At the freshman and sophomore levels Deer Valley uses a teaming concept, where groups of students share the same English, math, science, and history teacher.

In addition to instrumental and choral music, foreign language, drama, automotive, culinary, and art classes, students may also enroll in electives including video production, digital art, web design, animation, law, manufacturing, photography, and careers with children.

[3] Located in House 2 of DVHS, the Law Academy curriculum includes three elements: law-related content embedded in required courses in English, social studies, math and science, law-specific elective courses such as Constitutional Law and Criminal Justice, and work-based learning throughout the four years of study.

Deer Valley is also one of the few high schools in California with the option to take Philosophy; the Law students are placed as top priority in the enrollment process.

[6][7] In 2011, Aziz was convicted of charges of premeditated attempted murder, assault with a firearm, shooting at an inhabited dwelling and two counts of street terrorism, and was sentenced to 7 years to life in prison.

[8] In April 2013, the school received continuous bomb threats in a single week, with evacuations held on an hourly basis due to safety concerns.

A sixteen-year-old student, Jonathan Parker, was shot three times during a basketball game against cross-town rival Antioch High School.