Enrollment
69
California · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Indio, CA
Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S.
Federal NCES profile for Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S., including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 061111014666
👥 S:T ratio 31
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S. earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 82% of California schools.
- #2 of 4
- high schools in Indio · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.3:1
- small classes for California
- 28.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S. has class sizes smaller than 82% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S. ranks #2 of 4 high schools in Indio, CA.
School address
District: Desert Sands Unified · California
NCES ID 061111014666 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
4.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
28.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
-49% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S. compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S.
Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S. is a small high school in Indio, California, enrolling 69 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 17.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 28.1% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 92% of California schools, with 69 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 104 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #73.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (68%) and White (20%) (diversity index 49/100).
Among Indio's high schools, it stands alongside Indio High (1,962 students): Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S. is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.3:1 vs 23.4:1).
Desert Sands Unified also operates La Quinta High (2,425 students) and Palm Desert High (2,079 students) alongside Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S..
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 Sands a.T.L.a.S. compares
Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S. on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.3:1 | ▼ 20% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 28.1% | ▼ 49% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 69 | top 92% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.3:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
69
Bigger than 7% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
28.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 49% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.3:1
students per teacher
- 20% below state mean
Top 18% in California - lower ratio than 82% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
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.
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 68.1%
White 20.3%
Asian 4.3%
Two or More 4.3%
African American 2.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 68.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.0, Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S. is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Desert Sands Unified, which includes Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S..
$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 Sands a.T.L.a.S. Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Quinta High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Palm Desert High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Indio High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shadow Hills High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Palm Desert Charter Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S.'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 high schools in Indio
3 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high 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 (~69 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S.'s federal record.
- Compare Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S. 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 Sands a.T.L.a.S.
How many students attend Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S.?
Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S. has 69 students enrolled. It is a high school in Indio, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S.?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S. is 17.3:1, which is 20% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 10% higher 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 Sands a.T.L.a.S.?
28.1% of students at Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S. are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S.?
The largest demographic group at Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S. is Hispanic or Latino at 68.1% of enrollment, in Indio, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S.?
Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S. has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 1 factor: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S. rank among high schools in Indio?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S. ranks #2 of 4 high 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 high schools in Indio on the city page.
Is Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S. a good school?
Desert Sands a.T.L.a.S. earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 82% 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 Sands a.T.L.a.S., 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.