school, Rancho del Mar High, which maintains a high graduation rate for its at-risk students. Overall, the district provides a consistently excellent, well-resourced education with high graduation rates and low dropout rates, making it one of the state's premier public school districts.

Ranking:
Map legend
E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private





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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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