Joshua Hills Elementary

Summary:

Joshua Hills Elementary is a public elementary school in Palmdale, California, serving 548 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Palmdale Elementary School District, which is ranked 1346 out of 1568 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Joshua Hills Elementary consistently ranks in the bottom 10-15% of California elementary schools based on the statewide SchoolDigger ranking. The school's performance on standardized tests is significantly lower than the Palmdale Elementary district and the state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2023-2024, only 16.72% of Joshua Hills students were proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy, compared to 27.55% for the district and 47.04% for the state. Similarly, in Mathematics, only 13.13% of Joshua Hills students were proficient or better, compared to 16.62% for the district and 35.54% for the state. The school also struggles to support its student subgroups, with many ranking in the bottom 10-20% of California schools for their respective subgroups.

Interestingly, the nearby schools within the Palmdale Elementary district, such as Cimarron Elementary, Mesquite Elementary, and Barrel Springs Elementary, generally perform better than Joshua Hills Elementary on academic measures, with higher proficiency rates and better SchoolDigger rankings. Additionally, Innovations Academy of Palmdale, a virtual public school within the Palmdale Elementary district, also serves students in the Joshua Hills Elementary attendance area and outperforms the school, particularly in English Language Arts.


Detail:

Public K-5

 3030 Fairfield
       Palmdale, CA  93550-8300


(661) 265-9992

District: Palmdale Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
5530th of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $278 Help


Students who attend Joshua Hills Elementary usually attend:

High:    Palmdale High

Student/teacher ratio:  25.3 Help
Number of students:  559

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
80.9%
African American:
12.3%
White:
3.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  93.4% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Joshua Hills Elementary ranks worse than 94.3% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks 16th among 20 ranked elementary schools in the Palmdale Elementary School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 12.24. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (80.9%), African American (12.3%), White (3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 93.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Joshua Hills Elementary is 25.3, which is the 11th best among 20 elementary schools in the Palmdale Elementary School District. (See more...)
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Compare Joshua Hills Elementary employs 22 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Joshua Hills Elementary is $278. 16 elementary schools in the Palmdale Elementary School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Joshua Hills Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Joshua Hills Elementary 5530th of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Joshua Hills Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:


Palmdale Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Palmdale Elementary 1346th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Joshua Hills Elementary?

Rank History for Joshua Hills Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Joshua Hills Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 25.24 3544th 4809 26.3%
2005 26.39 3522nd 4822 27.0%
2006 24.79 3666th 4818 23.9%
2007 28.73 3660th 5113 28.4%
2008 25.60 3920th 5113 23.3%
2009 37.76 3193rd 5193 38.5%
2010 28.52 3964th 5314 25.4%
2011 24.69 4356th 5377 19.0%
2012 27.46 4135th 5390 23.3%
2013 23.46 4499th 5530 18.6%
2015 24.67 4157th 5611 25.9%
2016 25.54 4134th 5614 26.4%
2017 21.03 4590th 5692 19.4%
2018 17.39 4904th 5662 13.4%
2019 16.09 5155th 5789 11.0%
2022 17.14 5146th 5883 12.5%
2023 12.64 5515th 5874 6.1%
2024 12.24 5530th 5862 5.7%
See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Joshua Hills Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.19 3097th 3246 4.6%
2019 25.69 2812th 3275 14.1%
2022 43.68 1555th 3311 53.0%
2023 31.48 2427th 3250 25.3%
2024 33.01 2335th 3160 26.1%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Joshua Hills Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 17.91 2334th 2420 3.6%
2024 22.13 2282nd 2634 13.4%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Joshua Hills Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.14 4324th 5084 14.9%
2019 20.04 4565th 5173 11.8%
2022 23.76 4349th 5264 17.4%
2023 16.10 4967th 5374 7.6%
2024 15.52 5106th 5511 7.3%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Joshua Hills Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 20.81 4467th 5413 17.5%
2019 20.98 4538th 5492 17.4%
2022 17.64 4927th 5635 12.6%
2023 14.65 5177th 5617 7.8%
2024 17.64 4909th 5605 12.4%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Joshua Hills Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 20.56 1946th 2128 8.6%
2019 20.76 2309th 2585 10.7%
2022 19.17 2043rd 2227 8.3%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Joshua Hills Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 16.75 4841st 5431 10.9%
2019 14.89 5060th 5510 8.2%
2022 18.05 4926th 5663 13.0%
2023 12.12 5375th 5650 4.9%
2024 9.54 5516th 5636 2.1%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Joshua Hills Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.66 346th 700 50.6%
2019 31.02 534th 747 28.5%
2022 48.79 274th 663 58.7%
2023 34.31 409th 662 38.2%
2024 18.77 543rd 593 8.4%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Joshua Hills Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.18 3963rd 4830 18.0%
2019 24.12 4102nd 4963 17.3%
2022 27.05 3949th 5084 22.3%
2023 17.92 4621st 5098 9.4%
2024 18.62 4542nd 5102 11.0%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Joshua Hills Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Joshua Hills Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 430 27 9 72 9 n/a n/a 0 547
1989 537 28 19 122 7 n/a n/a 0 713
1990 572 23 37 160 7 n/a n/a 0 799
1991 614 41 35 174 10 n/a n/a 0 874
1992 747 61 53 246 21 n/a n/a 0 1128
1993 811 113 55 294 15 n/a n/a 0 1288
1994 453 77 43 205 13 n/a n/a 0 791
1995 482 116 37 299 12 n/a n/a 0 946
1996 482 116 37 299 12 n/a n/a 0 946
1997 457 145 48 348 11 n/a n/a 0 1009
1998 416 140 45 334 6 n/a n/a 0 941
1999 404 166 37 365 8 n/a n/a 0 980
2000 395 161 49 370 7 n/a n/a 0 982
2001 370 178 40 435 12 n/a n/a 7 1042
2002 257 170 26 434 10 n/a n/a 8 905
2003 257 170 26 434 10 n/a n/a 8 905
2004 204 173 19 484 7 n/a n/a 8 895
2005 159 176 23 532 2 n/a n/a 42 934
2006 117 184 13 564 2 n/a n/a 30 910
2007 102 152 22 546 3 n/a n/a 15 840
2008 92 158 25 576 4 n/a n/a 0 855
2009 90 131 17 535 7 2 31 0 813
2010 69 134 10 551 4 2 9 0 779
2011 72 154 15 787 5 2 28 0 1063
2012 69 157 10 765 11 8 23 0 1043
2013 56 146 6 719 8 10 18 0 963
2014 53 148 4 680 10 7 21 0 923
2015 40 131 9 607 9 6 5 0 807
2016 31 107 4 596 9 6 5 0 758
2017 25 111 2 587 5 6 8 0 744
2018 16 76 3 495 5 2 7 0 604
2019 18 78 4 482 3 1 9 0 595
2020 13 84 5 477 1 1 11 0 592
2021 10 72 5 435 4 2 14 0 542
2022 12 73 3 429 5 0 15 0 537
2023 13 73 2 442 3 0 15 0 548
2024 17 69 2 452 3 1 15 0 559

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Joshua Hills Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 547 21.0 26.0 n/a
1989 713 26.0 27.4 n/a
1990 799 29.0 27.5 n/a
1991 874 32.0 27.3 n/a
1992 1128 32.5 34.7 19.1
1993 1288 49.0 26.3 22.8
1994 791 31.0 25.5 27.7
1995 946 34.0 27.8 32
1996 946 34.0 27.8 32
1997 1009 35.0 28.8 35.3
1998 941 43.0 21.9 41.9
1999 980 45.0 21.8 44.6
2000 982 49.0 20.0 51.6
2001 1042 50.0 20.8 51.1
2002 905 44.0 20.6 58.6
2003 905 44.0 20.6 58.6
2004 895 34.0 26.3 57.9
2005 934 36.0 25.9 57
2006 910 37.0 24.6 60.5
2007 840 36.0 23.3 76.7
2008 855 35.0 24.4 71.3
2009 813 33.0 22.0 75.9
2010 779 32.0 24.3 81.9
2011 1063 n/a n/a 76.5
2012 1043 36.0 28.9 n/a
2013 963 35.0 27.5 88.6
2014 923 33.0 27.9 90
2015 807 29.0 27.8 87.6
2016 758 27.0 28.0 91.8
2017 744 28.5 26.1 89.5
2018 604 24.5 24.6 90.2
2019 595 23.5 25.3 88.1
2020 592 n/a n/a 94.4
2021 542 22.5 24.0 92.6
2022 537 21.6 24.7 94
2023 548 21.9 24.9 93.2
2024 559 22.0 25.3 93.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Joshua Hills Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 547 21.0 26.0 n/a
1989 713 26.0 27.4 n/a
1990 799 29.0 27.5 n/a
1991 874 32.0 27.3 n/a
1992 1128 32.5 34.7 19.1
1993 1288 49.0 26.3 22.8
1994 791 31.0 25.5 27.7
1995 946 34.0 27.8 32
1996 946 34.0 27.8 32
1997 1009 35.0 28.8 35.3
1998 941 43.0 21.9 41.9
1999 980 45.0 21.8 44.6
2000 982 49.0 20.0 51.6
2001 1042 50.0 20.8 51.1
2002 905 44.0 20.6 58.6
2003 905 44.0 20.6 58.6
2004 895 34.0 26.3 57.9
2005 934 36.0 25.9 57
2006 910 37.0 24.6 60.5
2007 840 36.0 23.3 76.7
2008 855 35.0 24.4 71.3
2009 813 33.0 22.0 75.9
2010 779 32.0 24.3 81.9
2011 1063 n/a n/a 76.5
2012 1043 36.0 28.9 n/a
2013 963 35.0 27.5 88.6
2014 923 33.0 27.9 90
2015 807 29.0 27.8 87.6
2016 758 27.0 28.0 91.8
2017 744 28.5 26.1 89.5
2018 604 24.5 24.6 90.2
2019 595 23.5 25.3 88.1
2020 592 n/a n/a 94.4
2021 542 22.5 24.0 92.6
2022 537 21.6 24.7 94
2023 548 21.9 24.9 93.2
2024 559 22.0 25.3 93.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Kindergarten Immunization Rates

Joshua Hills Elementary

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Compare
YearCompletely ImmunizedReligious ExemptionMedical ExemptionConditionalPolioHepatitis BVaricellaDTPMMR
2012100.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%
201388.0%1.0%0.0%11.0%96.0%99.0%99.0%91.0%99.0%
201496.0%2.0%0.0%2.0%96.0%97.0%98.0%97.0%97.0%
201598.0%0.0%0.0%2.0%98.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%98.0%
201698.0%1.0%0.0%1.0%98.0%98.0%98.0%98.0%98.0%
201798.0%0.0%1.0%1.0%98.0%≥99.0%≥99.0%98.0%98.0%
201896.0%0.0%0.0%2.0%97.0%≥99.0%≥99.0%96.0%98.0%
201998.0%0.0%2.0%98.0%≥99.0%≥99.0%98.0%≥99.0%
202098.2%0.0%0.0%98.2%98.2%
202196.8%0.0%1.1%96.8%96.8%96.8%

Data source: California Department of Public Health
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Joshua Hills Elementary

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $278

Data source: California Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Joshua Hills Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 5155th of 5789 Elementary schoolsRanks 5515th of 5874 Elementary schools
 4.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Joshua Hills Elementary)2213.3
 8.7%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Palmdale Elementary)30.823.7
 7.2%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.543
 5.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Joshua Hills Elementary)19.813.3
 6.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Palmdale Elementary)30.723.1
 7.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (California)50.245.1
 5.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Joshua Hills Elementary)31.422.5
 9%
   4th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Palmdale Elementary)3124.1
 7%
   4th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.543.7
 5.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Joshua Hills Elementary)18.913
 5.9%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Palmdale Elementary)23.720.6
 3.1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (California)44.940.8
 4.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Joshua Hills Elementary)35.323.5
 11.8%
   5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Palmdale Elementary)37.229.7
 7.5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.746.7
 5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Joshua Hills Elementary)19.77
 12.7%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Palmdale Elementary)22.218.1
 4.2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (California)3833.4
 4.6%
5th Grade Science (Joshua Hills Elementary)11.512
 0.5%
   5th Grade Science (Palmdale Elementary)16.914.4
 2.4%
   5th Grade Science (California)31.731.9
 0.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students595548
 7.9%
African American7873
 6.4%
American Indian33
Asian42
 50%
Hispanic482442
 8.3%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White1813
 27.8%
Two or More Races915
 66.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients88.1%93.2%
 5.2%


Schools Near Joshua Hills Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Joshua Hills Elementary

Students at Joshua Hills Elementary are 81% Hispanic, 12% African American, 3% White, 3% Two or more races.

Students who attend Joshua Hills Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : Palmdale High

In the 2023-24 school year, 559 students attended Joshua Hills Elementary.

Joshua Hills Elementary ranks in the bottom 5.7% of California elementary schools.


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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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