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 2025 school year, there are 8 public middle schools serving 6,228 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 22% (versus the California public middle school average of 31%), and reading proficiency score of 38% (versus the 46% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 84% 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
3,501 Schools
# Students
25,897 Students
1,854,363 Students
# Teachers
1,090 Teachers
87,821 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
24:1
24:1
District Rank
Desert Sands Unified School District, which is ranked #1079 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 94% has increased from 89% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#1068 out of 1941 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
25%
33%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
40%
47%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
24%
29%
Graduation Rate
94%
87%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.40
0.64
# American Indian Students
84 Students
9,887 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
1%
# Asian Students
746 Students
201,760 Students
% Asian Students
3%
11%
# Hispanic Students
19,611 Students
1,009,980 Students
% Hispanic Students
76%
55%
# Black Students
356 Students
97,908 Students
% Black Students
2%
5%
# White Students
3,948 Students
413,325 Students
% White Students
15%
22%
# Hawaiian Students
27 Students
7,600 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
1,123 Students
109,003 Students
% of Two or more races Students
4%
6%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
-
83
# Students in K Grade:
2,022
90,358
# Students in 1st Grade:
1,723
70,728
# Students in 2nd Grade:
1,834
73,359
# Students in 3rd Grade:
1,820
73,090
# Students in 4th Grade:
1,856
76,068
# Students in 5th Grade:
1,809
82,191
# Students in 6th Grade:
1,908
289,122
# Students in 7th Grade:
2,049
439,549
# Students in 8th Grade:
1,978
441,705
# Students in 9th Grade:
2,115
59,696
# Students in 10th Grade:
2,222
51,846
# Students in 11th Grade:
2,243
51,149
# Students in 12th Grade:
2,318
55,419
# Ungraded Students:
-
-
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $18,465 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 $16,703 is less than the state median of $18,396. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$478 MM
$116,387 MM
Spending
$433 MM
$107,188 MM
Revenue / Student
$18,465
$19,974
Spending / Student
$16,703
$18,396
Best Desert Sands Unified School District Public Middle Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Palm Desert Charter Middle School
Charter School
(Math: 37% | 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
Grades: 6-8
| 1,389 students
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
Grades: 6-8
| 1,065 students
Rank: #33.
La Quinta Middle School
(Math: 24% | 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
Grades: 6-8
| 688 students
Rank: #44.
Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle School
(Math: 18% | 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
Grades: 6-8
| 397 students
Rank: #55.
Horizon
Alternative School
(Math: 18% | 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
Grades: K-12
| 356 students
Rank: #66.
Desert Ridge Academy
(Math: 12% | Reading: 29%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
79-767 Avenue 39
Indio, CA 92203
(760) 393-5500
Indio, CA 92203
(760) 393-5500
Grades: 6-8
| 1,018 students
Rank: #77.
Indio Middle School
(Math: 8% | Reading: 21%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
81-195 Miles Ave.
Indio, CA 92201
(760) 775-3800
Indio, CA 92201
(760) 775-3800
Grades: 6-8
| 780 students
Rank: #88.
Thomas Jefferson Middle School
(Math: 5% | Reading: 20%)
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
| 535 students
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