Enrollment
439
California · 2024-25 NCES data
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 →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
+14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle
Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in La Quinta, California, enrolling 439 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.4:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 63.1% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 439 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,867 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #927.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (70%) and White (18%) (diversity index 48/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 363 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among La Quinta's middle schools, it stands alongside La Quinta Middle (709 students): Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (24.4:1 vs 22.9:1).
Desert Sands Unified also operates La Quinta High (2,425 students) and Palm Desert High (2,079 students) alongside Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle.
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 Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle compares
Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle on the metrics families compare, against 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 (what these measure)
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
$15,695
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
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.
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 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
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Desert Sands Unified, which includes Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle.
$15,695
Per student
-5%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.4%
State 50.5%
Federal 11.0%
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 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
- 2,425
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- 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.
Similar middle 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 (~439 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle's federal record.
- Compare Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Desert Sands 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 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.
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, counselor availability, attendance rates. 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.
Is Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle a good school?
Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of 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 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.
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.