Summerwind Elementary, Palmdale CA

Original Research by School Decision on Summerwind Elementary

Summerwind Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Palmdale, a suburban desert city in the northern Antelope Valley on the edge of Los Angeles County. The school enrolls about that many students, with a population that is predominantly Hispanic and Black, and a substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body reflects the economic and demographic character of Palmdale itself, which has large master-planned neighborhoods alongside industrial activity near the airport and aerospace facilities.

Academic performance at Summerwind is notably low across tested subjects. In the most recent state assessments, proficiency rates in math range from around one in eight students in grade three to roughly one in five in grade five. English language arts shows somewhat higher proficiency, reaching around one in five in grade four and approaching one in three in grade fifth, but still well below state averages. Science proficiency in grade five sits around one in six students. Against other districts in Los Angeles County, Summerwind's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile, meaning the school's tested students are performing below the median and most peers in its region.

The data available does not include English learner counts or special education enrollment for Summerwind, so a parent may want to look into further with the school to understand what language support and specialized services are available and whether they apply to their child. Trend data for the school shows only the current year, so growth or change over time cannot yet be assessed. Social studies results from an older state test are not included in current state reporting.

Summerwind is a regular public elementary school, not a charter, and operates within Palmdale Elementary School District. The district has undergone changes relevant to families: it acquired a high school roughly a decade ago and now serves kindergarten through grade twelve, restructured its grade configuration to move sixth grade to middle school, and invested heavily in classroom technology including one-to-one Chromebooks and interactive panels. The district also rolled out a bilingual early-literacy program, "Footsteps to Brilliance," reflecting its student population, which is roughly one-third English learners. In 2022, voters approved a school bond measure that is funding facility improvements including roof and window replacement, safety and security upgrades, and modernization of science and math laboratories across the district.

Palmdale itself is a sprawling suburban community of mixed residential neighborhoods and industrial zones, car-dependent for most daily needs, with wide streets and single-family homes as the dominant housing type. Major employers center on aerospace and defense: Air Force Plant 42, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, Northrop Grumman, and Boeing anchor the local economy. The city has experienced rapid growth in earlier decades but population has flattened or slightly declined since a 2020 peak; the city describes itself as only partially built out and is actively planning for future growth including high-speed rail connections, mixed-use development, and improved walkability. Housing values in the 93551 zip code where Summerwind sits are moderate relative to the state benchmark, with rents affordable relative to median household income.

A parent considering Summerwind should understand that the school's tested students are performing substantially below proficiency benchmarks, with fewer than one in five students meeting state standards in math. This is a real academic challenge that may be relevant to questions about student progress and support. The school is part of a district that has made visible investments in technology and bilingual programming and is addressing facility needs through recent bond funds, which provides some institutional context for improvement efforts. The wider community is Palmdale's suburban, aerospace-anchored economy with strong neighborhood parks and public transit to Los Angeles, though the city itself remains car-centric and still developing its walkable center.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 312%

School 12% · District 27% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 31 pts below state median · ▼ 35 pts below county median

Grade 417%

School 17% · District 23% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Grade 519%

School 19% · District 17% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 313%

School 13% · District 26% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 29 pts below county median

Grade 420%

School 20% · District 27% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Grade 528%

School 28% · District 32% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

Science

Grade 516%

School 16% · District 17% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 870%

School 70% · District 38% · ▲ 32 pts above district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

This schoolPalmdale Elementary, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 4Lower-income16%Higher-income47%31 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income21%Higher-income75%54 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income27%Higher-income55%28 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income56%Higher-income84%28 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income72%Higher-income88%16 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 4Lower-income13%Higher-income39%26 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income14%Higher-income50%36 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income13%Higher-income40%27 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income40%Higher-income52%12 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income29%Higher-income38%9 pp gap