Enrollment
925
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
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 →
Teachers (FTE)
47.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.7:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
18.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-61% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desert Ridge Jr. High compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desert Ridge Jr. High
Desert Ridge Jr. High is a lower-poverty, large middle school in Mesa, Arizona, enrolling 925 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 18.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 925 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 218 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #102.
Its student body is led by White (57%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%) (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 308 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Gilbert Unified District (4239) spends $9,253 per pupil, 30% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 201 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 925 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Gilbert Unified District (4239) also operates Highland High School (2,992 students) and Gilbert High School (2,418 students) alongside Desert Ridge Jr. High.
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 Jr. High compares
Desert Ridge Jr. High on the metrics families compare, against 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 (what these measure)
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
$9,253
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arizona avg of $13,145
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.
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
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
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Gilbert Unified District (4239), which includes Desert Ridge Jr. High.
$9,253
Per student
-30%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-44%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 43.1%
State 44.8%
Federal 12.1%
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 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
- 2,992
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- 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
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Arizona, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~925 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desert Ridge Jr. High's federal record.
- Compare Desert Ridge Jr. High against another school. Compare schools
- Gilbert Unified District (4239)'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 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.
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, counselor availability, attendance rates. 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.
Is Desert Ridge Jr. High a good school?
Desert Ridge Jr. High earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Arizona 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 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.
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.