- Enrollment
- 2,211
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
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 →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-26 students YoY
Desert Knolls Elementary held near 584 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-26 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 26.0 → 26.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-26 students YoY 060001709103 · Apple Valley, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
582 enr · 22.4:1 · 65.1% lunch · RII 13
Nearest enrollment peer: Apple Valley High (2,211 students)
Desert Knolls Elementary held near 584 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-26 headcount). Teacher FTE held 26.0 → 26.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Desert Knolls Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Apple Valley H
Apple Valley High
2,211 students
- Granite Hills
Granite Hills High
1,791 students
- Sitting Bull A
Sitting Bull Academy
1,695 students
- Phoenix Academ
Phoenix Academy
1,213 students
- Vanguard Prepa
Vanguard Preparatory
1,153 students
- This school 582
Desert Knolls Elementary
582 students
What this shows Desert Knolls Elementary reports 582 students on the CCD universe file.
How Desert Knolls Elementary compares
Desert Knolls Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs 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 methodology
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
$12,714
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
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.
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
District finance for Apple Valley Unified reports $12,714 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
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
- 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
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 (~582 students)
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. CCD year-over-year: 610 (2022-23) → 584 (2023-24), nearly flat (-26).
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, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. 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.
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.