Enrollment
358
California · 2024-25 NCES data
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 →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
73.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
+32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desert Garden Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desert Garden Elementary
Desert Garden Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in El Centro, California, enrolling 358 students.
At 21.1:1, 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 runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 73.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 358 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,642 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #1,154.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (98% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 4/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 716 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 73.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among El Centro's elementary schools, it stands alongside Mccabe Elementary (1,109 students): Desert Garden Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.1:1 vs 23.1:1).
El Centro Elementary also operates Wilson Jr. High (605 students) and Harding Elementary (601 students) alongside Desert Garden 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 Desert Garden Elementary compares
Desert Garden 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 | 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 (what these measure)
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
$17,691
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
Counselors0.5 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.
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 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
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for El Centro Elementary, which includes Desert Garden Elementary.
$17,691
Per student
+7%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 9.4%
State 67.6%
Federal 23.1%
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 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
- 605
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- 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
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 (~358 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desert Garden Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Desert Garden Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- El Centro Elementary'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 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.
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, counselor availability, attendance rates. 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.
Is Desert Garden Elementary a good school?
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. 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 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.
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.