- Enrollment
- 1,687
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Cathedral City, CA
Sunny Sands Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Sunny Sands 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 062955009603
👥 S:T ratio 11
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 45
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sunny Sands Elementary earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #2 of 5
- elementary schools in Cathedral City · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.3:1
- students per teacher
- 96.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Sunny Sands Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sunny Sands Elementary ranks #2 of 5 elementary schools in Cathedral City, CA.
School address
District: Palm Springs Unified · California
NCES ID 062955009603 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-37 students YoY
Sunny Sands Elementary shrank from 721 students in 2022-23 to 684 in 2023-24 (-5.1%).
Teacher FTE added 31.9 → 34.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-37 students YoY 062955009603 · Cathedral City, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
692 enr · 22.3:1 · 96.7% lunch · RII 31
Nearest enrollment peer: Desert Hot Springs High (1,687 students)
Sunny Sands Elementary shrank from 721 students in 2022-23 to 684 in 2023-24 (-5.1%). Teacher FTE added 31.9 → 34.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Sunny Sands 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
Sunny Sands Elementary
692 students
What this shows Sunny Sands Elementary reports 692 students on the CCD universe file.
How Sunny Sands Elementary compares
Sunny Sands Elementary is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 22.3:1 | ▲ 4% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 96.7% | ▲ 74% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 692 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.3:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
692
Bigger than 80% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
96.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 74% 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
22.3:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 56% in California - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
22.0%
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 692 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 84.2%
White 7.4%
Asian 4.9%
Two or More 2.3%
African American 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 84.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 28.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 28.3, Sunny Sands 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 Sunny Sands Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desert Hot Springs High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Palm Springs High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rancho Mirage High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cathedral City High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| James Workman Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sunny Sands 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.
Agua Caliente Elementary
Standard public school
645 students 23:1 students per teacher
Rio Vista Elementary
Standard public school
637 students 19.3:1 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 (~692 students)
Frequently asked questions about Sunny Sands Elementary
How many students attend Sunny Sands Elementary?
Sunny Sands Elementary has 692 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Cathedral City, CA. CCD year-over-year: 721 (2022-23) → 684 (2023-24), down 37.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sunny Sands Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Sunny Sands Elementary is 22.3:1, which is 4% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 42% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sunny Sands Elementary?
96.7% of students at Sunny Sands Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sunny Sands Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Sunny Sands Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 84.2% of enrollment, in Cathedral City, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sunny Sands Elementary?
Sunny Sands 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 Sunny Sands Elementary rank among elementary schools in Cathedral City?
By Resource Investment Index, Sunny Sands 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 Sunny Sands 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.