Enrollment
808
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Palm Desert, CA
Ronald Reagan Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Ronald Reagan Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 18/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061111011713
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 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
Ronald Reagan Elementary earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of California schools.
- #3 of 4
- elementary schools in Palm Desert · Resource Index
- 18
- Resource Index · Lower
- 26.1:1
- large classes for California
- 40.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Ronald Reagan Elementary has class sizes larger than 86% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ronald Reagan Elementary ranks #3 of 4 elementary schools in Palm Desert, CA.
School address
District: Desert Sands Unified · California
NCES ID 061111011713 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
26.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
40.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
-26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ronald Reagan Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ronald Reagan Elementary
Ronald Reagan Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Palm Desert, California, enrolling 808 students.
Class loads run heavy: 26.1:1 is larger than about 86% of California schools and 21% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 40.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 808 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.
Among 1,127 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #963, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (74%) and White (15%) (diversity index 42/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 668 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 42.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Palm Desert's elementary schools, it stands alongside George Washington Charter (746 students): Ronald Reagan Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (26.1:1 vs 24.9:1).
Desert Sands Unified also operates La Quinta High (2,425 students) and Palm Desert High (2,079 students) alongside Ronald Reagan Elementary.
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 Ronald Reagan Elementary compares
Ronald Reagan Elementary on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 26.1:1 | ▲ 21% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.9% | ▼ 26% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 808 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
26.1:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
808
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
40.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% 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
26.1:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 86% in California - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
42.8%
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
$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
Counselors1.2 FTE
Per 668 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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 74.0%
White 15.2%
Two or More 6.9%
Asian 2.0%
African American 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 74.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 42.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 42.4, Ronald Reagan Elementary 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 Ronald Reagan Elementary.
$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 Ronald Reagan Elementary 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| Indio High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Shadow Hills High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Palm Desert Charter Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ronald Reagan Elementary'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 elementary schools in Palm Desert
3 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~808 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~26.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ronald Reagan Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Ronald Reagan Elementary 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 Ronald Reagan Elementary
How many students attend Ronald Reagan Elementary?
Ronald Reagan Elementary has 808 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Palm Desert, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ronald Reagan Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Ronald Reagan Elementary is 26.1:1, which is 21% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 66% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ronald Reagan Elementary?
40.9% of students at Ronald Reagan Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ronald Reagan Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Ronald Reagan Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 74.0% of enrollment, in Palm Desert, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ronald Reagan Elementary?
Ronald Reagan Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 18/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Ronald Reagan Elementary rank among elementary schools in Palm Desert?
By Resource Investment Index, Ronald Reagan Elementary ranks #3 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.
Is Ronald Reagan Elementary a good school?
Ronald Reagan Elementary earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of California schools. 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 Ronald Reagan 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.
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.