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PennValleyCalifornia1Photo: Travisthurston · CC BY-SA 3.0
B
Schools in Penn Valley · Penn Valley Union Elementary School District, Nevada Joint Union High School District

Penn Valley’s public schools outscore 57% of California districts

The grade covers the two public school districts serving Penn Valley, from kindergarten through graduation, on state tests and graduation. Each state writes its own tests, so this is the one TownRatings grade compared within California, not nationally.

K–12Where will my kid go?

From California state tests taken in spring 2022, when 90% of students in the tested grades sat them, and the class of 2023’s four-year graduation rate, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Reading proficiency
45%
▼ 2 pts vs CA 47%
2021–22
Math proficiency
31%
▼ 3 pts vs CA 33%
2021–22
Graduate on time
86%
▼ 0 pts vs CA 86%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$18.6K
▼ 12% vs CA $21.2K
FY2024 · Nevada Joint Union High
Students per teacher
20.2
CA 21.6 · smaller classes
Schools in town
2
2,727 students on the public path
In brief

Penn Valley’s schools, in brief

Better than its incomes would predict

Among the 430 California towns with household incomes within a quarter of Penn Valley’s, its schools beat 80%, higher than their 57% against all the state’s districts. The grade ↓

Results trail the state

In spring 2022, 45% of tested students were proficient in reading and 31% in math, against 47% and 33% statewide; 90% of students in the tested grades sat the tests. The grade ↓

Graduation

86% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 86% across California. Districts ↓

Spending and class size

Penn Valley Union Elementary spends $15,385 per student and Nevada Joint Union High $18,632, against $21,206 across California (FY2024). Neither counts toward the grade. Districts ↓

Choice beyond the district

Vantage Point Charter is in town. Every school ↓

Written from the figures on this page. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023; each school’s own letter uses 2020–21 results.

The School Grade

What’s behind Penn Valley’s grade

B Test scoresC Graduation

B: better than 57% of California school districts. Both inputs trail the California average; test scores are the closer of the two to typical.

California school districts we grade (1,872)Better than 57%
Lower resultsHigher results
California towns with similar household incomes (430)Better than 80%
B−B+A fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 884 test results and a graduating class of 600 could put Penn Valley anywhere from B− to B+. The tests are from spring 2022, when 90% of Penn Valley’s students in the tested grades sat them (888 in math, 878 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve Penn Valley, with each school’s own grade.

The path, start to finish
K–3Williams Ranch ElementaryPenn Valley Union Elementary School DistrictB
4–8Ready Springs ElementaryPenn Valley Union Elementary School DistrictB−
9–122 high schoolsDepends on your addressB to A−

Penn Valley runs its own schools through grade 12 (Penn Valley Union Elementary School District). From grade 9, students attend the Nevada Joint Union High School District, shared with Grass Valley and Nevada City. Its elementary school is in Penn Valley. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

Two districts serve Penn Valley

Spending and class size are shown but don’t count toward the grade. Each district’s own page has every school.

Penn Valley Union Elementary School DistrictGrades K–12 · 3 schools · 535 students · 18.6 per teacher (CA 21.6)
$15,385CA $21,206 · FY2024
B
Nevada Joint Union High School DistrictGrades 9–12 · 5 schools · 2,571 students, up 4% since 2020–21 · 20.6 per teacher (CA 21.6)
$18,632CA $21,206 · FY2024
B
Test scores · 2021–22

Below the state in reading

Reading · K–12, Penn Valley Union Elementary School District46%
State average 46.7% · 372 students tested
Math · K–12, Penn Valley Union Elementary School District34%
State average 33.1% · 371 students tested
Reading · 9–12, Nevada Joint Union High School District44%
State average 46.7% · 506 students tested
Math · 9–12, Nevada Joint Union High School District28%
State average 33.1% · 517 students tested

Penn Valley vs. its neighbors

Schools grades for the California towns that share Penn Valley’s borders.

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
Penn ValleyBPenn Valley Union Elementary K–12 · Nevada Joint Union High 9–12

Every school in Penn Valley

5 schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with California’s other public schools (the newest school-level results we have).

District schools in Penn Valleyby address
Ready Springs Elementary
Middle · Grades 4–8
B−
255 students19:1Rate it →
Also serving Penn Valleyin other towns
Williams Ranch Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–3
B
247 students22:1Rate it →
Nevada Union High
High · Grades 9–12 · Grass Valley
B
1,561 students20:1Rate it →
Bear River High
High · Grades 9–12 · Grass Valley
A−
664 students24:1Rate it →
Charter schoolsfree, open by application
Vantage Point Charter
Grades K–12
B
Charter
33 students8:1Rate it →

Left off: 1 public program with fewer than 25 students (Penn Valley Union Special Education Preschool).

Questions about Penn Valley’s schools

Are Penn Valley’s schools good?

They sit near the middle of California: the public schools Penn Valley children attend outscore 57% of California’s school districts on tests and graduation, a B Schools grade. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 80%. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Penn Valley in?

Two districts: Penn Valley Union Elementary School District runs grades K–12, and Nevada Joint Union High School District runs grades 9–12, shared with Grass Valley and Nevada City.

Where do Penn Valley kids go to high school?

One of 2 high schools, depending on your address: Nevada Union High and Bear River High.

What is Penn Valley’s graduation rate?

86% of the class of 2023 in Nevada Joint Union High School District graduated in four years, against 86% across California.

How much does Penn Valley spend per student?

$15,385 in Penn Valley Union Elementary School District and $18,632 in Nevada Joint Union High School District (FY2024), against $21,206 across California. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Parents talk

What Penn Valley families are saying about school.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Looking for colleges? Colleges near Penn Valley → They have their own page.

School data: state test results (2021–22, with participation) and four-year graduation rates (class of 2023) reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express); each school’s own letter uses its 2020–21 results (EDFacts via the Urban Institute); schools and enrollment from NCES (2024–25; private schools 2023–24); spending from the Census Bureau’s school finance survey (FY2024). The School Grade is our own summary, graded within California. Stars are from neighbors.