- Enrollment
- 2,425
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
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 →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-12 students YoY
Desert Ridge Academy held near 1,018 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-12 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 40.4 → 44.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-12 students YoY 061111012396 · Indio, CA Middle · MID · TRAD
962 enr · 24.1:1 · 66.9% lunch · RII 18
Nearest enrollment peer: La Quinta High (2,425 students)
Desert Ridge Academy held near 1,018 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-12 headcount). Teacher FTE added 40.4 → 44.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Desert Ridge Academy in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- La Quinta High
La Quinta High
2,425 students
- Palm Desert Hi
Palm Desert High
2,079 students
- Indio High
Indio High
1,962 students
- Shadow Hills H
Shadow Hills High
1,650 students
- Palm Desert Ch
Palm Desert Charter Middle
1,298 students
- This school 962
Desert Ridge Academy
962 students
What this shows Desert Ridge Academy reports 962 students on the CCD universe file.
How Desert Ridge Academy compares
Desert Ridge Academy 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 | 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 methodology
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
$17,070
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
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.
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
District finance for Desert Sands Unified reports $17,070 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
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
- 2,079
- 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.
Nationwide middle 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 (~962 students)
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. CCD year-over-year: 1,030 (2022-23) → 1,018 (2023-24), nearly flat (-12).
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, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. 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.
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.