- Enrollment
- 2,425
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Palm Desert, CA
Palm Desert Charter Middle
Federal NCES profile for Palm Desert Charter Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 061111001231Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 19
📋 Attendance 33
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Palm Desert Charter Middle earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of California schools.
- #1 of 6
- public schools in Palm Desert · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 26.5:1
- large classes for California
- 45.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Palm Desert Charter Middle has class sizes larger than 87% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Palm Desert Charter Middle ranks #1 of 6 public schools in Palm Desert, CA.
School address
District: Desert Sands Unified · California
NCES ID 061111001231 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+42 students YoY
Palm Desert Charter Middle held near 1,389 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+42 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 49.9 → 49.7 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+42 students YoY 061111001231 · Palm Desert, CA Middle · MID · CHARTER
1,298 enr · 26.5:1 · 45.6% lunch · RII 31
Nearest enrollment peer: La Quinta High (2,425 students)
Palm Desert Charter Middle held near 1,389 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+42 headcount). Teacher FTE held 49.9 → 49.7 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Palm Desert Charter Middle 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
- This school
Palm Desert Charter Middle
1,298 students
- John Glenn Mid
John Glenn Middle School of International Studies
1,099 students
What this shows Palm Desert Charter Middle reports 1,298 students on the CCD universe file.
How Palm Desert Charter Middle compares
Palm Desert Charter Middle 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 | 26.5:1 | ▲ 23% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.6% | ▼ 18% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,298 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
26.5:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,298
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
45.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 18% 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
26.5:1
students per teacher
- 23% above state mean
Top 87% in California - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
26.8%
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
Counselors3.2 FTE
Per 404 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 67 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 51.5%
White 34.2%
Two or More 6.3%
Asian 6.0%
African American 1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 51.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.0, Palm Desert Charter Middle 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 Palm Desert Charter Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Quinta High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Palm Desert High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Indio High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Shadow Hills High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| John Glenn Middle School of International Studies | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Palm Desert Charter Middle'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
- 1,099
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Nationwide middle 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 (~1,298 students)
Frequently asked questions about Palm Desert Charter Middle
How many students attend Palm Desert Charter Middle?
Palm Desert Charter Middle has 1,298 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Palm Desert, CA. CCD year-over-year: 1,347 (2022-23) → 1,389 (2023-24), nearly flat (+42).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Palm Desert Charter Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Palm Desert Charter Middle is 26.5:1, which is 23% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 69% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Palm Desert Charter Middle?
45.6% of students at Palm Desert Charter Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Palm Desert Charter Middle?
The largest demographic group at Palm Desert Charter Middle 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 61.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Palm Desert Charter Middle?
Palm Desert Charter Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (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 Palm Desert Charter Middle rank among public schools in Palm Desert?
By Resource Investment Index, Palm Desert Charter Middle ranks #1 of 6 public 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 public schools in Palm Desert on the city page.
What other schools are in Desert Sands Unified?
Besides Palm Desert Charter 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.