Palo Alto Unified School District

25 Churchill Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94306-1005
(District boundaries shown in map)
10/
10
Top 5%

Top Rankings

Palo Alto 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%)
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 20%)
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
Student Attention
Lowest student:teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2024 school year, there are 19 public schools serving 10,463 students in Palo Alto Unified School District. This district's average testing ranking is 10/10, which is in the top 5% of public schools in California.
Public Schools in Palo Alto Unified School District have an average math proficiency score of 79% (versus the California public school average of 34%), and reading proficiency score of 80% (versus the 49% statewide average).
The top ranked public schools in Palo Alto Unified School District are Herbert Hoover Elementary School, Henry M. Gunn High School and Palo Alto High School. Overall testing rank is based on a school's combined math and reading proficiency test score ranking. Palo Alto Unified School District has one of the highest concentrations of top ranked public schools in California.
Minority enrollment is 68% of the student body (majority Asian), which is less than the California public school average of 79% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

2021-2022 School Year Data
This School District
This State (CA)
# Schools
19 Schools
10,375 Schools
# Students
10,463 Students
5,876,295 Students
# Teachers
638 Teachers
267,757 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1

District Rank

Palo Alto Unified School District, which is ranked #29 of all 1,167 school districts in California (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2020-2021 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 95% has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
Definition of Terms 2021-2022 School Year Data
This School District
State Average (CA)
#33 out of 1200 school districts
(Top 5%)
This chart display the overall district rank of Palo Alto Unified  School District, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
79%
34%
This chart display the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of Palo Alto Unified  School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
80%
49%
This chart display the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of Palo Alto Unified  School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
95%
84%
This chart display public school graduation rate of Palo Alto Unified  School District and public school graduation rate of CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Students by Ethnicity:

0.72
0.63
# American Indian Students
9 Students
27,207 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
1%
# Asian Students
4,108 Students
696,628 Students
% Asian Students
39%
12%
# Hispanic Students
1,558 Students
3,281,568 Students
% Hispanic Students
15%
56%
# Black Students
183 Students
296,694 Students
% Black Students
2%
5%
# White Students
3,352 Students
1,235,074 Students
% White Students
32%
21%
# Hawaiian Students
94 Students
24,653 Students
% Hawaiian Students
1%
n/a
# Two or more races Students
1,155 Students
309,952 Students
% of Two or more races Students
11%
5%

Students by Grade:

# Students in PK Grade:
-
-
# Students in K Grade:
709
469,461
# Students in 1st Grade:
681
408,174
# Students in 2nd Grade:
663
421,021
# Students in 3rd Grade:
706
426,338
# Students in 4th Grade:
733
432,663
# Students in 5th Grade:
710
440,560
# Students in 6th Grade:
755
440,507
# Students in 7th Grade:
756
434,863
# Students in 8th Grade:
817
455,685
# Students in 9th Grade:
906
484,040
# Students in 10th Grade:
947
494,745
# Students in 11th Grade:
1,036
478,449
# Students in 12th Grade:
1,044
489,789
# Ungraded Students:
-
-

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $27,620 is higher than the state median of $19,806. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $29,519 is higher than the state median of $18,241. The school district spending/student has grown by 13% over four school years.
This School District
This State (CA)
Total Revenue
$289 MM
$116,387 MM
This chart display total revenue of Palo Alto Unified  School District and median value from total revenues of all school districts in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Spending
$309 MM
$107,188 MM
This chart display total spending of Palo Alto Unified  School District and median value from total spendings of all school districts in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Revenue / Student
$27,620
$19,806
This chart display average revenue per public school student in Palo Alto Unified  School District and median value from average revenue per public school student of all school districts in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Spending / Student
$29,519
$18,241
This chart display average spending per public school student in Palo Alto Unified  School District and median value from average spending per public school student of all school districts in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Best Palo Alto Unified School District Public Schools (2024)

School (Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Herbert Hoover Elementary School
Math: 90-94% | Reading: 85-89%
Rank:
10/
10
Top 1%
445 E. Charleston Rd.
Palo Alto, CA 94306
(650) 320-8106
Grades: K-5
| 372 students
Rank: #22.
Henry M. Gunn High School
Math: 88% | Reading: 90%
Rank:
10/
10
Top 1%
780 Arastradero Rd.
Palo Alto, CA 94306
(650) 354-8200
Grades: 9-12
| 1,868 students
Rank: #33.
Palo Alto High School
Math: 85-89% | Reading: 85-89%
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
50 Embarcadero Rd.
Palo Alto, CA 94301
(650) 329-3701
Grades: 9-12
| 2,010 students
Rank: #44.
Ellen Fletcher Middle School
Math: 80% | Reading: 85%
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
655 Arastradero Rd.
Palo Alto, CA 94306
(650) 856-9810
Grades: 6-8
| 506 students
Rank: #55.
Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School
Math: 82% | Reading: 83%
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
480 E. Meadow Dr.
Palo Alto, CA 94306
(650) 856-5188
Grades: 6-8
| 996 students
Rank: #66.
Lucille M. Nixon Elementary School
Math: 80-84% | Reading: 80-84%
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
1711 Stanford Ave.
Stanford, CA 94305
(650) 856-1622
Grades: K-5
| 378 students
Rank: #77.
Juana Briones Elementary School
Math: 75-79% | Reading: 80-84%
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
4100 Orme St.
Palo Alto, CA 94306
(650) 856-0877
Grades: K-5
| 263 students
Rank: #88.
Ohlone Elementary School
Math: 81% | Reading: 81%
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
950 Amarillo Ave.
Palo Alto, CA 94303
(650) 856-1726
Grades: K-5
| 444 students
Rank: #9 - 119. - 11.
Duveneck Elementary School
Math: 80-84% | Reading: 75-79%
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
705 Alester Ave.
Palo Alto, CA 94303
(650) 322-5946
Grades: K-5
| 356 students
Rank: #9 - 119. - 11.
Fairmeadow Elementary School
Math: 80-84% | Reading: 75-79%
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
500 E. Meadow Dr.
Palo Alto, CA 94306
(650) 856-0845
Grades: K-5
| 408 students
Rank: #9 - 119. - 11.
Palo Verde Elementary School
Math: 80-84% | Reading: 75-79%
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
3450 Louis Rd.
Palo Alto, CA 94303
(650) 856-1672
Grades: K-5
| 369 students
Rank: #1212.
Frank S. Greene Jr. Middle School
Math: 74% | Reading: 77%
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
750 N. Ca Ave.
Palo Alto, CA 94303
(408) 494-8120
Grades: 6-8
| 821 students
Rank: #1313.
Addison Elementary School
Math: 70-74% | Reading: 75-79%
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
650 Addison Ave.
Palo Alto, CA 94301
(650) 322-5935
Grades: K-5
| 332 students
Rank: #1414.
Escondido Elementary School
Math: 69% | Reading: 76%
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
890 Escondido Rd.
Stanford, CA 94305
(650) 856-1337
Grades: K-5
| 471 students
Rank: #15 - 1615. - 16.
El Carmelo Elementary School
Math: 70-74% | Reading: 70-74%
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
3024 Bryant St.
Palo Alto, CA 94306
(650) 856-0960
Grades: K-5
| 303 students
Rank: #15 - 1615. - 16.
Walter Hays Elementary School
Math: 70-74% | Reading: 70-74%
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
1525 Midfield Rd.
Palo Alto, CA 94301
(650) 322-5956
Grades: K-5
| 269 students
Rank: #1717.
Greendell
Math: 65-69% | Reading: 70-74%
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
4120 Midfield Rd.
Palo Alto, CA 94303
(650) 856-0833
Grades: K-12
| 82 students
Rank: #1818.
Barron Park Elementary School
Math: 55-59% | Reading: 55-59%
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
800 Barron Ave.
Palo Alto, CA 94306
(650) 858-0508
Grades: K-5
| 198 students
Rank: n/an/a
725 Welch Rd.
Palo Alto, CA 94304
(650) 497-8230
Grades: K-12
| 17 students

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools belong to Palo Alto Unified School District?
Palo Alto Unified School District manages 19 public schools serving 10,463 students.
What is the rank of Palo Alto Unified School District?
Palo Alto Unified School District is ranked #29 out of 1,167 school districts in California (top 5%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2020-2021 school year. This district ranks in the top 20% of California school districts for: Highest overall rank (Top 5%), Highest math proficiency (Top 5%), Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 5%), Highest graduation rate (Top 20%), Most diverse schools (Top 1%), Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%) and Lowest student:teacher ratio (Top 1%)
What is the racial composition of students in Palo Alto Unified School District?
39% of Palo Alto Unified School District students are Asian, 32% of students are White, 15% of students are Hispanic, 11% of students are Two or more races, 2% of students are Black, and 1% of students are Hawaiian.
What is the student/teacher ratio of Palo Alto Unified School District?
Palo Alto Unified School District has a student/teacher ratio of 16:1, which is lower than the California state average of 22:1.
What is Palo Alto Unified School District's spending/student ratio?
The school district's spending/student of $29,519 is higher than the state median of $18,241. The school district spending/student has grown by 13% over four school years.

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Quick Stats (2024)

  • District size: 19 schools
  • Grades: KG-12
  • Enrollment: 10,463 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 16:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 68%
  • : 95% (Top 20% in CA)
  • : Top 5%
  • : 79% (Top 5%)
  • : 80% (Top 5%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), CA Dept. of Education

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