Public schools in Palmdale, CA
45 open public schools with an address in Palmdale, operated by 8 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
45
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
35,713
45 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
24.9:1
California median 21.6:1
Charter schools
3
4 magnet · 1 virtual
An overview of Palmdale public schools
The federal directory lists 45 public schools in Palmdale, CA: 31 elementary, 6 middle, 5 high, 3 combined or other. The 45 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 35,713 students, an average of 794 per school. The largest campus is Highland High (2,706 students), and the largest elementary school is Los Amigos - Dual Immersion (1,027).
Palmdale Elementary operates the most schools here (29), and 5 regular districts have at least one Palmdale campus, plus 3 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 24.9:1, higher than the statewide school median of 21.6:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 3 charter schools, 4 magnet schools, 1 virtual school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 7 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 5 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 7 of 7 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 74% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Palmdale
Palmdale Elementary
Public school district
29 schools in Palmdale
Westside Union Elementary
Public school district
6 schools in Palmdale · 12 total
Antelope Valley Union High
Public school district
4 schools in Palmdale · 13 total
Keppel Union Elementary
Public school district
2 schools in Palmdale · 6 total
Antelope Valley Learning Academy District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Palmdale
Antelope Valley ROP
Specialized public school district
1 school in Palmdale
Palmdale Aerospace Academy District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Palmdale
Wilsona Elementary
Public school district
1 school in Palmdale · 3 total
Elementary schools in Palmdale
31| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anaverde Hills Westside Union Elementary | KG–06 | 517 | 23.5:1 | |
| Barrel Springs Elementary Palmdale Elementary | KG–05 | 627 | 25.8:1 | |
| Buena Vista Elementary Palmdale Elementary | KG–08 | 573 | 21.9:1 | |
| Chaparral Prep Academy Palmdale Elementary | KG–05 | 594 | 27:1 | |
| Cimarron Elementary Palmdale Elementary | KG–05 | 497 | 25.2:1 | |
| Cottonwood Elementary Westside Union Elementary | KG–06 | 652 | 27.2:1 | |
| Daisy Gibson Elementary Keppel Union Elementary | KG–08 | 714 | 26.4:1 | |
| Desert Rose Elementary Palmdale Elementary | KG–08 | 614 | 25.5:1 | |
| Dos Caminos Dual Immersion Palmdale Elementary · Alternative School | KG–08 | 945 | 24.6:1 | |
| Esperanza Elementary Westside Union Elementary | KG–06 | 962 | 25.3:1 | |
| Golden Poppy Elementary Palmdale Elementary | KG–05 | 525 | 25.4:1 | |
| Gregg Anderson Academy Westside Union Elementary | KG–06 | 893 | 26.3:1 | |
| Innovations Academy of Palmdale Palmdale Elementary · Virtual · Alternative School | KG–08 | 409 | 28.1:1 | |
| Joshua Hills Elementary Palmdale Elementary | KG–05 | 581 | 24.5:1 | |
| Lake Los Angeles Elementary Keppel Union Elementary | KG–08 | 533 | 23.2:1 | |
| Los Amigos - Dual Immersion Palmdale Elementary · Alternative School | KG–08 | 1,027 | 27.9:1 | |
| Manzanita Elementary Palmdale Elementary | KG–08 | 644 | 23.1:1 | |
| Mesquite Elementary Palmdale Elementary | KG–05 | 582 | 26.8:1 | |
| Oak Tree Community Day Palmdale Elementary · Alternative School | KG–08 | 63 | 8.1:1 | |
| Ocotillo Elementary Palmdale Elementary | KG–05 | 588 | 26.8:1 | |
| Palm Tree Elementary Palmdale Elementary | KG–05 | 564 | 26:1 | |
| Palmdale Discovery Center Palmdale Elementary · Special Education School | KG–08 | 246 | 11.2:1 | |
| Palmdale Learning Plaza Palmdale Elementary | KG–08 | 800 | 22.3:1 | |
| Quail Valley Elementary Palmdale Elementary | KG–05 | 503 | 25.2:1 | |
| Rancho Vista Elementary Westside Union Elementary | KG–06 | 886 | 26.8:1 | |
| Summerwind Elementary Palmdale Elementary | KG–05 | 569 | 26.5:1 | |
| Tamarisk Elementary Palmdale Elementary | KG–05 | 664 | 26.2:1 | |
| Tumbleweed Elementary Palmdale Elementary | KG–08 | 502 | 24.3:1 | |
| Vista San Gabriel Elementary Wilsona Elementary | KG–02 | 465 | 21.6:1 | |
| Yellen Learning Center Palmdale Elementary · Special Education School | KG–08 | 58 | 5.5:1 | |
| Yucca Elementary Palmdale Elementary | KG–05 | 495 | 25.8:1 |
Middle schools in Palmdale
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cactus Medical Health and Technology Magnet Academy Palmdale Elementary · Magnet | 06–08 | 822 | 20.7:1 | |
| David G. Millen Law and Government Magnet Academy Palmdale Elementary · Magnet | 06–08 | 952 | 22.8:1 | |
| Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad Palmdale Elementary | 06–08 | 948 | 21.5:1 | |
| Hillview Middle Westside Union Elementary | 06–08 | 1,100 | 24.6:1 | |
| Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy Palmdale Elementary · Magnet | 06–08 | 813 | 22.1:1 | |
| Space Aeronautics Gateway to Exploration Magnet Academy Palmdale Elementary · Magnet | 06–08 | 747 | 19.5:1 |
High schools in Palmdale
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antelope Valley ROP Antelope Valley ROP · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 0 | — | |
| Highland High Antelope Valley Union High | 09–12 | 2,706 | 25.2:1 | |
| Palmdale High Antelope Valley Union High | 09–12 | 2,208 | 21.8:1 | |
| R. Rex Parris High Antelope Valley Union High · Alternative School | 09–12 | 469 | 21.9:1 | |
| William J. (Pete) Knight High Antelope Valley Union High | 09–12 | 2,349 | 23:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Palmdale
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antelope Valley Learning Academy Antelope Valley Learning Academy District · Charter | KG–12 | 1,059 | 29.2:1 | |
| Palmdale Academy Charter Palmdale Elementary · Charter | KG–12 | 989 | 21.4:1 | |
| Palmdale Aerospace Academy Palmdale Aerospace Academy District · Charter | KG–12 | 2,259 | 25.1:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White6.4%
- Hispanic75.4%
- Black12.4%
- Asian2%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.6%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial3.1%
Enrollment-weighted across 44 Palmdale schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (35,713 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Palmdale
How many public schools are in Palmdale, CA?
The current NCES directory lists 45 open public schools with a location address in Palmdale: 31 elementary, 6 middle, 5 high, 3 combined or other. Together they reported 35,713 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Palmdale?
Schools with an address in Palmdale belong to 8 education agencies, led by Palmdale Elementary (29 schools), Westside Union Elementary (6 schools), Antelope Valley Union High (4 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Palmdale?
Highland High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Palmdale, with 2,706 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Palmdale?
Yes. 3 of the 45 public schools in Palmdale are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Antelope Valley Learning Academy, Palmdale Academy Charter, Palmdale Aerospace Academy. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Palmdale schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Palmdale public schools is 24.9:1, higher than the California school median of 21.6:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Palmdale guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby California cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All California cities