- Enrollment
- 1,687
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Cathedral City, CA
Rio Vista Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Rio Vista Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062955011029
👥 S:T ratio 23
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 33
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Rio Vista Elementary earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 71% of California schools.
- #2 of 5
- elementary schools in Cathedral City · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.3:1
- small classes for California
- 94.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Rio Vista Elementary has class sizes smaller than 71% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Rio Vista Elementary ranks #2 of 5 elementary schools in Cathedral City, CA.
School address
District: Palm Springs Unified · California
NCES ID 062955011029 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-16 students YoY
Rio Vista Elementary held near 674 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-16 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 33.1 → 32.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-16 students YoY 062955011029 · Cathedral City, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
637 enr · 19.3:1 · 94.1% lunch · RII 31
Nearest enrollment peer: Desert Hot Springs High (1,687 students)
Rio Vista Elementary held near 674 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-16 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 33.1 → 32.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Rio Vista Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Desert Hot Spr
Desert Hot Springs High
1,687 students
- Palm Springs H
Palm Springs High
1,497 students
- Rancho Mirage
Rancho Mirage High
1,401 students
- Cathedral City
Cathedral City High
1,334 students
- James Workman
James Workman Middle
1,020 students
- This school 637
Rio Vista Elementary
637 students
What this shows Rio Vista Elementary reports 637 students on the CCD universe file.
How Rio Vista Elementary compares
Rio Vista 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 | 19.3:1 | ▼ 10% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 94.1% | ▲ 70% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 637 | top 29% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.3:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
637
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
94.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 70% above the California average of 55.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19.3:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 29% in California - lower ratio than 71% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
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
$20,808
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $18,665
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 637 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 79.0%
White 10.0%
Two or More 4.2%
Asian 3.8%
African American 1.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 79.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 36.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 36.2, Rio Vista Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Palm Springs Unified reports $20,808 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Rio Vista Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desert Hot Springs High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Palm Springs High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rancho Mirage High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cathedral City High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| James Workman Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Rio Vista Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,497
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,401
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,334
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,020
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar elementary schools in Cathedral City
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Sunny Sands Elementary
Standard public school
692 students 22.3:1 students per teacher
Agua Caliente Elementary
Standard public school
645 students 23:1 students per teacher
Cathedral City Elementary
Standard public school
606 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
Landau Elementary
Standard public school
579 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
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 (~637 students)
Frequently asked questions about Rio Vista Elementary
How many students attend Rio Vista Elementary?
Rio Vista Elementary has 637 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Cathedral City, CA. CCD year-over-year: 690 (2022-23) → 674 (2023-24), nearly flat (-16).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Rio Vista Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Rio Vista Elementary is 19.3:1, which is 10% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 23% 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 Rio Vista Elementary?
94.1% of students at Rio Vista Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Rio Vista Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Rio Vista Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 79.0% of enrollment, in Cathedral City, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Rio Vista Elementary?
Rio Vista Elementary 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 Rio Vista Elementary rank among elementary schools in Cathedral City?
By Resource Investment Index, Rio Vista Elementary ranks #2 of 5 elementary schools in Cathedral City, 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 Cathedral City on the city page.
What other schools are in Palm Springs Unified?
Besides Rio Vista Elementary, Palm Springs Unified also operates Desert Hot Springs High (1,687 students), Palm Springs High (1,497 students), and Rancho Mirage High (1,401 students). See the Palm Springs Unified district page for the complete list.