- Enrollment
- 1,027
- Students per teacher
- 28.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Palmdale, CA
Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy
Federal NCES profile for Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 062958007529
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 48
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 76% of California schools.
- #1 of 6
- middle schools in Palmdale · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.5:1
- small classes for California
- 78.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy has class sizes smaller than 76% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy ranks #1 of 6 middle schools in Palmdale, CA.
School address
District: Palmdale Elementary · California
NCES ID 062958007529 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-17 students YoY
Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy held near 874 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-17 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 44.1 → 40.2 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-17 students YoY 062958007529 · Palmdale, CA Middle · MID · TRAD
813 enr · 18.5:1 · 78.9% lunch · RII 36
Nearest enrollment peer: Los Amigos - Dual Immersion (1,027 students)
Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy held near 874 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-17 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 44.1 → 40.2 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Los Amigos - D
Los Amigos - Dual Immersion
1,027 students
- Palmdale Acade
Palmdale Academy Charter
989 students
- David G. Mille
David G. Millen Law and Government Magnet Academy
952 students
- Desert Willow
Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad
948 students
- Dos Caminos Du
Dos Caminos Dual Immersion
945 students
- This school
Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy
813 students
What this shows Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy reports 813 students on the CCD universe file.
How Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy compares
Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy 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 | 18.5:1 | ▼ 14% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 78.9% | ▲ 42% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 813 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.5:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
813
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
78.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% 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
18.5:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 24% in California - lower ratio than 76% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
20.9%
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
$17,861
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 813 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 96 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 76.0%
African American 17.7%
White 2.5%
Asian 1.6%
Two or More 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 76.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 39.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 39.0, Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Palmdale Elementary reports $17,861 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Amigos - Dual Immersion | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Palmdale Academy Charter | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| David G. Millen Law and Government Magnet Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dos Caminos Dual Immersion | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 989
- Students per teacher
- 39.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 952
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 948
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 945
- Students per teacher
- 27:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar middle schools in Palmdale
5 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Hillview Middle
Standard public school
1,100 students 27.5:1 students per teacher
David G. Millen Law and Government Magnet Academy
Standard public school
952 students 22.1:1 students per teacher
Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad
Standard public school
948 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
Cactus Medical Health and Technology Magnet Academy
Standard public school
822 students 20.6:1 students per teacher
Space Aeronautics Gateway to Exploration Magnet Academy
Standard public school
747 students 20.2:1 students per teacher
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 (~813 students)
Frequently asked questions about Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy
How many students attend Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy?
Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy has 813 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Palmdale, CA. CCD year-over-year: 891 (2022-23) → 874 (2023-24), nearly flat (-17).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy is 18.5:1, which is 14% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 18% 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 Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy?
78.9% of students at Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy?
The largest demographic group at Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 76.0% of enrollment, in Palmdale, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy?
Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical 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 Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy rank among middle schools in Palmdale?
By Resource Investment Index, Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy ranks #1 of 6 middle schools in Palmdale, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Palmdale on the city page.
What other schools are in Palmdale Elementary?
Besides Shadow Hills Engineering and Design Magnet Academy, Palmdale Elementary also operates Los Amigos - Dual Immersion (1,027 students), Palmdale Academy Charter (989 students), and David G. Millen Law and Government Magnet Academy (952 students). See the Palmdale Elementary district page for the complete list.