- Enrollment
- 2,425
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · La Quinta, CA
Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle
Federal NCES profile for Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 061111011714
👥 S:T ratio 2
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 27
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of California schools.
- #5 of 8
- public schools in La Quinta · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.4:1
- large classes for California
- 63.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle has class sizes larger than 75% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle ranks #5 of 8 public schools in La Quinta, CA.
School address
District: Desert Sands Unified · California
NCES ID 061111011714 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-39 students YoY
Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle shrank from 436 students in 2022-23 to 397 in 2023-24 (-8.9%).
Teacher FTE held 18.8 → 18.9 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-39 students YoY 061111011714 · La Quinta, CA Middle · SMALL · TRAD
439 enr · 24.4:1 · 63.1% lunch · RII 25
Nearest enrollment peer: La Quinta High (2,425 students)
Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle shrank from 436 students in 2022-23 to 397 in 2023-24 (-8.9%). Teacher FTE held 18.8 → 18.9 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- La Quinta High
La Quinta High
2,425 students
- Palm Desert Hi
Palm Desert High
2,079 students
- Indio High
Indio High
1,962 students
- Shadow Hills H
Shadow Hills High
1,650 students
- Palm Desert Ch
Palm Desert Charter Middle
1,298 students
- This school 439
Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle
439 students
What this shows Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle reports 439 students on the CCD universe file.
How Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle compares
Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 24.4:1 | ▲ 13% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.1% | ▲ 14% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 439 | top 54% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.4:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
439
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
63.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
24.4:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 75% in California - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
48.1%
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
$17,070
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.2 FTE
Per 363 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 36 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 69.5%
White 18.2%
Two or More 4.3%
Asian 4.1%
African American 3.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 69.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.9, Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle is about as mixed as the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Desert Sands Unified reports $17,070 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Quinta High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Palm Desert High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Indio High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Shadow Hills High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Palm Desert Charter Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,079
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 1,962
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,650
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,298
- Students per teacher
- 26.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar middle schools in La Quinta
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~439 students)
Frequently asked questions about Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle
How many students attend Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle?
Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle has 439 students enrolled. It is a middle school in La Quinta, CA. CCD year-over-year: 436 (2022-23) → 397 (2023-24), down 39.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle is 24.4:1, which is 13% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 55% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle?
63.1% of students at Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle?
The largest demographic group at Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 69.5% of enrollment, in La Quinta, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle?
Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle rank among public schools in La Quinta?
By Resource Investment Index, Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle ranks #5 of 8 public schools in La Quinta, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in La Quinta on the city page.
What other schools are in Desert Sands Unified?
Besides Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle, Desert Sands Unified also operates La Quinta High (2,425 students), Palm Desert High (2,079 students), and Indio High (1,962 students). See the Desert Sands Unified district page for the complete list.