- Enrollment
- 1,881
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Tucson, AZ
Desert Sky Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Desert Sky Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 040885002194
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 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 Sky Middle School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Arizona schools.
- #22 of 25
- middle schools in Tucson · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.6:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 19.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Sky Middle School has class sizes larger than 74% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Sky Middle School ranks #22 of 25 middle schools in Tucson, AZ.
School address
District: Vail Unified District (4413) · Arizona
NCES ID 040885002194 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-3 students YoY
Desert Sky Middle School held near 761 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-3 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 38.8 → 37.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-3 students YoY 040885002194 · Tucson, AZ Middle · MID · TRAD
743 enr · 19.6:1 · 19.9% lunch · RII 23
Nearest enrollment peer: Cienega High School (1,881 students)
Desert Sky Middle School held near 761 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-3 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 38.8 → 37.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Arizona schools → · Find another →
Desert Sky Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Cienega High S
Cienega High School
1,881 students
- Mica Mountain
Mica Mountain High
1,319 students
- Empire High Sc
Empire High School
886 students
- Andrada Polyte
Andrada Polytechnic High School
836 students
- Old Vail Middl
Old Vail Middle School
811 students
- This school 743
Desert Sky Middle School
743 students
What this shows Desert Sky Middle School reports 743 students on the CCD universe file.
How Desert Sky Middle School compares
Desert Sky Middle School 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 | 19.6:1 | ▲ 15% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 19.9% | ▼ 59% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 743 | top 18% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.6:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
743
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
19.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
19.6:1
students per teacher
- 15% 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
46.8%
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
$10,071
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 743 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 32 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 44.1%
White 38.8%
Two or More 9.0%
African American 4.3%
Asian 2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 44.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.4, Desert Sky Middle School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Vail Unified District (4413) reports $10,071 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Desert Sky Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cienega High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mica Mountain High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Empire High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Andrada Polytechnic High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Old Vail Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Sky Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,319
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 886
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 836
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 811
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
Similar middle schools in Tucson
2 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 (~743 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.6:1)
Frequently asked questions about Desert Sky Middle School
How many students attend Desert Sky Middle School?
Desert Sky Middle School has 743 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Tucson, AZ. CCD year-over-year: 764 (2022-23) → 761 (2023-24), nearly flat (-3).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Sky Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Sky Middle School is 19.6:1, which is 15% 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 Sky Middle School?
19.9% of students at Desert Sky Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Sky Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Desert Sky Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 44.1% of enrollment, in Tucson, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Sky Middle School?
Desert Sky Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (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 Sky Middle School rank among middle schools in Tucson?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Sky Middle School ranks #22 of 25 middle schools in Tucson, 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 Tucson on the city page.
What other schools are in Vail Unified District (4413)?
Besides Desert Sky Middle School, Vail Unified District (4413) also operates Cienega High School (1,881 students), Mica Mountain High (1,319 students), and Empire High School (886 students). See the Vail Unified District (4413) district page for the complete list.