Enrollment
474
Nevada · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Reno, NV
Desert Heights Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Desert Heights Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 320048000426
👥 S:T ratio 21
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 5
📋 Attendance 29
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Heights Elementary earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Nevada median.
- #30 of 36
- schools in Reno · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.8:1
- students per teacher
- 95.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Heights Elementary has class sizes near the Nevada median. Computed live against every Nevada school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Heights Elementary ranks #30 of 36 schools in Reno, NV.
School address
District: Washoe County School District · Nevada
NCES ID 320048000426 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.8:1
vs 20.5:1 Nevada avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
95.7%
vs 76.8% Nevada avg
+25% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desert Heights Elementary compares with Nevada and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desert Heights Elementary
Desert Heights Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Reno, Nevada, enrolling 474 students.
At 19.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Nevada median, within a few percentage points of the 20.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 95.7% lands close to the Nevada typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 474 students, its enrollment sits close to the Nevada median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 733 scored Nevada schools.
Against 238 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #93.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (52%) and White (27%) (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 474 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Washoe County School District spends $10,957 per pupil, 33% below the Nevada average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Reno's public schools, it stands alongside Davidson Academy (169 students): Desert Heights Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.8:1 vs 15.4:1).
Washoe County School District also operates North Valleys High School (2,307 students) and Spanish Springs High School (2,131 students) alongside Desert Heights 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 Heights Elementary compares
Desert Heights Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Nevada and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Nevada | Nevada avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.8:1 | ▼ 3% | 20.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 95.7% | ▲ 25% | 76.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 474 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.8:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
474
Bigger than 58% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
95.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 25% above the Nevada average of 76.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19.8:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 60% in Nevada - lower ratio than 40% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
28.5%
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
$10,957
per pupil, district-wide
- below Nevada avg of $16,454
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 474 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.5 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 51.7%
White 27.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 8.2%
Two or More 6.3%
African American 3.2%
Asian 3.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 51.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.7, Desert Heights Elementary is more mixed than the Nevada school average of 56.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Washoe County School District, which includes Desert Heights Elementary.
$10,957
Per student
-33%
vs Nevada
Avg $16,454
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.8%
State 68.2%
Federal 12.0%
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 Desert Heights Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Valleys High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spanish Springs High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Edward C. Reed High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Procter R. Hug High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Reno High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Heights Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,307
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,131
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 2,092
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,008
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,741
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar other schools in Reno
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Nevada, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~474 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desert Heights Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Desert Heights Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Washoe County School District'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 Heights Elementary
How many students attend Desert Heights Elementary?
Desert Heights Elementary has 474 students enrolled. It is a public school in Reno, NV.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Heights Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Heights Elementary is 19.8:1, which is 3% lower than the Nevada average of 20.5:1 and 26% 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 Heights Elementary?
95.7% of students at Desert Heights Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nevada average of 76.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Heights Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Desert Heights Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 51.7% of enrollment, in Reno, NV. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Heights Elementary?
Desert Heights Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (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 Heights Elementary rank among schools in Reno?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Heights Elementary ranks #30 of 36 schools in Reno, NV. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Reno on the city page.
Is Desert Heights Elementary a good school?
Desert Heights Elementary earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Nevada median. 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 Washoe County School District?
Besides Desert Heights Elementary, Washoe County School District also operates North Valleys High School (2,307 students), Spanish Springs High School (2,131 students), and Edward C. Reed High School (2,092 students). See the Washoe County School District 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.