Sierra Sands Unified School District

113 W. Felspar Ave.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555-3520
(District boundaries shown in map)
5/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Sierra Sands Unified School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in California for:

Category
Attribute
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 11 public schools serving 5,122 students in Sierra Sands Unified School District. This district's average testing ranking is 5/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public schools in California.
Public Schools in Sierra Sands Unified School District have an average math proficiency score of 25% (versus the California public school average of 33%), and reading proficiency score of 40% (versus the 47% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 51% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the California public school average of 80% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (CA)
# Schools
11 Schools
10,369 Schools
# Students
5,122 Students
5,826,838 Students
# Teachers
241 Teachers
268,018 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
21:1
21:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Sierra Sands Unified School District, which is ranked #1063 of all 1,925 school districts in California (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 81% has decreased from 90% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (CA)
#1044 out of 1941 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
25%
33%
41%
47%
24%
29%
81%
87%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.65
0.63
% American Indian
1%
1%
% Asian
3%
12%
% Hispanic
33%
56%
% Black
7%
5%
% White
49%
20%
% Hawaiian
1%
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $19,944 in this school district is less than the state median of $19,974. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $13,945 is less than the state median of $18,396. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (CA)
Total Revenue
$102 MM
$116,387 MM
Spending
$71 MM
$107,188 MM
Revenue / Student
$19,944
$19,974
Spending / Student
$13,945
$18,396

Best Sierra Sands Unified School District Public Schools (2025)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Burroughs High School
(Math: 28% | Reading: 72%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
500 East French St.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
(760) 499-1800
Grades: 9-12
| 1,518 students
Rank: #22.
Gateway Elementary School
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
501 South Gateway
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
(760) 499-1850
Grades: K-5
| 371 students
Rank: #33.
Las Flores Elementary School
(Math: 33% | Reading: 39%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
720 West Las Flores
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
(760) 499-1860
Grades: K-5
| 550 students
Rank: #44.
Richmond Elementary School
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
348 Rowe St.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
(760) 499-1840
Grades: K-5
| 377 students
Rank: #55.
Faller Elementary School
(Math: 29% | Reading: 38%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
1500 West Upjohn St.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
(760) 499-1690
Grades: K-5
| 504 students
Rank: #66.
Murray Middle School
(Math: 24% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
200 East Drummond Ave.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
(760) 499-1820
Grades: 6-8
| 686 students
Rank: #77.
Inyokern Elementary School
(Math: 25-29% | Reading: 25-29%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
6601 Locust St.
Inyokern, CA 93527
(760) 499-1683
Grades: K-5
| 153 students
Rank: #88.
James Monroe Middle School
(Math: 14% | Reading: 30%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
340 West Church St.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
(760) 499-1830
Grades: 6-8
| 542 students
Rank: #99.
Mesquite Continuation High School
Alternative School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: ≤20%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
140 West Drummond
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
(760) 499-1810
Grades: 9-12
| 103 students
Rank: #1010.
Pierce Elementary School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
674 North Gold Canyon
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
(760) 499-1670
Grades: K-5
| 318 students
Rank: n/an/a
1327 North Norma St.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
(760) 499-1703
Grades: n/a
| n/a students

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools belong to Sierra Sands Unified School District?
Sierra Sands Unified School District manages 11 public schools serving 5,122 students.
What is the rank of Sierra Sands Unified School District?
Sierra Sands Unified School District is ranked #1063 out of 1,925 school districts in California (bottom 50%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2021-2022 school year. This district ranks in the top 20% of California school districts for: Most diverse schools (Top 1%) and Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
What is the racial composition of students in Sierra Sands Unified School District?
49% of Sierra Sands Unified School District students are White, 33% of students are Hispanic, 7% of students are Black, 6% of students are Two or more races, 3% of students are Asian, 1% of students are American Indian, and 1% of students are Hawaiian.
What is the student/teacher ratio of Sierra Sands Unified School District?
Sierra Sands Unified School District has a student/teacher ratio of 21:1, which is lower than the California state average of 22:1.
What is Sierra Sands Unified School District's spending/student ratio?
The school district's spending/student of $13,945 is less than the state median of $18,396. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.

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Quick Stats (2025)

  • District size: 11 schools
  • Grades: KG-12
  • Enrollment: 5,122 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 21:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 51%
  • : 81% (Btm 50% in CA)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 25% (Btm 50%)
  • : 41% (Btm 50%)
  • : 24% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), CA Dept. of Education

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