- Enrollment
- 2,425
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Palm Desert, CA
James Earl Carter Elementary
Federal NCES profile for James Earl Carter Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061111006219
👥 S:T ratio 15
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James Earl Carter Elementary earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #2 of 4
- elementary schools in Palm Desert · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.2:1
- students per teacher
- 41.7%
- free-lunch eligible
James Earl Carter Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James Earl Carter Elementary ranks #2 of 4 elementary schools in Palm Desert, CA.
School address
District: Desert Sands Unified · California
NCES ID 061111006219 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+1 students YoY
James Earl Carter Elementary held near 517 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+1 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 23.0 → 23.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+1 students YoY 061111006219 · Palm Desert, CA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
487 enr · 21.2:1 · 41.7% lunch · RII 26
Nearest enrollment peer: La Quinta High (2,425 students)
James Earl Carter Elementary held near 517 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+1 headcount). Teacher FTE held 23.0 → 23.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
James Earl Carter 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 487
James Earl Carter Elementary
487 students
What this shows James Earl Carter Elementary reports 487 students on the CCD universe file.
How James Earl Carter Elementary compares
James Earl Carter 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 | 21.2:1 | ▼ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 41.7% | ▼ 25% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 487 | top 47% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.2:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
487
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
41.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 25% 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
21.2:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 45% in California - lower ratio than 55% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
42.7%
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 402 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 51.5%
White 26.3%
Asian 10.5%
Two or More 8.8%
African American 2.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 51.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.6, James Earl Carter 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 James Earl Carter Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Quinta High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Palm Desert High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Indio High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher 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 James Earl Carter 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
Similar elementary schools in Palm Desert
3 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 (~487 students)
Frequently asked questions about James Earl Carter Elementary
How many students attend James Earl Carter Elementary?
James Earl Carter Elementary has 487 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Palm Desert, CA. CCD year-over-year: 516 (2022-23) → 517 (2023-24), nearly flat (+1).
What is the student-teacher ratio at James Earl Carter Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at James Earl Carter Elementary is 21.2:1, which is 1% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 35% 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 James Earl Carter Elementary?
41.7% of students at James Earl Carter Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James Earl Carter Elementary?
The largest demographic group at James Earl Carter Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 51.5% of enrollment, in Palm Desert, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James Earl Carter Elementary?
James Earl Carter Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (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 James Earl Carter Elementary rank among elementary schools in Palm Desert?
By Resource Investment Index, James Earl Carter Elementary ranks #2 of 4 elementary schools in Palm Desert, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Palm Desert on the city page.
What other schools are in Desert Sands Unified?
Besides James Earl Carter 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.