- Enrollment
- 2,425
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Indio, CA
Thomas Jefferson Middle
Federal NCES profile for Thomas Jefferson Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 061111001228
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 47
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thomas Jefferson Middle earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #1 of 4
- middle schools in Indio · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 28.1:1
- large classes for California
- 84.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Thomas Jefferson Middle has class sizes larger than 93% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Jefferson Middle ranks #1 of 4 middle schools in Indio, CA.
School address
District: Desert Sands Unified · California
NCES ID 061111001228 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-3 students YoY
Thomas Jefferson Middle held near 535 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-3 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 21.8 → 23.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-3 students YoY 061111001228 · Indio, CA Middle · MID · TRAD
591 enr · 28.1:1 · 84.9% lunch · RII 29
Nearest enrollment peer: La Quinta High (2,425 students)
Thomas Jefferson Middle held near 535 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-3 headcount). Teacher FTE added 21.8 → 23.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Thomas Jefferson Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- La Quinta High
La Quinta High
2,425 students
- Palm Desert Hi
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
- This school 591
Thomas Jefferson Middle
591 students
What this shows Thomas Jefferson Middle reports 591 students on the CCD universe file.
How Thomas Jefferson Middle compares
Thomas Jefferson Middle 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 | 28.1:1 | ▲ 31% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 84.9% | ▲ 53% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 591 | top 33% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
28.1:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
591
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
84.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 53% 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
28.1:1
students per teacher
- 31% above state mean
Top 93% in California - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
41.6%
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 267 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 46 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 expulsions.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 91.0%
Two or More 5.1%
White 2.2%
Asian 1.0%
African American 0.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 91.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 16.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 16.9, Thomas Jefferson Middle is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
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 Thomas Jefferson Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Quinta High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Palm Desert High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Indio High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Shadow Hills High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Palm Desert Charter Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thomas Jefferson Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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 middle schools in Indio
3 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
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 (~591 students)
Frequently asked questions about Thomas Jefferson Middle
How many students attend Thomas Jefferson Middle?
Thomas Jefferson Middle has 591 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Indio, CA. CCD year-over-year: 538 (2022-23) → 535 (2023-24), nearly flat (-3).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thomas Jefferson Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Thomas Jefferson Middle is 28.1:1, which is 31% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 79% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thomas Jefferson Middle?
84.9% of students at Thomas Jefferson Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thomas Jefferson Middle?
The largest demographic group at Thomas Jefferson Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 91.0% of enrollment, in Indio, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thomas Jefferson Middle?
Thomas Jefferson Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (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 Thomas Jefferson Middle rank among middle schools in Indio?
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Jefferson Middle ranks #1 of 4 middle schools in Indio, 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 Indio on the city page.
What other schools are in Desert Sands Unified?
Besides Thomas Jefferson Middle, 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.