Enrollment
591
California · 2024-25 NCES data
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 →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
28.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+31% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
84.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
+53% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thomas Jefferson Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thomas Jefferson Middle
Thomas Jefferson Middle is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Indio, California, enrolling 591 students.
Class loads run heavy: 28.1:1 is larger than about 93% of California schools and 31% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 84.9% of students qualify for free meals, 53% above the California average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 591 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,835 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #626.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (91% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 17/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 267 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 41.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Indio's middle schools, it stands alongside John Glenn Middle School of International Studies (1,099 students): Thomas Jefferson Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (28.1:1 vs 25:1).
Desert Sands Unified also operates La Quinta High (2,425 students) and Palm Desert High (2,079 students) alongside Thomas Jefferson Middle.
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 Thomas Jefferson Middle compares
Thomas Jefferson Middle on the metrics families compare, against 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 (what these measure)
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
$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
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.
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 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
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Desert Sands Unified, which includes Thomas Jefferson Middle.
$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 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
- 2,425
- 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 middle schools in Indio
3 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~591 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thomas Jefferson Middle's federal record.
- Compare Thomas Jefferson Middle 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 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.
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, counselor availability, attendance rates. 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.
Is Thomas Jefferson Middle a good school?
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. 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 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.
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.