Enrollment
208
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Apple Valley, CA
High Desert Premier Academy
Federal NCES profile for High Desert Premier Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 060001708588
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 58
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
High Desert Premier Academy earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% of California schools.
- #1 of 15
- public schools in Apple Valley · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 18.9:1
- small classes for California
- 74.2%
- free-lunch eligible
High Desert Premier Academy has class sizes smaller than 74% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, High Desert Premier Academy ranks #1 of 15 public schools in Apple Valley, CA.
School address
District: Apple Valley Unified · California
NCES ID 060001708588 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
11.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.9:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
74.2%
vs 55.5% California avg
+34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How High Desert Premier Academy compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at High Desert Premier Academy
High Desert Premier Academy is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Apple Valley, California, enrolling 208 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 18.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 74.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 208 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 93% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 597 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #61, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (66%) and White (24%) (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 208 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
The surrounding Apple Valley Unified spends $11,440 per pupil, 31% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Apple Valley's public schools, it stands alongside Academy for Academic Excellence (1,489 students): High Desert Premier Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.9:1 vs 22.2:1).
Apple Valley Unified also operates Apple Valley High (2,211 students) and Granite Hills High (1,791 students) alongside High Desert Premier Academy.
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 Premier Academy compares
High Desert Premier 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 | 18.9:1 | ▼ 12% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 74.2% | ▲ 34% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 208 | top 82% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.9:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
208
Bigger than 20% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
74.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% 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
18.9:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 26% in California - lower ratio than 74% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Funding equity
$11,440
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 208 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
8
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.7 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 65.9%
White 24.0%
African American 4.8%
Asian 2.4%
Two or More 1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 65.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.5, High Desert Premier Academy is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Apple Valley Unified, which includes High Desert Premier Academy.
$11,440
Per student
-31%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 13.5%
State 72.2%
Federal 14.3%
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 Premier Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Valley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Granite Hills High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sitting Bull Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Phoenix Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Vanguard Preparatory | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to High Desert Premier Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,211
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,791
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,695
- Students per teacher
- 25.3:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,213
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 1,153
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
Similar other schools in Apple Valley
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other 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 (~208 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on High Desert Premier Academy's federal record.
- Compare High Desert Premier Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Apple Valley Unified'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 Premier Academy
How many students attend High Desert Premier Academy?
High Desert Premier Academy has 208 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Apple Valley, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at High Desert Premier Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at High Desert Premier Academy is 18.9:1, which is 12% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 20% higher 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 High Desert Premier Academy?
74.2% of students at High Desert Premier Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of High Desert Premier Academy?
The largest demographic group at High Desert Premier Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 65.9% of enrollment, in Apple Valley, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for High Desert Premier Academy?
High Desert Premier Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does High Desert Premier Academy rank among public schools in Apple Valley?
By Resource Investment Index, High Desert Premier Academy ranks #1 of 15 public schools in Apple Valley, 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 Apple Valley on the city page.
Is High Desert Premier Academy a good school?
High Desert Premier Academy earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% 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 Apple Valley Unified?
Besides High Desert Premier Academy, Apple Valley Unified also operates Apple Valley High (2,211 students), Granite Hills High (1,791 students), and Sitting Bull Academy (1,695 students). See the Apple Valley Unified 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.