Needles Unified

The Needles Unified school district in California serves 7 schools, including 3 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 3 high schools. The district as a whole is ranked 1323 out of 1568 school districts in the state and is rated 1 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger.

Within the district, a few schools stand out. Chemehuevi Valley Elementary has the highest proficiency rates in English Language Arts (47.37%) and Mathematics (42.11%), as well as the lowest chronic absenteeism rate at 9.8%. Monument Peak also has strong academic performance, with the second-highest proficiency rates in the district, though it struggles with a high chronic absenteeism rate of 51.2%. The district as a whole faces challenges with high chronic absenteeism, ranging from 33.7% at Vista Colorado Elementary to 76.9% at Needles Community Day.

While the district serves a predominantly low-income population, with all schools having over 70% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, some schools are performing better than others. Needles High stands out with a 100% four-year graduation rate and a 0% dropout rate, while the alternative schools, Needles Community Day and Educational Training Center, also have relatively strong graduation and dropout rates. Overall, the Needles Unified district faces significant challenges, but there are also some bright spots that could serve as models for improvement.