- Enrollment
- 605
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · El Centro, CA
Desert Garden Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Desert Garden Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061203001333
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Garden Elementary earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #12 of 13
- elementary schools in El Centro · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.1:1
- students per teacher
- 73.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Garden Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Garden Elementary ranks #12 of 13 elementary schools in El Centro, CA.
School address
District: El Centro Elementary · California
NCES ID 061203001333 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-41 students YoY
Desert Garden Elementary shrank from 412 students in 2022-23 to 371 in 2023-24 (-10.0%).
Teacher FTE held 17.0 → 17.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-41 students YoY 061203001333 · El Centro, CA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
358 enr · 21.1:1 · 73.1% lunch · RII 21
Nearest enrollment peer: Wilson Jr. High (605 students)
Desert Garden Elementary shrank from 412 students in 2022-23 to 371 in 2023-24 (-10.0%). Teacher FTE held 17.0 → 17.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Desert Garden Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Wilson Jr. Hig
Wilson Jr. High
605 students
- Harding Elemen
Harding Elementary
601 students
- De Anza Magnet
De Anza Magnet
504 students
- Mckinley Eleme
Mckinley Elementary
456 students
- Margaret Hedri
Margaret Hedrick Elementary
446 students
- This school
Desert Garden Elementary
358 students
What this shows Desert Garden Elementary reports 358 students on the CCD universe file.
How Desert Garden Elementary compares
Desert Garden Elementary 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 | 21.1:1 | ▼ 2% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 73.1% | ▲ 32% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 358 | top 67% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.1:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
358
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
73.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% 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
21.1:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 44% in California - lower ratio than 56% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
73.7%
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
$17,901
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 97.8%
African American 1.1%
Two or More 0.6%
White 0.3%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 97.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 4.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 4.3, Desert Garden Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for El Centro Elementary reports $17,901 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Desert Garden Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson Jr. High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Harding Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| De Anza Magnet | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mckinley Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Margaret Hedrick Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Garden Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 601
- Students per teacher
- 26.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 504
- Students per teacher
- 25.2:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 456
- Students per teacher
- 25.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 446
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar elementary schools in El Centro
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Mccabe Elementary
Standard public school
1,109 students 23.1:1 students per teacher
Harding Elementary
Standard public school
601 students 26.1:1 students per teacher
De Anza Magnet
Standard public school
504 students 25.2:1 students per teacher
Mckinley Elementary
Standard public school
456 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
Margaret Hedrick Elementary
Standard public school
446 students 21.2:1 students per teacher
Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary
Standard public school
445 students 26.2:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary 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 (~358 students)
Frequently asked questions about Desert Garden Elementary
How many students attend Desert Garden Elementary?
Desert Garden Elementary has 358 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in El Centro, CA. CCD year-over-year: 412 (2022-23) → 371 (2023-24), down 41.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Garden Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Garden Elementary is 21.1:1, which is 2% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 34% 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 Desert Garden Elementary?
73.1% of students at Desert Garden Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Garden Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Desert Garden Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 97.8% of enrollment, in El Centro, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Garden Elementary?
Desert Garden Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (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 Desert Garden Elementary rank among elementary schools in El Centro?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Garden Elementary ranks #12 of 13 elementary schools in El Centro, 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 El Centro on the city page.
What other schools are in El Centro Elementary?
Besides Desert Garden Elementary, El Centro Elementary also operates Wilson Jr. High (605 students), Harding Elementary (601 students), and De Anza Magnet (504 students). See the El Centro Elementary district page for the complete list.