- Enrollment
- 2,992
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Mesa, AZ
Desert Ridge Jr. High
Federal NCES profile for Desert Ridge Jr. High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 040340002112
👥 S:T ratio 21
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 38
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Ridge Jr. High earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Arizona schools.
- #8 of 11
- middle schools in Mesa · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.7:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 18.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Ridge Jr. High has class sizes larger than 74% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Ridge Jr. High ranks #8 of 11 middle schools in Mesa, AZ.
School address
District: Gilbert Unified District (4239) · Arizona
NCES ID 040340002112 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-23 students YoY
Desert Ridge Jr. High held near 950 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-23 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 47.8 → 49.4 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-23 students YoY 040340002112 · Mesa, AZ Middle · MID · TRAD
925 enr · 19.7:1 · 18.9% lunch · RII 32
Nearest enrollment peer: Highland High School (2,992 students)
Desert Ridge Jr. High held near 950 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-23 headcount). Teacher FTE added 47.8 → 49.4 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Arizona schools → · Find another →
Desert Ridge Jr. High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Highland High
Highland High School
2,992 students
- Gilbert High S
Gilbert High School
2,418 students
- Desert Ridge H
Desert Ridge High
2,103 students
- Campo Verde Hi
Campo Verde High School
1,863 students
- Mesquite High
Mesquite High School
1,303 students
- This school 925
Desert Ridge Jr. High
925 students
What this shows Desert Ridge Jr. High reports 925 students on the CCD universe file.
How Desert Ridge Jr. High compares
Desert Ridge Jr. High held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.7:1 | ▲ 16% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 18.9% | ▼ 61% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 925 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.7:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
925
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
18.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% 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
19.7:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 74% in Arizona - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
48.1%
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
$10,928
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 308 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
86
in-school suspensions + 115 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 21.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 57.3%
Hispanic or Latino 29.9%
Two or More 6.3%
African American 3.7%
Asian 1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 57.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.7, Desert Ridge Jr. High is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Gilbert Unified District (4239) reports $10,928 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Desert Ridge Jr. High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highland High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gilbert High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Desert Ridge High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Campo Verde High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mesquite High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Ridge Jr. High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,418
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,103
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,863
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,303
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
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 (~925 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.7:1)
Frequently asked questions about Desert Ridge Jr. High
How many students attend Desert Ridge Jr. High?
Desert Ridge Jr. High has 925 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Mesa, AZ. CCD year-over-year: 973 (2022-23) → 950 (2023-24), nearly flat (-23).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Ridge Jr. High?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Ridge Jr. High is 19.7:1, which is 16% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 25% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Desert Ridge Jr. High?
18.9% of students at Desert Ridge Jr. High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Ridge Jr. High?
The largest demographic group at Desert Ridge Jr. High is White at 57.3% of enrollment, in Mesa, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Ridge Jr. High?
Desert Ridge Jr. High has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical 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 Jr. High rank among middle schools in Mesa?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Ridge Jr. High ranks #8 of 11 middle schools in Mesa, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Mesa on the city page.
What other schools are in Gilbert Unified District (4239)?
Besides Desert Ridge Jr. High, Gilbert Unified District (4239) also operates Highland High School (2,992 students), Gilbert High School (2,418 students), and Desert Ridge High (2,103 students). See the Gilbert Unified District (4239) district page for the complete list.