Enrollment
582
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Apple Valley, CA
Desert Knolls Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Desert Knolls Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 13/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060001709103
👥 S:T ratio 10
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Knolls Elementary earns 13/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #9 of 11
- elementary schools in Apple Valley · Resource Index
- 13
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.4:1
- students per teacher
- 65.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Knolls Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Knolls Elementary ranks #9 of 11 elementary schools in Apple Valley, CA.
School address
District: Apple Valley Unified · California
NCES ID 060001709103 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
65.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
+17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desert Knolls Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desert Knolls Elementary
Desert Knolls Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Apple Valley, California, enrolling 582 students.
At 22.4:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 65.1% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 582 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 2,015 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,724, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (60%) and White (24%) (diversity index 57/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 97.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Apple Valley Unified spends $11,440 per pupil, 31% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Apple Valley's elementary schools, it stands alongside Sitting Bull Academy (1,695 students): Desert Knolls Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (22.4:1 vs 25.3:1).
Apple Valley Unified also operates Apple Valley High (2,211 students) and Granite Hills High (1,791 students) alongside Desert Knolls 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 Knolls Elementary compares
Desert Knolls 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 | 22.4:1 | ▲ 4% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 65.1% | ▲ 17% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 582 | top 34% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.4:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
582
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
65.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% 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
22.4:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 57% in California - lower ratio than 43% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
97.8%
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
$11,440
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.2 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 60.2%
White 24.4%
African American 9.3%
Two or More 4.5%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 60.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.7, Desert Knolls Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Apple Valley Unified, which includes Desert Knolls Elementary.
$11,440
Per student
-31%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 13.5%
State 72.2%
Federal 14.3%
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 Knolls Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Valley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Granite Hills High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sitting Bull Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Phoenix Academy | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Vanguard Preparatory | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Knolls Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,211
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,791
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,695
- Students per teacher
- 25.3:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,213
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 1,153
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
Similar elementary schools in Apple Valley
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Sitting Bull Academy
Standard public school
1,695 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
Phoenix Academy
Standard public school
1,213 students 24.3:1 students per teacher
Vanguard Preparatory
Standard public school
1,153 students 24.5:1 students per teacher
Rio Vista School of Applied Learning
Standard public school
927 students 25.8:1 students per teacher
Sandia Elementary
Standard public school
848 students 24.2:1 students per teacher
Mariana Academy
Standard public school
781 students 26:1 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 (~582 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desert Knolls Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Desert Knolls Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Apple Valley 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 Desert Knolls Elementary
How many students attend Desert Knolls Elementary?
Desert Knolls Elementary has 582 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Apple Valley, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Knolls Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Knolls Elementary is 22.4:1, which is 4% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 43% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Desert Knolls Elementary?
65.1% of students at Desert Knolls Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Knolls Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Desert Knolls Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 60.2% of enrollment, in Apple Valley, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Knolls Elementary?
Desert Knolls Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 13/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Desert Knolls Elementary rank among elementary schools in Apple Valley?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Knolls Elementary ranks #9 of 11 elementary schools in Apple Valley, 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 Apple Valley on the city page.
Is Desert Knolls Elementary a good school?
Desert Knolls Elementary earns 13/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California 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 Apple Valley Unified?
Besides Desert Knolls Elementary, Apple Valley Unified also operates Apple Valley High (2,211 students), Granite Hills High (1,791 students), and Sitting Bull Academy (1,695 students). See the Apple Valley 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.