- Enrollment
- 2,425
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Palm Desert, CA
Palm Desert High
Federal NCES profile for Palm Desert High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 18/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 061111008819
👥 S:T ratio 1
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Palm Desert High earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of California schools. It is also one of the largest schools in California.
- #4 of 6
- public schools in Palm Desert · Resource Index
- 18
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.8:1
- large classes for California
- 42.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Palm Desert High has class sizes larger than 78% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Palm Desert High ranks #4 of 6 public schools in Palm Desert, CA.
School address
District: Desert Sands Unified · California
NCES ID 061111008819 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-11 students YoY
Palm Desert High held near 2,039 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-11 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 84.9 → 78.4 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-11 students YoY 061111008819 · Palm Desert, CA High · LARGE · TRAD
2,079 enr · 24.8:1 · 42.1% lunch · RII 18
Nearest enrollment peer: La Quinta High (2,425 students)
Palm Desert High held near 2,039 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-11 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 84.9 → 78.4 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Palm Desert High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- La Quinta High
La Quinta High
2,425 students
- This school
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
- John Glenn Mid
John Glenn Middle School of International Studies
1,099 students
What this shows Palm Desert High reports 2,079 students on the CCD universe file.
How Palm Desert High compares
Palm Desert High 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 | 24.8:1 | ▲ 15% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.1% | ▼ 24% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,079 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.8:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,079
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
42.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% 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
24.8:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 78% in California - lower ratio than 22% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
42.6%
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
Counselors2.2 FTE
Per 941 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 90 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 8 expulsions.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 48.5%
White 35.3%
Asian 8.4%
Two or More 5.2%
African American 1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 48.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.0, Palm Desert High is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 21
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 High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Quinta High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Indio High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Shadow Hills High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Palm Desert Charter Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| John Glenn Middle School of International Studies | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Palm Desert High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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
- Enrollment
- 1,099
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Nationwide high 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 (~2,079 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.8:1)
Frequently asked questions about Palm Desert High
How many students attend Palm Desert High?
Palm Desert High has 2,079 students enrolled. It is a high school in Palm Desert, CA. CCD year-over-year: 2,050 (2022-23) → 2,039 (2023-24), nearly flat (-11).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Palm Desert High?
The student-teacher ratio at Palm Desert High is 24.8:1, which is 15% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 58% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Palm Desert High?
42.1% of students at Palm Desert High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Palm Desert High?
The largest demographic group at Palm Desert High is Hispanic or Latino at 48.5% of enrollment, in Palm Desert, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Palm Desert High?
Palm Desert High has a Resource Investment Index of 18/100 (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 High rank among public schools in Palm Desert?
By Resource Investment Index, Palm Desert High ranks #4 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 High, Desert Sands Unified also operates La Quinta High (2,425 students), Indio High (1,962 students), and Shadow Hills High (1,650 students). See the Desert Sands Unified district page for the complete list.