Enrollment
581
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Desert Hot Springs, CA
Bubbling Wells Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Bubbling Wells Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062955001025
👥 S:T ratio 27
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 4
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bubbling Wells Elementary earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 78% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #3 of 5
- elementary schools in Desert Hot Springs · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.2:1
- small classes for California
- 93.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Bubbling Wells Elementary has class sizes smaller than 78% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bubbling Wells Elementary ranks #3 of 5 elementary schools in Desert Hot Springs, CA.
School address
District: Palm Springs Unified · California
NCES ID 062955001025 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.2:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
93.5%
vs 55.5% California avg
+68% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bubbling Wells Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bubbling Wells Elementary
Bubbling Wells Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Desert Hot Springs, California, enrolling 581 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 18.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 93.5% of students qualify for free meals, 68% above the California average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 581 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,129 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #626.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (91% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 17/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 581 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.2% 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 Bella Vista Elementary (779 students): Bubbling Wells Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.2:1 vs 22.3:1).
Palm Springs Unified also operates Desert Hot Springs High (1,687 students) and Palm Springs High (1,497 students) alongside Bubbling Wells 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 Bubbling Wells Elementary compares
Bubbling Wells 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 | 18.2:1 | ▼ 15% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 93.5% | ▲ 68% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 581 | top 34% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.2:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
581
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
93.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 68% 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
18.2:1
students per teacher
- 15% below state mean
Top 22% in California - lower ratio than 78% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
38.2%
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 581 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 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 91.0%
White 4.0%
Two or More 2.6%
African American 2.1%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 91.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 16.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 16.9, Bubbling Wells Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Palm Springs Unified, which includes Bubbling Wells 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 Bubbling Wells Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desert Hot Springs High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Palm Springs High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rancho Mirage High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cathedral City High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| James Workman Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bubbling Wells 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.
Bella Vista Elementary
Standard public school
779 students 22.3:1 students per teacher
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
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 (~581 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bubbling Wells Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Bubbling Wells 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 Bubbling Wells Elementary
How many students attend Bubbling Wells Elementary?
Bubbling Wells Elementary has 581 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Desert Hot Springs, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bubbling Wells Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Bubbling Wells Elementary is 18.2:1, which is 15% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 16% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bubbling Wells Elementary?
93.5% of students at Bubbling Wells Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bubbling Wells Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Bubbling Wells Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 91.0% of enrollment, in Desert Hot Springs, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bubbling Wells Elementary?
Bubbling Wells Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Bubbling Wells Elementary rank among elementary schools in Desert Hot Springs?
By Resource Investment Index, Bubbling Wells Elementary ranks #3 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 Bubbling Wells Elementary a good school?
Bubbling Wells Elementary earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 78% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools. 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 Bubbling Wells 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.