- Enrollment
- 1,687
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Desert Hot Springs, CA
Desert Springs Middle
Federal NCES profile for Desert Springs Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 062955009602
👥 S:T ratio 12
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 50
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Springs Middle earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #4 of 8
- public schools in Desert Hot Springs · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 22:1
- students per teacher
- 97.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Springs Middle has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Springs Middle ranks #4 of 8 public schools in Desert Hot Springs, CA.
School address
District: Palm Springs Unified · California
NCES ID 062955009602 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-63 students YoY
Desert Springs Middle shrank from 803 students in 2022-23 to 740 in 2023-24 (-7.8%).
Teacher FTE lost 34.5 → 33.3 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-63 students YoY 062955009602 · Desert Hot Springs, CA Middle · MID · TRAD
749 enr · 22:1 · 97.9% lunch · RII 33
Nearest enrollment peer: Desert Hot Springs High (1,687 students)
Desert Springs Middle shrank from 803 students in 2022-23 to 740 in 2023-24 (-7.8%). Teacher FTE lost 34.5 → 33.3 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Desert Springs Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Desert Hot Spr
Desert Hot Springs High
1,687 students
- Palm Springs H
Palm Springs High
1,497 students
- Rancho Mirage
Rancho Mirage High
1,401 students
- Cathedral City
Cathedral City High
1,334 students
- James Workman
James Workman Middle
1,020 students
- This school
Desert Springs Middle
749 students
What this shows Desert Springs Middle reports 749 students on the CCD universe file.
How Desert Springs Middle compares
Desert Springs Middle is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 22:1 | ▲ 2% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 97.9% | ▲ 76% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 749 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
749
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
97.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 76% above the California average of 55.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
22:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 53% in California - lower ratio than 47% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
45.7%
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
$20,808
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $18,665
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 250 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 79 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 85.0%
White 6.3%
African American 5.1%
Two or More 2.1%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 85.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 27.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 27.0, Desert Springs Middle is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Palm Springs Unified reports $20,808 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Desert Springs Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desert Hot Springs High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Palm Springs High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rancho Mirage High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cathedral City High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| James Workman Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Springs Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,497
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,401
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,334
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,020
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar middle schools in Desert Hot Springs
1 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 (~749 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22:1)
Frequently asked questions about Desert Springs Middle
How many students attend Desert Springs Middle?
Desert Springs Middle has 749 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Desert Hot Springs, CA. CCD year-over-year: 803 (2022-23) → 740 (2023-24), down 63.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Springs Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Springs Middle is 22:1, which is 2% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 40% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Desert Springs Middle?
97.9% of students at Desert Springs Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Springs Middle?
The largest demographic group at Desert Springs Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 85.0% of enrollment, in Desert Hot Springs, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Springs Middle?
Desert Springs Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 Springs Middle rank among public schools in Desert Hot Springs?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Springs Middle ranks #4 of 8 public schools in Desert Hot Springs, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Desert Hot Springs on the city page.
What other schools are in Palm Springs Unified?
Besides Desert Springs Middle, Palm Springs Unified also operates Desert Hot Springs High (1,687 students), Palm Springs High (1,497 students), and Rancho Mirage High (1,401 students). See the Palm Springs Unified district page for the complete list.