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 2024-25 school year, there are 8 public middle schools serving 6,348 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 77% (majority Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (CA)
# Schools
35 Schools
3,503 Schools
# Students
26,379 Students
1,729,980 Students
# Teachers
1,103 Teachers
87,195 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
24:1
24:1
District Rank
Desert Sands Unified School District, which is ranked #1080 of all 1,931 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
0.41
0.65
# American Indian Students
67 Students
9,959 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
1%
# Asian Students
749 Students
188,478 Students
% Asian Students
3%
11%
# Hispanic Students
19,912 Students
923,962 Students
% Hispanic Students
76%
53%
# Black Students
377 Students
91,300 Students
% Black Students
1%
5%
# White Students
4,118 Students
400,535 Students
% White Students
16%
23%
# Hawaiian Students
22 Students
7,325 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
1%
# Two or more races Students
1,129 Students
101,982 Students
% of Two or more races Students
4%
6%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
-
83
# Students in K Grade:
2,105
83,342
# Students in 1st Grade:
1,817
70,983
# Students in 2nd Grade:
1,772
70,937
# Students in 3rd Grade:
1,853
72,484
# Students in 4th Grade:
1,813
74,201
# Students in 5th Grade:
1,868
80,839
# Students in 6th Grade:
2,031
264,601
# Students in 7th Grade:
1,983
409,781
# Students in 8th Grade:
2,011
405,230
# Students in 9th Grade:
2,241
53,401
# Students in 10th Grade:
2,304
47,293
# Students in 11th Grade:
2,292
46,988
# Students in 12th Grade:
2,289
49,817
# Ungraded Students:
-
-
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $18,127 in this school district is less than the state median of $21,485. The school district revenue/student has grown by 15% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $16,398 is less than the state median of $19,787. The school district spending/student has grown by 7% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$478 MM
$116,387 MM
Spending
$433 MM
$107,188 MM
Revenue / Student
$18,127
$21,485
Spending / Student
$16,398
$19,787
Best Desert Sands Unified School District Public Middle Schools (2024-25)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Palm Desert Charter Middle School
Magnet School
Charter 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
| 1,347 students
Rank: #22.
John Glenn Middle School Of International Studies
Magnet School
(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
| 1,045 students
Rank: #33.
La Quinta Middle School
Magnet School
(Math: 24% | Reading: 37%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
78-900 Ave. 50
La Quinta, CA 92253
(760) 777-4220
La Quinta, CA 92253
(760) 777-4220
Grades: 6-8
| 754 students
Rank: #44.
Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle School
Magnet 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
| 436 students
Rank: #55.
Horizon
Alternative School
Magnet School
Magnet 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
| 414 students
Rank: #66.
Desert Ridge Academy
Magnet School
(Math: 12% | Reading: 29%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
79-767 Ave. 39
Indio, CA 92203
(760) 393-5500
Indio, CA 92203
(760) 393-5500
Grades: 6-8
| 1,030 students
Rank: #77.
Indio Middle School
Magnet 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
| 784 students
Rank: #88.
Thomas Jefferson Middle School
Magnet 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
| 538 students
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