Apple Valley Unified, CA

Original Research by School Decision on Apple Valley Unified

Apple Valley Unified is a large school district in San Bernardino County that serves kindergarten through twelfth grade across a collection of schools in the Apple Valley and surrounding high-desert region. The district enrolls a student population of roughly thirteen thousand, distributed fairly evenly across grades. The enrollment is majority Hispanic, with a substantial white population and smaller shares of Black, Asian, and multiracial students. Data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility and English learners was not available, so families seeking detail on poverty concentration or English-learner services should contact the district directly.

State test results for the current school year show proficiency rates that are low across all tested subjects. In English language arts, students district-wide are proficient at rates in the low-to-mid thirties. Math proficiency is substantially lower, ranging from the mid-teens across most grades. Science proficiency, tested in fifth and eighth grade, sits in the high teens. These results place Apple Valley below the midpoint among San Bernardino County's districts on overall proficiency. The only longer-view data available is from social studies testing more than a decade ago, so current trends cannot be assessed from the available information.

Chronic absenteeism, at above forty percent, is a district-wide concern and runs above the typical midpoint for the county. Per-pupil spending is in the lower range for San Bernardino County districts. A graduation rate was not reported in the available data, so families with high school students should ask the district about completion and graduation outcomes.

The district includes schools across multiple school types and programs. Rio Vista School of Applied Learning, High Desert Premier Academy, Mariana Academy, Vanguard Preparatory, Sitting Bull Academy, and Phoenix Academy sit within the traditional AVUSD portfolio; the district also operates Apple Valley Virtual Academy, serving students in digital or hybrid formats. Three of these schools—Apple Valley High, Rio Vista, and Sitting Bull Academy—have reached impacted enrollment and are currently closed to intradistrict transfer requests, meaning families cannot freely choose into the most sought schools even if they live within district boundaries. The district is phasing in a new student information system and parent mobile app, moving from its legacy system to the Focus platform, with implementation beginning in 2025 and a target go-live in 2026-27; families should expect changes to how they enroll, register, and access student records online during this transition.

The district's towns sit in a high-desert market with home values modestly below the California state average and rental costs somewhat elevated relative to incomes. The housing market has seen modest appreciation recently, and mortgage borrowing costs have held relatively steady. Unemployment and median household incomes are consistent with regional norms. The area is part of the broader Inland Empire, with lower-cost housing than coastal California but facing capacity and facility challenges as growth continues.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

13,756

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 60%

Black 8%

White 27%

Asian 2%

Two+ 4%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

26%

—

Gr 3

22%

41%

Gr 4

23%

42%

Gr 5

23%

37%

Gr 6

25%

51%

Gr 7

27%

44%

Gr 8

24%

44%

Gr 11

38%

—

Math

Gr ALL

14%

—

Gr 3

23%

44%

Gr 4

16%

37%

Gr 5

27%

Gr 6

12%

30%

Gr 7

12%

24%

Gr 8

11%

28%

Gr 11

11%

—

Science

Gr ALL

15%

—

Gr 5

14%

27%

Gr 8

15%

34%

Gr 11

17%

—

Gr 12

—

Gr HS

15%

—

Gr UG_SEC

16%

—

Schools in this District

15 schools are officially reported under this district.

Rio Vista School of Applied Learning

Sycamore Rocks Elementary

Granite Hills High

High Desert Premier Academy

Apple Valley High

Mariana Academy

Rancho Verde Elementary

Yucca Loma Elementary

Desert Knolls Elementary

Apple Valley Unified Preschool Special Education

Apple Valley Virtual Academy

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

28%

Grade 3

20%

Grade 4

13%

Grade 5

16%

Grade 6

15%

Grade 7

16%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

26%

Grade 3

27%

Grade 4

26%

Grade 5

30%

Grade 6

31%

Grade 7

29%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

17%

Grade 5

20%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

47%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$435,694

Year-over-year change+0.1%

Range across 5 ZIP codes$259K to $456K

vs. state typical0.56x

vs. national typical1.18x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (5 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
92307	Apple Valley	$456K	+0.4%	57.1%
92308	Apple Valley	$414K	-0.4%	41.3%
92356	Lucerne Valley	$259K	+0.7%	1.3%
92395	Victorville	$414K	-1.5%	0.2%
92345	Hesperia	$446K	+0.7%	0.1%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,915/mo

Year-over-year change+4.5%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$1,850 to $2,121/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
92307	Apple Valley	$1,963	+4.8%	57.1%
92308	Apple Valley	$1,850	+4.1%	41.3%
92395	Victorville	$1,860	+2.3%	0.2%
92345	Hesperia	$2,121	+2.2%	0.1%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,199/mo

Home price / national median income5.2x

Annual rent / national median income27.4%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$283/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.