Top Rankings
Desert Sands Unified School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in California for:
Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 10%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 8 public middle schools serving 6,152 students in Desert Sands Unified School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 5/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public middle schools in California.
Public Middle Schools in Desert Sands Unified School District have an average math proficiency score of 23% (versus the California public middle school average of 32%), and reading proficiency score of 38% (versus the 46% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 85% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the California public middle school average of 78% (majority Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (CA)
# Schools
35 Schools
3,469 Schools
# Students
25,613 Students
1,858,621 Students
# Teachers
1,083 Teachers
88,118 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
24:1
24:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Desert Sands Unified School District, which is ranked #1080 of all 1,904 school districts in California (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 94% has increased from 90% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#1043 out of 1932 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
26%
34%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
40%
47%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
24%
29%
Graduation Rate
94%
87%
Chronically Absent Students
(2022-23)37.1%
27.7%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.40
0.64
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
3%
11%
% Hispanic
77%
55%
% Black
1%
5%
% White
15%
22%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
4%
6%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $18,669 in this school district is less than the state median of $20,100. The school district revenue/student has grown by 19% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $16,888 is less than the state median of $18,511. The school district spending/student has grown by 10% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$478 MM
$116,387 MM
Spending
$433 MM
$107,188 MM
Revenue / Student
$18,669
$20,100
Spending / Student
$16,888
$18,511
Best Desert Sands Unified School District Public Middle Schools (2026)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Palm Desert Charter Middle School
Charter School
(Math: 38% | Reading: 60%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
74-200 Rutledge Way
Palm Desert, CA 92260
(760) 862-4320
Palm Desert, CA 92260
(760) 862-4320
Gr: 6-8 | 1,298 students Student-teacher ratio: 28:1 Minority enrollment: 66%
Rank: #22.
John Glenn Middle School Of International Studies
(Math: 33% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
79-655 Miles Ave.
Indio, CA 92201
(760) 200-3700
Indio, CA 92201
(760) 200-3700
Gr: 6-8 | 1,099 students Student-teacher ratio: 24:1 Minority enrollment: 84%
Rank: #33.
La Quinta Middle School
(Math: 23% | Reading: 37%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
78-900 Avenue 50
La Quinta, CA 92253
(760) 777-4220
La Quinta, CA 92253
(760) 777-4220
Gr: 6-8 | 709 students Student-teacher ratio: 24:1 Minority enrollment: 89%
Rank: #44.
Horizon
Alternative School
(Math: 23% | Reading: 32%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
43-330 Palm Royale Dr.
La Quinta, CA 92253
(760) 238-9720
La Quinta, CA 92253
(760) 238-9720
Gr: K-12 | 286 students Student-teacher ratio: 22:1 Minority enrollment: 85%
Rank: #55.
Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle School
(Math: 17% | Reading: 38%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
43-495 Palm Royale Dr.
La Quinta, CA 92253
(760) 238-9710
La Quinta, CA 92253
(760) 238-9710
Gr: 6-8 | 439 students Student-teacher ratio: 21:1 Minority enrollment: 82%
Rank: #66.
Desert Ridge Academy
(Math: 14% | Reading: 29%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
79-767 Avenue 39
Indio, CA 92203
(760) 393-5500
Indio, CA 92203
(760) 393-5500
Gr: 6-8 | 962 students Student-teacher ratio: 23:1 Minority enrollment: 91%
Rank: #77.
Indio Middle School
(Math: 9% | Reading: 21%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
81-195 Miles Ave.
Indio, CA 92201
(760) 775-3800
Indio, CA 92201
(760) 775-3800
Gr: 6-8 | 768 students Student-teacher ratio: 23:1 Minority enrollment: 96%
Rank: #88.
Thomas Jefferson Middle School
(Math: 6% | Reading: 20%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
83-089 Highway 111
Indio, CA 92201
(760) 863-3660
Indio, CA 92201
(760) 863-3660
Gr: 6-8 | 591 students Student-teacher ratio: 27:1 Minority enrollment: 98%
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