- Enrollment
- 2,823
- Students per teacher
- 25.7:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Desert Hills, AZ
Desert Mountain School
Federal NCES profile for Desert Mountain School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040775000622
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 12
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Mountain School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.6:1
- students per teacher
- 16.9%
- free-lunch eligible
- 438
- students enrolled
Desert Mountain School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Deer Valley Unified District (4246) · Arizona
NCES ID 040775000622 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-47 students YoY
Desert Mountain School shrank from 472 students in 2022-23 to 425 in 2023-24 (-10.0%).
Teacher FTE held 28.5 → 28.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-47 students YoY 040775000622 · Desert Hills, AZ Other · SMALL · TRAD
438 enr · 15.6:1 · 16.9% lunch · RII 30
Nearest enrollment peer: Mountain Ridge High School (2,823 students)
Desert Mountain School shrank from 472 students in 2022-23 to 425 in 2023-24 (-10.0%). Teacher FTE held 28.5 → 28.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Arizona schools → · Find another →
Desert Mountain School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Mountain Ridge
Mountain Ridge High School
2,823 students
- Sandra Day O'c
Sandra Day O'connor High School
2,658 students
- Boulder Creek
Boulder Creek High School
2,221 students
- Deer Valley Hi
Deer Valley High School
1,707 students
- Barry Goldwate
Barry Goldwater High School
1,602 students
- This school 438
Desert Mountain School
438 students
What this shows Desert Mountain School reports 438 students on the CCD universe file.
How Desert Mountain School compares
Desert Mountain School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.6:1 | ▼ 8% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 16.9% | ▼ 65% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 438 | top 46% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.6:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
438
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
16.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 65% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15.6:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 42% in Arizona - lower ratio than 58% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
42.7%
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
$10,940
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arizona avg of $13,502
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 438 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
15
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 76.3%
Hispanic or Latino 16.9%
Two or More 5.5%
African American 0.7%
Asian 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 76.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 38.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 38.6, Desert Mountain School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Deer Valley Unified District (4246) reports $10,940 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Desert Mountain School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Ridge High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sandra Day O'connor High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Boulder Creek High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Deer Valley High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Barry Goldwater High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Mountain School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,658
- Students per teacher
- 25.6:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 2,221
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,707
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,602
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Nationwide other 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 (~438 students)
Frequently asked questions about Desert Mountain School
How many students attend Desert Mountain School?
Desert Mountain School has 438 students enrolled. It is a public school in Desert Hills, AZ. CCD year-over-year: 472 (2022-23) → 425 (2023-24), down 47.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Mountain School?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Mountain School is 15.6:1, which is 8% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 1% lower 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 Mountain School?
16.9% of students at Desert Mountain School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Mountain School?
The largest demographic group at Desert Mountain School is White at 76.3% of enrollment, in Desert Hills, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Mountain School?
Desert Mountain School has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Deer Valley Unified District (4246)?
Besides Desert Mountain School, Deer Valley Unified District (4246) also operates Mountain Ridge High School (2,823 students), Sandra Day O'connor High School (2,658 students), and Boulder Creek High School (2,221 students). See the Deer Valley Unified District (4246) district page for the complete list.