- Enrollment
- 1,027
- Students per teacher
- 28.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Palmdale, CA
Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad
Federal NCES profile for Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 062958010905
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #4 of 6
- middle schools in Palmdale · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.5:1
- students per teacher
- 77.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad ranks #4 of 6 middle schools in Palmdale, CA.
School address
District: Palmdale Elementary · California
NCES ID 062958010905 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+46 students YoY
Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad held near 1,020 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+46 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 44.7 → 41.2 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+46 students YoY 062958010905 · Palmdale, CA Middle · MID · TRAD
948 enr · 21.5:1 · 77.2% lunch · RII 28
Nearest enrollment peer: Los Amigos - Dual Immersion (1,027 students)
Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad held near 1,020 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+46 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 44.7 → 41.2 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Los Amigos - D
Los Amigos - Dual Immersion
1,027 students
- Palmdale Acade
Palmdale Academy Charter
989 students
- David G. Mille
David G. Millen Law and Government Magnet Academy
952 students
- This school
Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad
948 students
- Dos Caminos Du
Dos Caminos Dual Immersion
945 students
- Cactus Medical
Cactus Medical Health and Technology Magnet Academy
822 students
What this shows Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad reports 948 students on the CCD universe file.
How Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad compares
Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.5:1 | ▼ 0% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.2% | ▲ 39% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 948 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.5:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
948
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
77.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% 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
21.5:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 48% in California - lower ratio than 52% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Funding equity
$17,861
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 948 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 115 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 79.5%
African American 13.2%
White 3.8%
Two or More 1.6%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 79.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.9, Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Palmdale Elementary reports $17,861 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Amigos - Dual Immersion | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Palmdale Academy Charter | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| David G. Millen Law and Government Magnet Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dos Caminos Dual Immersion | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cactus Medical Health and Technology Magnet Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 989
- Students per teacher
- 39.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 952
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 945
- Students per teacher
- 27:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 822
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar middle schools in Palmdale
5 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Hillview Middle
Standard public school
1,100 students 27.5:1 students per teacher
David G. Millen Law and Government Magnet Academy
Standard public school
952 students 22.1:1 students per teacher
Cactus Medical Health and Technology Magnet Academy
Standard public school
822 students 20.6:1 students per teacher
Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy
Standard public school
813 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Space Aeronautics Gateway to Exploration Magnet Academy
Standard public school
747 students 20.2:1 students per teacher
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 (~948 students)
Frequently asked questions about Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad
How many students attend Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad?
Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad has 948 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Palmdale, CA. CCD year-over-year: 974 (2022-23) → 1,020 (2023-24), nearly flat (+46).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad is 21.5:1, which is 0% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 37% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad?
77.2% of students at Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad?
The largest demographic group at Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad is Hispanic or Latino at 79.5% of enrollment, in Palmdale, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad?
Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad rank among middle schools in Palmdale?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad ranks #4 of 6 middle schools in Palmdale, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Palmdale on the city page.
What other schools are in Palmdale Elementary?
Besides Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad, Palmdale Elementary also operates Los Amigos - Dual Immersion (1,027 students), Palmdale Academy Charter (989 students), and David G. Millen Law and Government Magnet Academy (952 students). See the Palmdale Elementary district page for the complete list.