Enrollment
317
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Palm Springs, CA
Desert Learning Academy
Federal NCES profile for Desert Learning Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 062955013957
👥 S:T ratio 21
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Learning Academy earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #2 of 7
- public schools in Palm Springs · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.8:1
- students per teacher
- 95.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Learning Academy has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Learning Academy ranks #2 of 7 public schools in Palm Springs, CA.
School address
District: Palm Springs Unified · California
NCES ID 062955013957 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
95.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
+72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desert Learning Academy compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desert Learning Academy
Desert Learning Academy is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Palm Springs, California, enrolling 317 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 19.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 95.6% of students qualify for free meals, 72% above the California average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 317 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 631 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #49, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (73%) and White (16%) (diversity index 44/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 317 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Palm Springs Unified also operates Desert Hot Springs High (1,687 students) and Palm Springs High (1,497 students) alongside Desert Learning Academy.
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 Learning Academy compares
Desert Learning Academy on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.8:1 | ▼ 8% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 95.6% | ▲ 72% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 317 | top 72% | - | - |
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.
317
Bigger than 35% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
95.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 72% above the California average of 55.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19.8:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 33% in California - lower ratio than 67% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Funding equity
$17,520
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 317 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 73.2%
White 15.5%
African American 6.9%
Asian 1.9%
Two or More 1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 73.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.5, Desert Learning Academy is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 4
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Palm Springs Unified, which includes Desert Learning Academy.
$17,520
Per student
+6%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.1%
State 54.5%
Federal 9.5%
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 Learning Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desert Hot Springs High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Palm Springs High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rancho Mirage High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cathedral City High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| James Workman Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Learning Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,687
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,497
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,401
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,334
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,020
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other 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 (~317 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desert Learning Academy's federal record.
- Compare Desert Learning Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Palm Springs 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 Learning Academy
How many students attend Desert Learning Academy?
Desert Learning Academy has 317 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Palm Springs, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Learning Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Learning Academy is 19.8:1, which is 8% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 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 Learning Academy?
95.6% of students at Desert Learning Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Learning Academy?
The largest demographic group at Desert Learning Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 73.2% of enrollment, in Palm Springs, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Learning Academy?
Desert Learning Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Desert Learning Academy rank among public schools in Palm Springs?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Learning Academy ranks #2 of 7 public schools in Palm Springs, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Palm Springs on the city page.
Is Desert Learning Academy a good school?
Desert Learning Academy earns 42/100 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 Palm Springs Unified?
Besides Desert Learning Academy, Palm Springs Unified also operates Desert Hot Springs High (1,687 students), Palm Springs High (1,497 students), and Rancho Mirage High (1,401 students). See the Palm Springs 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.