- Enrollment
- 394
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Acton, CA
High Desert
Federal NCES profile for High Desert, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 7/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060000109444
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 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
High Desert earns 7/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of California schools.
- #5 of 5
- public schools in Acton · Resource Index
- 7
- Resource Index · Lower
- 27.9:1
- large classes for California
- 54.2%
- free-lunch eligible
High Desert has class sizes larger than 92% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, High Desert ranks #5 of 5 public schools in Acton, CA.
School address
District: Acton-Agua Dulce Unified · California
NCES ID 060000109444 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-19 students YoY
High Desert shrank from 306 students in 2022-23 to 287 in 2023-24 (-6.2%).
Teacher FTE added 11.3 → 13.4 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-19 students YoY 060000109444 · Acton, CA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
307 enr · 27.9:1 · 54.2% lunch · RII 7
Nearest enrollment peer: Vasquez High (394 students)
High Desert shrank from 306 students in 2022-23 to 287 in 2023-24 (-6.2%). Teacher FTE added 11.3 → 13.4 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
High Desert in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Vasquez High
Vasquez High
394 students
- Meadowlark Ele
Meadowlark Elementary
352 students
- This school
High Desert
307 students
What this shows High Desert reports 307 students on the CCD universe file.
How High Desert compares
High Desert 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 | 27.9:1 | ▲ 30% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 54.2% | ▼ 2% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 307 | top 73% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
27.9:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
307
Bigger than 33% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
54.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 2% 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
27.9:1
students per teacher
- 30% above state mean
Top 92% in California - lower ratio than 8% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
54.4%
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
$19,555
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 58.3%
White 36.5%
African American 2.0%
Two or More 2.0%
Asian 1.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 58.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.6, High Desert is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for Acton-Agua Dulce Unified reports $19,555 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How High Desert Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vasquez High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Meadowlark Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to High Desert's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 352
- Students per teacher
- 27.1:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar elementary schools in Acton
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~307 students)
Frequently asked questions about High Desert
How many students attend High Desert?
High Desert has 307 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Acton, CA. CCD year-over-year: 306 (2022-23) → 287 (2023-24), down 19.
What is the student-teacher ratio at High Desert?
The student-teacher ratio at High Desert is 27.9:1, which is 30% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 78% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at High Desert?
54.2% of students at High Desert are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of High Desert?
The largest demographic group at High Desert is Hispanic or Latino at 58.3% of enrollment, in Acton, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for High Desert?
High Desert has a Resource Investment Index of 7/100 (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 High Desert rank among public schools in Acton?
By Resource Investment Index, High Desert ranks #5 of 5 public schools in Acton, 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 Acton on the city page.
What other schools are in Acton-Agua Dulce Unified?
Besides High Desert, Acton-Agua Dulce Unified also operates Vasquez High (394 students) and Meadowlark Elementary (352 students). See the Acton-Agua Dulce Unified district page for the complete list.