Enrollment
779
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Desert Hot Springs, CA
Bella Vista Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Bella Vista Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 14/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062955004565
👥 S:T ratio 11
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bella Vista Elementary earns 14/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #5 of 5
- elementary schools in Desert Hot Springs · Resource Index
- 14
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.3:1
- students per teacher
- 92.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Bella Vista Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bella Vista Elementary ranks #5 of 5 elementary schools in Desert Hot Springs, CA.
School address
District: Palm Springs Unified · California
NCES ID 062955004565 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
92.2%
vs 55.5% California avg
+66% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bella Vista Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bella Vista Elementary
Bella Vista Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Desert Hot Springs, California, enrolling 779 students.
At 22.3:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 92.2% of students qualify for free meals, 66% above the California average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 779 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 93% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 894 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #751, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (73%) and White (14%) (diversity index 44/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Desert Hot Springs's elementary schools, it stands alongside Two Bunch Palms Elementary (717 students): Bella Vista Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (22.3:1 vs 22.4:1).
Palm Springs Unified also operates Desert Hot Springs High (1,687 students) and Palm Springs High (1,497 students) alongside Bella Vista Elementary.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Bella Vista Elementary compares
Bella Vista Elementary on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 22.3:1 | ▲ 4% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 92.2% | ▲ 66% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 779 | top 18% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.3:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
779
Bigger than 85% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
92.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 66% above the California average of 55.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
22.3:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 56% in California - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
44.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$17,520
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 73.4%
White 14.0%
African American 5.9%
Two or More 5.3%
Asian 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 73.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.5, Bella Vista Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Palm Springs Unified, which includes Bella Vista Elementary.
$17,520
Per student
+6%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.1%
State 54.5%
Federal 9.5%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Bella Vista Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desert Hot Springs High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Palm Springs High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rancho Mirage High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cathedral City High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| James Workman Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bella Vista Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,687
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,497
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,401
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,334
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,020
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar elementary schools in Desert Hot Springs
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Two Bunch Palms Elementary
Standard public school
717 students 22.4:1 students per teacher
Cabot Yerxa Elementary
Standard public school
664 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Bubbling Wells Elementary
Standard public school
581 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Julius Corsini Elementary
Standard public school
397 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~779 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bella Vista Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Bella Vista Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Palm Springs Unified's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Bella Vista Elementary
How many students attend Bella Vista Elementary?
Bella Vista Elementary has 779 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Desert Hot Springs, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bella Vista Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Bella Vista Elementary is 22.3:1, which is 4% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 42% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bella Vista Elementary?
92.2% of students at Bella Vista Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bella Vista Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Bella Vista Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 73.4% of enrollment, in Desert Hot Springs, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bella Vista Elementary?
Bella Vista Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 14/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Bella Vista Elementary rank among elementary schools in Desert Hot Springs?
By Resource Investment Index, Bella Vista Elementary ranks #5 of 5 elementary schools in Desert Hot Springs, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Desert Hot Springs on the city page.
Is Bella Vista Elementary a good school?
Bella Vista Elementary earns 14/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Palm Springs Unified?
Besides Bella Vista Elementary, Palm Springs Unified also operates Desert Hot Springs High (1,687 students), Palm Springs High (1,497 students), and Rancho Mirage High (1,401 students). See the Palm Springs Unified district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.