2 Palos Verdes Elementary Schools Rank Among California's Best: New Ranking

PALOS VERDES, CA — Two elementary schools on the Palos Verdes Peninsula have earned places among California's highest-ranked public elementary schools, with one breaking into the state's top 25, according to newly released rankings from U.S. News & World Report.

Cornerstone at Pedregal Elementary in Rancho Palos Verdes ranked No. 23 statewide, while Rancho Vista Elementary in Rolling Hills Estates placed No. 33 in the publication's 2027 Best Elementary and Middle Schools rankings, released Tuesday.

Both schools belong to the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District and serve students from kindergarten through fifth grade.

Cornerstone, at 6069 Groveoak Place, enrolled 410 students during the 2025-26 school year, according to the California Department of Education.

Rancho Vista, at 4323 Palos Verdes Drive North, enrolled 348 students during the same period, state records show.

Cornerstone operates under a parent-participation model that encourages families to take an active role in school activities and enrichment programs. According to the school's website, parents work alongside staff to support art, drama, music and other educational opportunities.

The two schools were among the 10 highest-ranked public elementary schools in Los Angeles County, according to the statewide results.

How U.S. News Ranked The Schools

The latest rankings evaluated approximately 46,000 public elementary schools nationwide, using an updated methodology designed to provide a more detailed picture of academic achievement.

Researchers examined student performance in reading and mathematics, taking into account socioeconomic backgrounds and how schools performed relative to expectations.

For the first time, the rankings incorporated additional publicly available data collected directly from state education agencies by RTI International, alongside information from the U.S. Department of Education.

The expanded methodology evaluates performance across multiple proficiency levels rather than relying solely on the percentage of students meeting state standards.

"By incorporating direct state data across all proficiency levels, the 2027 rankings offer a richer, more complete picture of how elementary and middle schools are driving student growth," Eric Brooks, U.S. News director of education data analysis, said in the publication's Oct. 20 announcement.

How Other LA County Schools Fared

Five Los Angeles County elementary schools finished among California's top 25.

Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary in Northridge ranked No. 15, followed by Palm Crest Elementary in La Cañada Flintridge at No. 17 and Wonderland Avenue Elementary in Los Angeles at No. 18.

Cornerstone at Pedregal placed No. 23, while Valentine Elementary in San Marino rounded out the top 25.

Just outside that group, Third Street Elementary in Los Angeles ranked No. 30, followed by Rancho Vista at No. 33, Carver Elementary in San Marino at No. 34, Marengo Elementary in South Pasadena at No. 39 and Overland Avenue Elementary in Los Angeles at No. 41.

California's top-ranked public elementary school was Buckeye Union Mandarin Immersion Charter in El Dorado Hills, followed by Cold Spring Elementary in Santa Barbara and Murdock-Portal Elementary in San Jose.

The complete statewide rankings, including individual school profiles, are available through U.S. News & World Report.