Horizon

Summary:

Horizon is an alternative public virtual school located in La Quinta, California, serving grades K-12 with a total enrollment of 414 students. It is part of the Desert Sands Unified School District, which is ranked 1011 out of 1568 school districts in California and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Horizon has had relatively high four-year graduation rates, ranging from 80% to 90.3% over the past five school years, which is higher than the state and district averages. However, the school has seen a fluctuating dropout rate, ranging from 3.4% to 14.5%, and has had high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 15.5% to 51.9%, both of which are significantly higher than the state and district averages. Horizon's test scores on the Smarter Balanced Assessments and CAST (California Science Test) are generally lower than the state and district averages across various grade levels and subject areas, indicating that academic performance is an area that needs improvement. The school also has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 49.81% to 83.57%, suggesting a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

Interestingly, the nearby Desert Learning Academy, located in Palm Springs, has similar characteristics as an alternative school but generally higher graduation rates, lower dropout rates, and better test scores compared to Horizon. Additionally, Horizon's student-teacher ratio has fluctuated over the past three school years, ranging from 18.6 to 27.8, which may impact the quality of instruction and support provided to students. By addressing the areas of concern, such as improving attendance, academic achievement, and providing additional resources for economically disadvantaged students, Horizon can work towards improving the educational outcomes for its students.


Detail:

Public, Virtual, Alternative K-12

 43-330 Palm Royale Dr.
       La Quinta, CA  92253-8170


(760) 238-9720

District: Desert Sands Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
4375th of 5,862 California Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,183 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  20.3 Help
Number of students:  356

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
75.0%
White:
16.0%
Two or more races:
5.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  83.1% Help


 See top rated California elementary schools

 Compare Horizon to nearby alternative schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Horizon ranks worse than 74.6% of elementary schools in California. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 24.86. (See more...)
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Compare Details Horizon ranks worse than 58.9% of middle schools in California. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 34.75. (See more...)
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Compare Details Horizon ranks worse than 61.3% of high schools in California. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 29.91. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Horizon who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
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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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (75%), White (16%), two or more races (5.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 83.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Horizon is 20.3. (See more...)
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Compare Horizon employs 17.4 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Horizon is $14,183.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Horizon:

SchoolDigger ranks Horizon 4375th of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Horizon in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:

SchoolDigger ranks Horizon 1636th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Horizon in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Hispanic students:

SchoolDigger ranks Horizon 1425th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Horizon in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Desert Sands Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Desert Sands Unified 1011th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Horizon

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Horizon

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 27.64 3434th 4822 28.8%
2007 49.06 2383rd 5113 53.4%
2022 24.88 4359th 5883 25.9%
2023 26.42 4237th 5874 27.9%
2024 24.86 4375th 5862 25.4%
See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school English Language Learner students at Horizon

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 33.78 2296th 3311 30.7%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Horizon

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 28.66 3948th 5264 25.0%
2023 38.60 3174th 5374 40.9%
2024 37.65 3317th 5511 39.8%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Horizon

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 24.00 4311th 5635 23.5%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Horizon

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 28.22 3943rd 5663 30.4%
2023 30.68 3720th 5650 34.2%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Horizon

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 28.70 3818th 5084 24.9%
2023 44.07 2615th 5098 48.7%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Horizon

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Rank History for all middle school students at Horizon

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 25.09 1316th 1769 25.6%
2005 22.69 1379th 1777 22.4%
2006 33.37 1180th 1804 34.6%
2007 29.32 1407th 1999 29.6%
2008 39.18 1181st 2005 41.1%
2009 34.74 1338th 2063 35.1%
2010 16.04 1938th 2179 11.1%
2011 13.50 2028th 2236 9.3%
2012 19.41 1928th 2259 14.7%
2013 14.62 2137th 2379 10.2%
2015 20.67 1997th 2477 19.4%
2016 10.55 2324th 2497 6.9%
2017 15.48 2201st 2508 12.2%
2018 9.25 2365th 2480 4.6%
2019 29.54 1808th 2715 33.4%
2022 25.34 1975th 2740 27.9%
2023 46.34 1277th 2802 54.4%
2024 34.75 1636th 2777 41.1%
See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school English Language Learner students at Horizon

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 31.59 1169th 1540 24.1%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Horizon

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 24.48 1921st 2458 21.8%
2023 55.73 860th 2549 66.3%
2024 50.00 1042nd 2575 59.5%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Horizon

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 27.95 1732nd 2509 31.0%
2023 38.69 1369th 2547 46.3%
2024 30.41 1655th 2546 35.0%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Horizon

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 23.47 1915th 2527 24.2%
2023 56.01 914th 2558 64.3%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Horizon

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 15.95 1998th 2213 9.7%
2022 24.86 1825th 2359 22.6%
2023 49.50 1002nd 2391 58.1%
2024 39.62 1317th 2383 44.7%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Horizon

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Rank History for all high school students at Horizon

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 23.73 1114th 1653 32.6%
2005 28.91 1076th 1901 43.4%
2006 27.54 1169th 1968 40.6%
2007 26.79 1237th 2063 40.0%
2008 25.35 1306th 2117 38.3%
2009 31.38 1322nd 2238 40.9%
2010 25.46 1409th 2281 38.2%
2011 25.36 1453rd 2367 38.6%
2012 24.19 1466th 2354 37.7%
2013 22.98 1545th 2426 36.3%
2015 33.00 1302nd 1994 34.7%
2016 24.57 1452nd 2039 28.8%
2017 43.21 1172nd 2021 42.0%
2018 62.94 741st 2017 63.3%
2019 60.57 725th 2133 66.0%
2021 65.19 408th 1290 68.4%
2022 39.63 1187th 2123 44.1%
2023 43.03 1044th 2348 55.5%
2024 29.91 1425th 2323 38.7%
See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Multi-racial students at Horizon

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 9.32 696th 786 11.5%
2024 24.38 565th 804 29.7%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for high school English Language Learner students at Horizon

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 58.74 152nd 1323 88.5%
2024 19.35 1303rd 1350 3.5%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for high school Special Education students at Horizon

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 42.13 651st 1547 57.9%
2024 27.89 1060th 1534 30.9%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Horizon

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 72.35 474th 1862 74.5%
2019 53.36 840th 1937 56.6%
2021 58.76 411th 1126 63.5%
2022 33.43 1280th 1943 34.1%
2023 51.66 843rd 2247 62.5%
2024 32.80 1351st 2235 39.6%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for high school Female students at Horizon

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 68.52 554th 1760 68.5%
2019 57.35 688th 1833 62.5%
2021 64.33 339th 1054 67.8%
2022 44.50 948th 1858 49.0%
2023 43.01 1001st 2118 52.7%
2024 31.19 1321st 2098 37.0%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for high school Male students at Horizon

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 41.83 1066th 1834 41.9%
2019 57.94 697th 1880 62.9%
2021 54.16 465th 1122 58.6%
2022 21.88 1464th 1916 23.6%
2023 40.13 1039th 2207 52.9%
2024 26.76 1416th 2172 34.8%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for high school Hispanic students at Horizon

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 63.54 612th 1742 64.9%
2019 64.78 539th 1814 70.3%
2022 39.29 1114th 1861 40.1%
2023 51.02 817th 2142 61.9%
2024 37.50 1194th 2125 43.8%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for high school White students at Horizon

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 53.69 572nd 1222 53.2%
2022 26.30 898th 1204 25.4%
2023 41.35 731st 1434 49.0%
2024 13.16 1169th 1406 16.9%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative 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.

Horizon Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 









Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Horizon

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2001 179 7 14 187 0 n/a n/a 0 387
2002 214 8 6 210 1 n/a n/a 2 441
2003 214 8 6 210 1 n/a n/a 2 441
2004 212 9 0 243 2 n/a n/a 7 473
2005 226 5 2 223 0 n/a n/a 13 469
2006 194 13 4 216 2 n/a n/a 26 455
2007 219 11 5 260 2 n/a n/a 25 522
2008 201 7 9 223 1 n/a n/a 0 441
2009 207 3 5 194 3 0 5 0 417
2010 188 3 6 180 2 0 2 0 381
2011 162 7 3 217 2 0 4 0 395
2012 145 9 4 213 0 0 5 0 376
2013 116 5 2 209 0 0 2 0 334
2014 105 1 3 181 1 0 4 0 295
2015 74 2 7 186 0 0 3 0 272
2016 61 3 9 166 0 0 4 0 243
2017 48 2 4 180 0 0 7 0 241
2018 53 3 2 160 0 0 5 0 223
2019 40 1 0 146 2 0 9 0 198
2020 52 5 1 166 6 0 7 0 237
2021 66 7 0 171 2 0 13 0 259
2022 92 18 16 619 2 0 33 0 780
2023 59 13 3 310 2 0 27 0 414
2024 57 6 5 267 0 0 21 0 356

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 Horizon

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2001 387 2.0 193.5 0
2002 441 13.0 33.9 0
2003 441 13.0 33.9 0
2004 473 15.9 29.7 0
2005 469 20.7 22.7 0
2006 455 19.8 23.0 17.7
2007 522 18.8 27.8 6.6
2008 441 18.2 24.2 10.4
2009 417 13.2 27.3 5
2010 381 16.0 23.8 19.4
2011 395 n/a n/a 26.6
2012 376 19.0 19.7 n/a
2013 334 18.0 18.5 32
2014 295 15.0 19.6 35.3
2015 272 15.0 18.1 47.8
2016 243 15.0 16.2 44
2017 241 14.0 17.2 42.3
2018 223 13.4 16.6 53.8
2019 198 14.8 13.3 51
2020 237 n/a n/a 52.3
2021 259 13.9 18.6 49.8
2022 780 27.9 27.8 76.8
2023 414 21.1 19.5 83.6
2024 356 17.4 20.3 83.1

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 Horizon

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2001 387 2.0 193.5 0
2002 441 13.0 33.9 0
2003 441 13.0 33.9 0
2004 473 15.9 29.7 0
2005 469 20.7 22.7 0
2006 455 19.8 23.0 17.7
2007 522 18.8 27.8 6.6
2008 441 18.2 24.2 10.4
2009 417 13.2 27.3 5
2010 381 16.0 23.8 19.4
2011 395 n/a n/a 26.6
2012 376 19.0 19.7 n/a
2013 334 18.0 18.5 32
2014 295 15.0 19.6 35.3
2015 272 15.0 18.1 47.8
2016 243 15.0 16.2 44
2017 241 14.0 17.2 42.3
2018 223 13.4 16.6 53.8
2019 198 14.8 13.3 51
2020 237 n/a n/a 52.3
2021 259 13.9 18.6 49.8
2022 780 27.9 27.8 76.8
2023 414 21.1 19.5 83.6
2024 356 17.4 20.3 83.1

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.

Kindergarten Immunization Rates

Horizon

Help
Compare
YearCompletely ImmunizedMedical ExemptionConditionalDTP
202291.7%0.0%0.0%93.8%

Data source: California Department of Public Health
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Horizon

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $14,183

Data source: California Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Horizon

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 1808th of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 1277th of 2802 Middle schools
 21%
Ranks 725th of 2133 High schoolsRanks 1044th of 2348 High schools
 10.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Horizon)2559.3
 34.3%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Desert Sands Unified)46.241.4
 4.8%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Horizon)2514.8
 10.2%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Desert Sands Unified)29.424
 5.4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Horizon)3046.5
 16.5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Desert Sands Unified)46.235.7
 10.5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Horizon)1525.6
 10.6%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Desert Sands Unified)28.221.4
 6.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Horizon)22.225.6
 3.4%
   8th Grade Science (Desert Sands Unified)22.822.7
 0.1%
   8th Grade Science (California)30.828.8
 2.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Horizon)71.946.6
 25.3%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Desert Sands Unified)52.350.6
 1.7%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Horizon)18.826.7
 7.9%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Desert Sands Unified)21.818
 3.8%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
11th Grade Science (Horizon)27.423.9
 3.5%
   11th Grade Science (Desert Sands Unified)22.826.8
 4.1%
   11th Grade Science (California)30.431.7
 1.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students198414
 109.1%
African American113
 1200%
American Indian22
Asian03
Hispanic146310
 112.3%
Pacific Islander00
White4059
 47.5%
Two or More Races927
 200%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients51%83.6%
 32.6%


Schools Near Horizon









Frequently Asked Questions about Horizon

Horizon ranks 4375th of 5862 California alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

In the 2023-24 school year, 356 students attended Horizon.

Students at Horizon are 75% Hispanic, 16% White, 6% Two or more races, 2% African American, 1% Asian.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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