- Enrollment
- 2,425
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Indian Wells, CA
Gerald R. Ford Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Gerald R. Ford Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061111010274
👥 S:T ratio 12
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 1
📋 Attendance 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gerald R. Ford Elementary earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.1:1
- students per teacher
- 46.3%
- free-lunch eligible
- 598
- students enrolled
Gerald R. Ford Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Desert Sands Unified · California
NCES ID 061111010274 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+12 students YoY
Gerald R. Ford Elementary held near 615 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+12 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 27.1 → 25.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+12 students YoY 061111010274 · Indian Wells, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
598 enr · 22.1:1 · 46.3% lunch · RII 23
Nearest enrollment peer: La Quinta High (2,425 students)
Gerald R. Ford Elementary held near 615 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+12 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 27.1 → 25.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Gerald R. Ford Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- La Quinta High
La Quinta High
2,425 students
- Palm Desert Hi
Palm Desert High
2,079 students
- Indio High
Indio High
1,962 students
- Shadow Hills H
Shadow Hills High
1,650 students
- Palm Desert Ch
Palm Desert Charter Middle
1,298 students
- This school 598
Gerald R. Ford Elementary
598 students
What this shows Gerald R. Ford Elementary reports 598 students on the CCD universe file.
How Gerald R. Ford Elementary compares
Gerald R. Ford Elementary 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 | 22.1:1 | ▲ 3% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.3% | ▼ 17% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 598 | top 33% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.1:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
598
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
46.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
22.1:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 54% in California - lower ratio than 46% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
36.6%
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
$17,070
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.2 FTE
Per 494 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 55.5%
White 29.9%
Asian 7.2%
Two or More 5.0%
African American 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 55.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.5, Gerald R. Ford Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Desert Sands Unified reports $17,070 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Gerald R. Ford Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Quinta High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Palm Desert High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Indio High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Shadow Hills High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Palm Desert Charter Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gerald R. Ford Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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
Nationwide elementary 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 (~598 students)
Frequently asked questions about Gerald R. Ford Elementary
How many students attend Gerald R. Ford Elementary?
Gerald R. Ford Elementary has 598 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Indian Wells, CA. CCD year-over-year: 603 (2022-23) → 615 (2023-24), nearly flat (+12).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gerald R. Ford Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Gerald R. Ford Elementary is 22.1:1, which is 3% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 41% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Gerald R. Ford Elementary?
46.3% of students at Gerald R. Ford Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gerald R. Ford Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Gerald R. Ford Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 55.5% of enrollment, in Indian Wells, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gerald R. Ford Elementary?
Gerald R. Ford Elementary 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).
What other schools are in Desert Sands Unified?
Besides Gerald R. Ford Elementary, 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.