Is Palm Crest Elementary a good school?

Yes! Palm Crest Elementary is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 21 st of 5862 California elementary schools.

How many students attend Palm Crest Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 599 students attended Palm Crest Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Palm Crest Elementary?

Students at Palm Crest Elementary are 39% White, 35% Asian, 15% Two or more races, 12% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Palm Crest Elementary attend?

Students who attend Palm Crest Elementary usually go on to attend: High : La Canada High

Palm Crest Elementary

Summary:

Palm Crest Elementary is a public elementary school located in La Canada, California, serving 599 students in grades K-6. It is part of the highly-ranked La Canada Unified School District, which is ranked 10th out of 1,568 districts in the state and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Palm Crest Elementary has consistently been one of the top-performing elementary schools in California, ranking within the top 1% of all elementary schools in the state for the past several years. In the 2023-2024 school year, it ranked 21st out of 5,862 California elementary schools and received a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's students consistently outperform the state and district averages in Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 91.01% of Palm Crest students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 86.75% for the La Canada Unified district and 47.04% for the state of California.

Palm Crest Elementary's exceptional performance extends to various student subgroups, including female students, male students, Asian students, Hispanic students, White students, multi-racial students, and students with disabilities. The school also maintains a low chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 1.3% to 7.3% over the past several years, which is significantly lower than the state average. Compared to nearby schools within the La Canada Unified district and the Glendale Unified district, Palm Crest consistently outperforms its peers in academic achievement, making it a standout school in the region.

Detail:

Public K-6

5025 Palm Dr.
La Canada, CA 91011-1518

(818) 952-8360

District: La Canada Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
21^st of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,724

Students who attend Palm Crest Elementary usually attend:

High:

La Canada High

Student/teacher ratio: 22.3

Number of students: 599

Racial breakdown:

White:

38.7%

Asian:

34.9%

Two or more races:

14.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 4.3%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Palm Crest Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Palm Crest Elementary ranks better than 99.6% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks first among 3 ranked elementary schools in the La Canada Unified School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 98.9. (See more...)

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

Compare Details Palm Crest Elementary has the smallest elementary school student body size in the La Canada Unified School District. Student population at Palm Crest Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (38.7%), Asian (34.9%), two or more races (14.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 4.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the La Canada Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Palm Crest Elementary is 22.3, which is the lowest among 3 elementary schools in the La Canada Unified School District! (See more...)

Compare Palm Crest Elementary employs 26.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Palm Crest Elementary is $11,724, which is the highest among 3 elementary schools in the La Canada Unified School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Palm Crest Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Palm Crest Elementary 21^st of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Palm Crest Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Special Education students:

Female students:

Male students:

Asian students:

White students:

La Canada Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks La Canada Unified 10^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Palm Crest Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Palm Crest Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	98.04	79^th	4809	98.4%
2005	97.89	60^th	4822	98.8%
2006	95.73	172^nd	4818	96.4%
2007	97.23	91^st	5113	98.2%
2008	96.55	98^th	5113	98.1%
2009	96.78	68^th	5193	98.7%
2010	96.73	43^rd	5314	99.2%
2011	96.48	39^th	5377	99.3%
2012	95.23	76^th	5390	98.6%
2013	95.95	62^nd	5530	98.9%
2015	98.23	81^st	5611	98.6%
2016	98.22	47^th	5614	99.2%
2017	98.54	43^rd	5692	99.2%
2018	98.73	24^th	5662	99.6%
2019	98.15	57^th	5789	99.0%
2022	98.95	21^st	5883	99.6%
2023	99.11	18^th	5874	99.7%
2024	98.90	21^st	5862	99.6%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Palm Crest Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	94.24	1^st	339	99.7%
2019	80.79	60^th	445	86.5%
2022	88.94	20^th	610	96.7%
2023	92.62	7^th	669	99.0%
2024	93.25	3^rd	669	99.6%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Palm Crest Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	99.04	32^nd	2634	98.8%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Female students at Palm Crest Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	97.87	44^th	5413	99.2%
2019	96.93	94^th	5492	98.3%
2022	98.45	30^th	5635	99.5%
2023	98.61	26^th	5617	99.5%
2024	98.72	12^th	5605	99.8%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Palm Crest Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	99.87	3^rd	2128	99.9%
2022	98.63	34^th	2227	98.5%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Palm Crest Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	98.83	16^th	5431	99.7%
2019	98.29	39^th	5510	99.3%
2022	98.77	25^th	5663	99.6%
2023	99.06	8^th	5650	99.9%
2024	98.42	33^rd	5636	99.4%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Palm Crest Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	83.97	43^rd	1071	96.0%
2019	81.29	109^th	1149	90.5%
2022	87.11	17^th	1154	98.5%
2023	87.58	17^th	1190	98.6%
2024	84.17	69^th	1203	94.3%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Palm Crest Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	99.65	9^th	4830	99.8%
2019	99.39	20^th	4963	99.6%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Palm Crest Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	92.06	52^nd	2737	98.1%
2019	90.78	80^th	2834	97.2%
2022	89.43	135^th	2726	95.0%
2023	94.13	13^th	2662	99.5%
2024	94.34	14^th	2647	99.5%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for White 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.

Data source: California Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Great community school -- Ms. Hurley is an excellent principal. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Palm Crest Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	361	5	69	25	0	n/a	n/a	0	460
1990	384	5	96	21	0	n/a	n/a	0	506
1991	421	5	112	25	0	n/a	n/a	0	563
1992	436	6	129	28	0	n/a	n/a	0	599
1993	462	4	132	23	0	n/a	n/a	0	621
1994	469	3	149	19	0	n/a	n/a	0	640
1995	472	2	155	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	644
1996	472	2	155	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	644
1997	491	1	181	23	0	n/a	n/a	0	696
1998	493	1	193	23	0	n/a	n/a	0	710
1999	486	1	192	23	1	n/a	n/a	0	703
2000	510	3	169	27	2	n/a	n/a	0	711
2001	516	0	141	26	0	n/a	n/a	13	696
2002	492	1	137	33	0	n/a	n/a	13	676
2003	492	1	137	33	0	n/a	n/a	13	676
2004	423	0	129	27	0	n/a	n/a	55	634
2005	347	0	118	12	0	n/a	n/a	119	596
2006	327	0	120	12	0	n/a	n/a	111	570
2007	320	1	117	19	0	n/a	n/a	96	553
2008	316	n/a	126	23	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	465
2009	311	0	122	25	2	0	76	0	536
2010	331	0	130	60	2	0	32	0	555
2011	357	0	143	64	2	0	39	0	605
2012	333	1	143	74	4	0	57	0	612
2013	325	6	150	76	4	0	64	0	625
2014	302	6	147	72	2	0	66	0	595
2015	278	7	142	87	1	0	65	0	580
2016	284	9	164	92	0	0	65	0	614
2017	305	7	203	84	0	0	70	0	669
2018	283	6	208	78	0	0	79	0	654
2019	273	4	238	82	0	0	80	0	677
2020	264	3	235	77	0	0	91	0	670
2021	244	3	219	67	0	0	87	0	620
2022	234	2	210	73	0	0	89	0	608
2023	232	2	209	69	0	0	87	0	599

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 Palm Crest Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	460	19.8	23.2	n/a
1990	506	24.1	20.9	n/a
1991	563	26.0	21.6	n/a
1992	599	26.4	22.6	1.8
1993	621	26.5	23.4	2.7
1994	640	26.5	24.2	2
1995	644	25.3	25.5	1.6
1996	644	25.3	25.5	1.6
1997	696	36.3	19.2	1.9
1998	710	37.3	19.0	0
1999	703	33.6	20.9	1.7
2000	711	33.1	21.5	1.4
2001	696	35.6	19.6	1.6
2002	676	35.1	19.3	1.4
2003	676	35.1	19.3	1.4
2004	634	29.9	21.2	1.4
2005	596	27.3	21.8	0
2006	570	28.9	19.7	1.7
2007	553	28.1	19.7	1.8
2008	465	30.3	15.3	2.8
2009	536	26.3	16.9	2.8
2010	555	26.7	20.7	2.2
2011	605	n/a	n/a	1.8
2012	612	27.8	21.9	n/a
2013	625	27.2	22.9	2.1
2014	595	24.7	24.0	1.7
2015	580	28.0	20.7	1.7
2016	614	28.0	21.9	2
2017	669	28.7	23.2	1.8
2018	654	28.1	23.2	5
2019	677	30.1	22.4	5.2
2020	670	n/a	n/a	5.4
2021	620	27.4	22.5	4.2
2022	608	27.6	21.9	4.8
2023	599	26.7	22.3	4.3

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 Palm Crest Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	460	19.8	23.2	n/a
1990	506	24.1	20.9	n/a
1991	563	26.0	21.6	n/a
1992	599	26.4	22.6	1.8
1993	621	26.5	23.4	2.7
1994	640	26.5	24.2	2
1995	644	25.3	25.5	1.6
1996	644	25.3	25.5	1.6
1997	696	36.3	19.2	1.9
1998	710	37.3	19.0	0
1999	703	33.6	20.9	1.7
2000	711	33.1	21.5	1.4
2001	696	35.6	19.6	1.6
2002	676	35.1	19.3	1.4
2003	676	35.1	19.3	1.4
2004	634	29.9	21.2	1.4
2005	596	27.3	21.8	0
2006	570	28.9	19.7	1.7
2007	553	28.1	19.7	1.8
2008	465	30.3	15.3	2.8
2009	536	26.3	16.9	2.8
2010	555	26.7	20.7	2.2
2011	605	n/a	n/a	1.8
2012	612	27.8	21.9	n/a
2013	625	27.2	22.9	2.1
2014	595	24.7	24.0	1.7
2015	580	28.0	20.7	1.7
2016	614	28.0	21.9	2
2017	669	28.7	23.2	1.8
2018	654	28.1	23.2	5
2019	677	30.1	22.4	5.2
2020	670	n/a	n/a	5.4
2021	620	27.4	22.5	4.2
2022	608	27.6	21.9	4.8
2023	599	26.7	22.3	4.3

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.

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