Enrollment
962
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Indio, CA
Desert Ridge Academy
Federal NCES profile for Desert Ridge Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 18/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 061111012396
👥 S:T ratio 4
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Ridge Academy earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of California schools.
- #4 of 4
- middle schools in Indio · Resource Index
- 18
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.1:1
- large classes for California
- 66.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Ridge Academy has class sizes larger than 72% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Ridge Academy ranks #4 of 4 middle schools in Indio, CA.
School address
District: Desert Sands Unified · California
NCES ID 061111012396 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
+21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desert Ridge Academy compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desert Ridge Academy
Desert Ridge Academy is a higher-need, large middle school in Indio, California, enrolling 962 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.1:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 66.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 962 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,079 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #789, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (85% of enrollment) (diversity index 27/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 795 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 41.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 8 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Indio's middle schools, it stands alongside John Glenn Middle School of International Studies (1,099 students): Desert Ridge Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (24.1:1 vs 25:1).
Desert Sands Unified also operates La Quinta High (2,425 students) and Palm Desert High (2,079 students) alongside Desert Ridge 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 Ridge Academy compares
Desert Ridge 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 | 24.1:1 | ▲ 12% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.9% | ▲ 21% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 962 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.1:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
962
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% 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
24.1:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 72% in California - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
41.8%
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
$15,695
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.2 FTE
Per 795 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 65 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 8 expulsions.
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 84.8%
White 8.4%
Two or More 3.3%
Asian 1.7%
African American 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 84.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 27.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 27.2, Desert Ridge Academy is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Desert Sands Unified, which includes Desert Ridge Academy.
$15,695
Per student
-5%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.4%
State 50.5%
Federal 11.0%
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 Ridge Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Quinta High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Palm Desert High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Indio High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Shadow Hills High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Palm Desert Charter Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Ridge Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,425
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,079
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 1,962
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,650
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,298
- Students per teacher
- 26.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar middle schools in Indio
3 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~962 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desert Ridge Academy's federal record.
- Compare Desert Ridge Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Desert Sands 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 Ridge Academy
How many students attend Desert Ridge Academy?
Desert Ridge Academy has 962 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Indio, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Ridge Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Ridge Academy is 24.1:1, which is 12% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 54% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Desert Ridge Academy?
66.9% of students at Desert Ridge Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Ridge Academy?
The largest demographic group at Desert Ridge Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 84.8% of enrollment, in Indio, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Ridge Academy?
Desert Ridge Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 18/100 (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 Ridge Academy rank among middle schools in Indio?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Ridge Academy ranks #4 of 4 middle schools in Indio, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Indio on the city page.
Is Desert Ridge Academy a good school?
Desert Ridge Academy earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of California schools. 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 Desert Sands Unified?
Besides Desert Ridge Academy, Desert Sands Unified also operates La Quinta High (2,425 students), Palm Desert High (2,079 students), and Indio High (1,962 students). See the Desert Sands 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.