Top Rankings
Desert Sands Unified School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in California for:
Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2024 school year, there are 8 public middle schools serving 6,671 students in Desert Sands Unified School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 6/10, which is in the top 50% of public middle schools in California.
Public Middle Schools in Desert Sands Unified School District have an average math proficiency score of 26% (versus the California public middle school average of 32%), and reading proficiency score of 50% (versus the 47% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 84% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the California public middle school average of 77% (majority Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (CA)
# Schools
34 Schools
3,478 Schools
# Students
26,695 Students
1,875,212 Students
# Teachers
1,103 Teachers
87,766 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
24:1
24:1
District Rank
Desert Sands Unified School District, which is ranked #424 of all 1,167 school districts in California (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2020-2021 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 93% has increased from 91% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#451 out of 1200 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
31%
34%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
56%
49%
Graduation Rate
93%
84%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.41
0.64
# American Indian Students
53 Students
10,541 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
1%
# Asian Students
753 Students
199,355 Students
% Asian Students
3%
11%
# Hispanic Students
20,001 Students
1,021,136 Students
% Hispanic Students
75%
54%
# Black Students
399 Students
104,497 Students
% Black Students
2%
6%
# White Students
4,355 Students
425,910 Students
% White Students
16%
23%
# Hawaiian Students
17 Students
7,948 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
1,117 Students
103,260 Students
% of Two or more races Students
4%
5%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
-
-
# Students in K Grade:
2,037
83,361
# Students in 1st Grade:
1,794
74,656
# Students in 2nd Grade:
1,833
77,033
# Students in 3rd Grade:
1,816
77,239
# Students in 4th Grade:
1,857
80,324
# Students in 5th Grade:
1,974
86,020
# Students in 6th Grade:
1,911
291,274
# Students in 7th Grade:
2,003
434,675
# Students in 8th Grade:
2,133
455,560
# Students in 9th Grade:
2,342
55,052
# Students in 10th Grade:
2,350
52,041
# Students in 11th Grade:
2,305
51,590
# Students in 12th Grade:
2,340
56,387
# Ungraded Students:
-
-
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $17,913 in this school district is less than the state median of $19,806. The school district revenue/student has grown by 14% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $16,204 is less than the state median of $18,241. The school district spending/student has grown by 5% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$478 MM
$116,387 MM
Spending
$433 MM
$107,188 MM
Revenue / Student
$17,913
$19,806
Spending / Student
$16,204
$18,241
Best Desert Sands Unified School District Public Middle Schools (2024)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Desert Ridge Academy
(Math: <50% | Reading: ≥50%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
79-767 Ave. 39
Indio, CA 92203
(760) 393-5500
Indio, CA 92203
(760) 393-5500
Grades: 6-8
| 998 students
Rank: #22.
La Quinta Middle School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
78-900 Ave. 50
La Quinta, CA 92253
(760) 777-4220
La Quinta, CA 92253
(760) 777-4220
Grades: 6-8
| 719 students
Rank: #33.
Palm Desert Charter Middle School
Charter School
(Math: 46% | Reading: 65% )
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
74-200 Rutledge Way
Palm Desert, CA 92260
(760) 862-4320
Palm Desert, CA 92260
(760) 862-4320
Grades: 6-8
| 1,298 students
Rank: #44.
Horizon
Alternative School
(Math: 20-29% | Reading: 70-79%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
43-330 Palm Royale Dr.
La Quinta, CA 92253
(760) 238-9720
La Quinta, CA 92253
(760) 238-9720
Grades: K-12
| 780 students
Rank: #5 - 65. - 6.
Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: ≤20%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
43-495 Palm Royale Dr.
La Quinta, CA 92253
(760) 238-9710
La Quinta, CA 92253
(760) 238-9710
Grades: 6-8
| 520 students
Rank: #5 - 65. - 6.
John Glenn Middle School Of International Studies
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: ≤20%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
79-655 Miles Ave.
Indio, CA 92201
(760) 200-3700
Indio, CA 92201
(760) 200-3700
Grades: 6-8
| 1,092 students
Rank: #77.
Indio Middle School
(Math: 12% | Reading: 28% )
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
81-195 Miles Ave.
Indio, CA 92201
(760) 775-3800
Indio, CA 92201
(760) 775-3800
Grades: 6-8
| 763 students
Rank: #88.
Thomas Jefferson Middle School
(Math: 12% | Reading: 22% )
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
83-089 Highway 111
Indio, CA 92201
(760) 863-3660
Indio, CA 92201
(760) 863-3660
Grades: 6-8
| 501 students
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