Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District

375 Via Almar
Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274-1277
(District boundaries shown in map)
10/
10
Top 5%

Top Rankings

Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in California for:

Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 5%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 5%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 5%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 5%)
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 1%)
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 4 public high schools serving 3,633 students in Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District. This district's average high testing ranking is 10/10, which is in the top 5% of public high schools in California.
Public High Schools in Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District have an average math proficiency score of 67% (versus the California public high school average of 28%), and reading proficiency score of 78% (versus the 51% statewide average).
The top-ranked public high schools in Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District are Palos Verdes Peninsula High School, Palos Verdes High School and Palos Verdes Distance Learning Academy. Overall testing rank is based on a school's combined math and reading proficiency test score ranking. Public High School in Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District have a Graduation Rate of 97%, which is more than the California average of 86%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Palos Verdes Peninsula High School, with 98% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in California or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 61% of the student body (majority Asian), which is less than the California public high school average of 79% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (CA)
# Schools
18 Schools
2,801 Schools
# Students
10,131 Students
2,122,788 Students
# Teachers
463 Teachers
101,054 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
22:1
22:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District, which is ranked #45 of all 1,904 school districts in California (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 98% has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
This School District
State Average (CA)
#43 out of 1932 school districts
(Top 5%)
75%
34%
80%
47%
65%
29%
98%
87%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.72
0.63
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
32%
12%
% Hispanic
16%
56%
% Black
2%
5%
% White
37%
21%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
13%
5%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $15,054 in this school district is less than the state median of $20,100. The school district revenue/student has grown by 13% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $14,345 is less than the state median of $18,511. The school district spending/student has grown by 10% over four school years.
This School District
This State (CA)
Total Revenue
$153 MM
$116,387 MM
Spending
$145 MM
$107,188 MM
Revenue / Student
$15,054
$20,100
Spending / Student
$14,345
$18,511

Best Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District Public High Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Palos Verdes Peninsula High School
(Math: 76% | Reading: 82%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
27118 Silver Spur Rd.
Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274
(310) 377-4888
Gr: 9-12 | 2,075 students Student-teacher ratio: 22:1 Minority enrollment: 70%
Rank: #22.
Palos Verdes High School
(Math: 59% | Reading: 75%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
600 Cloyden Rd.
Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274
(310) 378-8471
Gr: 9-12 | 1,484 students Student-teacher ratio: 22:1 Minority enrollment: 46%
Rank: #33.
Palos Verdes Distance Learning Academy
Alternative School
(Math: ≥50% | Reading: 60-79%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
38 Crest Rd. West
Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274
(310) 378-9966
Gr: K-12 | 33 students Student-teacher ratio: 33:1 Minority enrollment: 73%
Rank: #44.
Rancho Del Mar High (Continuation School)
Alternative School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: <50%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
38 Crest Road West
Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274
(310) 378-9966
Gr: 10-12 | 41 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 64%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 18 schools
  • Grades: K-12
  • Enrollment: 10,131 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 22:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 63%
  • : 98% (Top 1% in CA)
  • : Top 5%
  • : 75% (Top 5%)
  • : 80% (Top 5%)
  • : 65% (Top 5%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), CA Dept. of Education

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