Enrollment
709
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · La Quinta, CA
La Quinta Middle
Federal NCES profile for La Quinta Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 061111009358
👥 S:T ratio 8
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
La Quinta Middle earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #4 of 8
- public schools in La Quinta · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.9:1
- students per teacher
- 69.4%
- free-lunch eligible
La Quinta Middle has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, La Quinta Middle ranks #4 of 8 public schools in La Quinta, CA.
School address
District: Desert Sands Unified · California
NCES ID 061111009358 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.9:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
+25% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How La Quinta Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at La Quinta Middle
La Quinta Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in La Quinta, California, enrolling 709 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 22.9:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 69.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 709 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,859 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #747.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (78%) and White (11%) (diversity index 37/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among La Quinta's middle schools, it stands alongside Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle (439 students): La Quinta Middle is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (22.9:1 vs 24.4:1).
Desert Sands Unified also operates La Quinta High (2,425 students) and Palm Desert High (2,079 students) alongside La Quinta Middle.
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 La Quinta Middle compares
La Quinta Middle on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 22.9:1 | ▲ 7% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.4% | ▲ 25% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 709 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.9:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
709
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 25% 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
22.9:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 61% in California - lower ratio than 39% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
44.4%
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
$15,695
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.2 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 36 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 expulsions.
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 78.1%
White 11.1%
Two or More 6.9%
Asian 1.8%
African American 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 78.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 37.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 37.2, La Quinta Middle is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Desert Sands Unified, which includes La Quinta Middle.
$15,695
Per student
-5%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.4%
State 50.5%
Federal 11.0%
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 La Quinta Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Quinta High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Palm Desert High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Indio High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Shadow Hills High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Palm Desert Charter Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to La Quinta Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,425
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- 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 middle schools in La Quinta
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~709 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on La Quinta Middle's federal record.
- Compare La Quinta Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Desert Sands 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 La Quinta Middle
How many students attend La Quinta Middle?
La Quinta Middle has 709 students enrolled. It is a middle school in La Quinta, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at La Quinta Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at La Quinta Middle is 22.9:1, which is 7% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 46% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at La Quinta Middle?
69.4% of students at La Quinta Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of La Quinta Middle?
The largest demographic group at La Quinta Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 78.1% of enrollment, in La Quinta, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for La Quinta Middle?
La Quinta Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does La Quinta Middle rank among public schools in La Quinta?
By Resource Investment Index, La Quinta Middle ranks #4 of 8 public schools in La Quinta, 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 La Quinta on the city page.
Is La Quinta Middle a good school?
La Quinta Middle earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Desert Sands Unified?
Besides La Quinta Middle, 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.
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.