Enrollment
345
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Adelanto, CA
Desert Trails Preparatory Academy
Federal NCES profile for Desert Trails Preparatory Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 19/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060204403819Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 47
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Trails Preparatory Academy earns 19/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 92% of California schools.
- #9 of 9
- elementary schools in Adelanto · Resource Index
- 19
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.3:1
- small classes for California
- 71.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Trails Preparatory Academy has class sizes smaller than 92% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Trails Preparatory Academy ranks #9 of 9 elementary schools in Adelanto, CA.
School address
District: Desert Trails Preparatory Academy District · California
NCES ID 060204403819 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-38% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
71.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
+28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desert Trails Preparatory Academy compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desert Trails Preparatory Academy
Desert Trails Preparatory Academy is a higher-need, mid-sized charter elementary school in Adelanto, California, enrolling 345 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 13.3:1, Desert Trails Preparatory Academy is leaner than roughly 92% of California schools and 38% under the state's 21.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 71.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 345 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,523 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,163, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (81% of enrollment) (diversity index 33/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 690 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 60.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Desert Trails Preparatory Academy District spends $11,357 per pupil, 31% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Adelanto's elementary schools, it stands alongside George Visual and Performing Arts Magnet and Middle (685 students): Desert Trails Preparatory Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.3:1 vs 25.4:1).
Desert Trails Preparatory Academy District is a single-school charter district, so Desert Trails Preparatory Academy operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 Trails Preparatory Academy compares
Desert Trails Preparatory Academy on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.3:1 | ▼ 38% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 71.3% | ▲ 28% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 345 | top 68% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.3:1
Leaner classes than 64% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
345
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
71.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.3:1
students per teacher
- 38% below state mean
Top 8% in California - lower ratio than 92% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
60.6%
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
$11,357
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 81.2%
African American 10.1%
Two or More 5.5%
Asian 1.7%
White 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 81.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 32.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 32.7, Desert Trails Preparatory Academy is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Desert Trails Preparatory Academy District, which includes Desert Trails Preparatory Academy.
$11,357
Per student
-31%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 7.2%
State 88.1%
Federal 4.7%
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.
Similar elementary schools in Adelanto
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
George Visual and Performing Arts Magnet and Middle
Standard public school
685 students 25.4:1 students per teacher
Victoria Magathan Elementary
Standard public school
551 students 24:1 students per teacher
Eagle Ranch Elementary
Standard public school
535 students 24.3:1 students per teacher
Theodore Vick Elementary
Standard public school
494 students 24.7:1 students per teacher
Westside Park Elementary
Standard public school
481 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Donald F. Bradach Elementary
Standard public school
408 students 25.5:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~345 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desert Trails Preparatory Academy's federal record.
- Compare Desert Trails Preparatory Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Desert Trails Preparatory Academy District'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 Trails Preparatory Academy
How many students attend Desert Trails Preparatory Academy?
Desert Trails Preparatory Academy has 345 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Adelanto, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Trails Preparatory Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Trails Preparatory Academy is 13.3:1, which is 38% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 15% lower 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 Trails Preparatory Academy?
71.3% of students at Desert Trails Preparatory Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Trails Preparatory Academy?
The largest demographic group at Desert Trails Preparatory Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 81.2% of enrollment, in Adelanto, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Trails Preparatory Academy?
Desert Trails Preparatory Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 19/100 (lower 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 Trails Preparatory Academy rank among elementary schools in Adelanto?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Trails Preparatory Academy ranks #9 of 9 elementary schools in Adelanto, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Adelanto on the city page.
Is Desert Trails Preparatory Academy a good school?
Desert Trails Preparatory Academy earns 19/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 92% 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 Trails Preparatory Academy District?
None; Desert Trails Preparatory Academy District is a single-school charter district, and Desert Trails Preparatory Academy is its only campus.
Related tools
Compare schools
Side-by-side comparison tool
Schools in California
All public schools in California
Desert Trails Preparatory Academy District
All schools in this district
Schools in Adelanto
All schools in this city
School districts
Ranked by enrollment & spending
Rankings
Best schools by state & type
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.