Acton-agua Dulce Unified, CA

Original Research by School Decision on Acton-agua Dulce Unified

Acton-Agua Dulce Unified serves a small district spanning Los Angeles County's high desert region, from Acton and Agua Dulce north toward Palmdale and Santa Clarita. The three school sites include Vasquez High, Meadowlark Elementary, and High Desert, enrolling students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district is relatively small, with enrollment concentrated across all grade levels from early elementary through secondary.

The student population is roughly balanced between Hispanic students and white students, with smaller shares of Black, Asian, and other populations represented. Precise rates for free-or-reduced-price lunch and for English learners are not available in the data, so a parent may want to contact the district directly to understand the economic profile and language support services.

Academic performance across the district is substantially below state benchmarks. In English language arts, proficiency ranges from around low-to-mid levels in third grade, declining notably through upper elementary and staying modest through eighth grade. In mathematics, performance is lower still, with particularly weak results in fifth and eighth grades; a parent may want to look into whether math support and intervention services are available at particular grade levels. Science testing, available at fifth and eighth grade, shows similarly limited proficiency. The only historical snapshot available comes from the prior state assessment system in social studies, where results were closer to mid-range. Across the county's school districts, Acton-Agua Dulce's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile. Chronic absenteeism at the district is reported in the bottom quartile as well, substantially above the county median, which often correlates with learning challenges and may be an area where the district has focused or could focus intervention work.

The district's per-pupil spending sits in the upper-middle range among county districts, suggesting resources are available, though spending alone does not determine outcomes.

The communities served are mixed economically. Housing values in the district's zip codes range widely, with some areas showing substantial appreciation and others more modest. Rental costs are generally moderate. Mortgage affordability sits somewhat above the national benchmark, meaning homes in the district are relatively expensive compared to typical U.S. markets, though still below California's state average. A parent relocating to the area should expect moderate-to-high housing costs.

The district was not found to have major recent bond measures or capital initiatives in progress, though a feasibility study regarding trustee areas was under review at the time of research. For current information on programs, course offerings, and specific supports available at each school, a parent should visit the district website or contact schools directly.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

1,021

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 57%

Black 2%

White 36%

Asian 2%

Two+ 3%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

30%

—

Gr 3

43%

53%

Gr 4

36%

40%

Gr 5

26%

33%

Gr 6

23%

—

Gr 7

26%

53%

Gr 8

30%

45%

Gr 11

30%

—

Math

Gr ALL

17%

—

Gr 3

24%

35%

Gr 4

34%

48%

Gr 5

14%

26%

Gr 6

19%

—

Gr 7

17%

33%

Gr 8

14%

Gr 11

—

Science

Gr ALL

19%

—

Gr 5

18%

26%

Gr 8

14%

18%

Gr 10

12%

—

Gr HS

14%

—

Gr UG_SEC

11%

—

Schools in this District

3 schools are officially reported under this district.

Vasquez High

Meadowlark Elementary

High Desert

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

27%

Grade 3

38%

Grade 4

18%

Grade 5

22%

Grade 6

23%

Grade 7

12%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

46%

Grade 3

37%

Grade 4

29%

Grade 5

30%

Grade 6

36%

Grade 7

34%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

20%

Grade 5

15%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

50%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$749,506

Year-over-year change-1.1%

Range across 6 ZIP codes$451K to $928K

vs. state typical0.97x

vs. national typical2.04x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (6 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
93510	Acton	$854K	-0.8%	38.7%
93550	Palmdale	$451K	-1.5%	27.8%
91390	Santa Clarita	$928K	-1.2%	23.9%
91387	Santa Clarita	$813K	-2.1%	4.1%
93551	Palmdale	$594K	-0.7%	3.7%
91042	Los Angeles	$905K	-0.8%	1.7%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,548/mo

Year-over-year change+1.5%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$2,185 to $3,188/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
93550	Palmdale	$2,454	+0.4%	27.8%
91387	Santa Clarita	$2,759	+4.6%	4.1%
93551	Palmdale	$3,188	+4.9%	3.7%
91042	Los Angeles	$2,185	+4.2%	1.7%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$3,782/mo

Home price / national median income8.9x

Annual rent / national median income36.5%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$1,234/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$776,233 (-1.1% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.