Enrollment
529
Nevada · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Reno, NV
High Desert Montessori
Federal NCES profile for High Desert Montessori, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 320048000561Charter school
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 54
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
High Desert Montessori earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index on federal resource data.
- #33 of 36
- schools in Reno · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.8%
- free-lunch eligible
- 529
- students enrolled
By Resource Investment Index, High Desert Montessori ranks #33 of 36 schools in Reno, NV.
School address
District: Washoe County School District · Nevada
NCES ID 320048000561 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Free-lunch eligible
24.8%
vs 76.8% Nevada avg
-68% vs state
What stands out at High Desert Montessori
High Desert Montessori is a mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Reno, Nevada, enrolling 529 students.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 24.8% free-meal eligibility runs 68% below the Nevada average.
With 529 students, its enrollment sits close to the Nevada median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 733 scored Nevada schools.
Among 60 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Nevada schools statewide, it ranks #44, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (55%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 529 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Washoe County School District spends $10,957 per pupil, 33% below the Nevada average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Reno's public schools, it stands alongside Davidson Academy (169 students): High Desert Montessori is larger than that campus by headcount.
Washoe County School District also operates North Valleys High School (2,307 students) and Spanish Springs High School (2,131 students) alongside High Desert Montessori.
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 High Desert Montessori compares
High Desert Montessori on the metrics families compare, against Nevada and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Nevada | Nevada avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free-lunch eligible | 24.8% | ▼ 68% | 76.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 529 | top 46% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
529
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
24.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 68% below the Nevada average of 76.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Engagement
18.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$10,957
per pupil, district-wide
- below Nevada avg of $16,454
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 529 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.8 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
White 54.8%
Hispanic or Latino 31.0%
Two or More 6.0%
Asian 4.0%
African American 2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
Largest group: White at 54.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.8, High Desert Montessori is more mixed than the Nevada school average of 56.4.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Washoe County School District, which includes High Desert Montessori.
$10,957
Per student
-33%
vs Nevada
Avg $16,454
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.8%
State 68.2%
Federal 12.0%
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.
How High Desert Montessori Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Valleys High School | Larger | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
| Spanish Springs High School | Larger | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
| Edward C. Reed High School | Larger | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
| Procter R. Hug High School | Larger | Higher economic need | No ratio data |
| Reno High School | Larger | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to High Desert Montessori's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,307
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,131
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 2,092
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,008
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,741
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar other schools in Reno
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Nevada, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on High Desert Montessori's federal record.
- Compare High Desert Montessori against another school. Compare schools
- Washoe County School 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 High Desert Montessori
How many students attend High Desert Montessori?
High Desert Montessori has 529 students enrolled. It is a public school in Reno, NV.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at High Desert Montessori?
24.8% of students at High Desert Montessori are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nevada average of 76.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of High Desert Montessori?
The largest demographic group at High Desert Montessori is White at 54.8% of enrollment, in Reno, NV. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for High Desert Montessori?
High Desert Montessori has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does High Desert Montessori rank among schools in Reno?
By Resource Investment Index, High Desert Montessori ranks #33 of 36 schools in Reno, NV. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Reno on the city page.
Is High Desert Montessori a good school?
High Desert Montessori earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index on federal resource data. 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 Washoe County School District?
Besides High Desert Montessori, Washoe County School District also operates North Valleys High School (2,307 students), Spanish Springs High School (2,131 students), and Edward C. Reed High School (2,092 students). See the Washoe County School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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.