Is Desert Mirage High a good school?

Desert Mirage High ranks 1521 st of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Desert Mirage High?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,974 students attended Desert Mirage High.

What is the racial makeup of Desert Mirage High?

Students at Desert Mirage High are 99% Hispanic.

What schools feed into Desert Mirage High?

Desert Mirage High is fed by the following schools: Elementary : John Kelley Elementary Elementary : Las Palmitas Elementary Elementary : Mecca Elementary Elementary : Oasis Elementary Elementary : Saul Martinez Elementary Middle : Toro Canyon Middle

Desert Mirage High

Summary:

Desert Mirage High is a public high school located in Thermal, California, serving 2,018 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Coachella Valley Unified School District, which is ranked 1,332 out of 1,568 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Desert Mirage High has consistently ranked in the bottom half of California high schools, with a ranking between 1,215 and 1,742 out of over 2,000 schools in recent years. The school has a 1- or 2-star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating it is performing below average compared to other California high schools. It particularly struggles with its English Language Learner (ELL) and Migrant student populations, ranking in the top 50% and bottom 20% of California high schools, respectively. The school also has challenges with its Special Education and Low Socioeconomic Status (SES) student groups, ranking in the bottom 30-40% of California high schools.

The school's four-year graduation rate has fluctuated between 73.8% and 92.7% in recent years, with the most recent rate at 82.4%. Dropout rates have also been inconsistent, ranging from 0.6% to 14.7% over the past few years. Additionally, Desert Mirage High has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 20.8% in 2017-2018 to 51.3% in 2022-2023. The school's performance on standardized tests, such as the Smarter Balanced Assessments and CAST Science exams, is well below the state and district averages, with only 6-42% of students meeting or exceeding standards. In contrast, nearby Desert Sands Unified schools, such as Palm Desert High and La Quinta High, perform significantly better, ranking in the top 20% and top 30% of California high schools, respectively.

Detail:

Public 9-12

86150 Avenue 66
Thermal, CA 92274

(760) 397-2255

District: Coachella Valley Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
1521^st of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,675

Feeder schools for Desert Mirage High:

Elementary:	John Kelley Elementary
	Las Palmitas Elementary
	Mecca Elementary
	Oasis Elementary
	More...
	Saul Martinez Elementary
Middle:	Toro Canyon Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 19.9

Number of students: 1,974

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

98.6%

American Indian:

0.7%

Two or more races:

0.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 97.5%

See top rated California high schools

Compare Desert Mirage High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Desert Mirage High ranks worse than 65.5% of high schools in California. It also ranks first among 4 ranked high schools in the Coachella Valley Unified School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 26.29. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Desert Mirage High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (98.6%), American Indian (0.7%), two or more races (0.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 97.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Coachella Valley Unified School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Desert Mirage High is 19.9, which is the highest among 4 high schools in the Coachella Valley Unified School District! (See more...)

Compare Desert Mirage High employs 99 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Desert Mirage High is $12,675, which is the lowest among 4 high schools in the Coachella Valley Unified School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Desert Mirage High:

SchoolDigger ranks Desert Mirage High 1521^st of 2323 California public high schools. (See Desert Mirage High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Migrant students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

Coachella Valley Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Coachella Valley Unified 1332^nd of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

What do you think?

Your rating for Desert Mirage High?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Desert Mirage High

Compare

Rank History for all students at Desert Mirage High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	23.30	1137^th	1653	31.2%
2005	31.58	1006^th	1901	47.1%
2006	25.52	1235^th	1968	37.2%
2007	15.71	1685^th	2063	18.3%
2008	20.00	1545^th	2117	27.0%
2009	21.93	1747^th	2238	21.9%
2010	19.88	1619^th	2281	29.0%
2011	24.26	1488^th	2367	37.1%
2012	18.31	1682^nd	2354	28.5%
2013	18.20	1731^st	2426	28.6%
2015	27.68	1383^rd	1994	30.6%
2016	29.21	1373^rd	2039	32.7%
2017	33.95	1328^th	2021	34.3%
2018	39.83	1215^th	2017	39.8%
2019	35.90	1319^th	2133	38.2%
2021	39.24	776^th	1290	39.8%
2022	24.12	1556^th	2123	26.7%
2023	18.13	1742^nd	2348	25.8%
2024	26.29	1521^st	2323	34.5%

See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Desert Mirage High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	27.98	676^th	938	27.9%
2019	30.86	732^nd	941	22.2%
2021	54.78	147^th	467	68.5%
2022	35.57	651^st	1044	37.6%
2023	34.41	631^st	1323	52.3%
2024	40.90	441^st	1350	67.3%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Desert Mirage High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	22.46	1270^th	1547	17.9%
2024	25.26	1160^th	1534	24.4%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Desert Mirage High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	45.92	1058^th	1862	43.2%
2019	43.06	1102^nd	1937	43.1%
2021	46.87	596^th	1126	47.1%
2022	28.44	1392^nd	1943	28.4%
2023	21.24	1638^th	2247	27.1%
2024	30.64	1408^th	2235	37.0%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Migrant students at Desert Mirage High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	22.67	83^rd	89	6.7%
2024	34.47	73^rd	100	27.0%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Female students at Desert Mirage High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	36.69	1170^th	1760	33.5%
2019	34.20	1188^th	1833	35.2%
2021	34.97	705^th	1054	33.1%
2022	21.11	1468^th	1858	21.0%
2023	16.95	1665^th	2118	21.4%
2024	23.97	1496^th	2098	28.7%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Desert Mirage High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	30.64	688^th	1052	34.6%
2019	36.98	605^th	1117	45.8%
2021	20.11	511^th	555	7.9%
2022	29.76	831^st	1161	28.4%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Desert Mirage High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	37.66	1133^rd	1834	38.2%
2019	31.85	1244^th	1880	33.8%
2021	32.89	757^th	1122	32.5%
2022	23.78	1428^th	1916	25.5%
2023	17.56	1668^th	2207	24.4%
2024	26.44	1425^th	2172	34.4%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Desert Mirage High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	46.90	974^th	1742	44.1%
2019	42.77	1044^th	1814	42.4%
2022	28.85	1343^rd	1861	27.8%
2023	21.43	1572^nd	2142	26.6%
2024	31.38	1342^nd	2125	36.8%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: California Department of Education

We're sorry, but no reviews have been submitted for Desert Mirage High.

If you have first-hand knowledge about Desert Mirage High, submit a rating!

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Desert Mirage High

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2004	2	1	4	432	5	n/a	n/a	2	446
2005	4	2	10	831	5	n/a	n/a	4	856
2006	11	3	8	1233	5	n/a	n/a	5	1265
2007	13	5	9	1683	9	n/a	n/a	6	1725
2008	12	6	8	1754	6	n/a	n/a	0	1786
2009	11	6	3	1813	9	2	3	0	1847
2010	10	2	5	1852	10	0	2	0	1881
2011	7	2	7	1904	10	0	6	0	1936
2012	6	1	11	1894	10	0	11	0	1933
2013	7	1	8	1899	7	0	21	0	1943
2014	11	1	5	1904	13	0	24	0	1958
2015	14	2	5	1906	8	0	16	0	1951
2016	13	1	3	1895	10	0	15	0	1937
2017	9	4	2	1916	15	0	17	0	1963
2018	6	2	1	1981	20	0	20	0	2030
2019	6	2	1	1959	21	0	8	0	1997
2020	7	1	1	2017	18	0	7	0	2051
2021	6	1	1	2081	25	0	2	0	2116
2022	6	0	2	2076	15	0	2	0	2101
2023	5	0	1	1991	17	0	4	0	2018
2024	4	0	2	1947	13	0	7	1	1974

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Desert Mirage High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	446	21.0	21.2	85.8
2005	856	35.0	24.5	44.7
2006	1265	54.7	23.1	92.4
2007	1725	72.3	23.9	90.1
2008	1786	90.0	19.8	92.7
2009	1847	84.0	18.7	72.4
2010	1881	89.0	21.1	68.8
2011	1936	n/a	n/a	76.9
2012	1933	91.3	21.1	87.5
2013	1943	91.8	21.1	n/a
2014	1958	88.0	22.2	76.8
2015	1951	77.0	25.3	97
2016	1937	76.0	25.4	93
2017	1963	80.7	24.3	98
2018	2030	80.2	25.2	88
2019	1997	81.0	24.6	94.3
2020	2051	n/a	n/a	92.1
2021	2116	89.0	23.7	95.5
2022	2101	97.1	21.6	84.9
2023	2018	96.0	21.0	95.9
2024	1974	99.0	19.9	97.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Desert Mirage High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	446	21.0	21.2	85.8
2005	856	35.0	24.5	44.7
2006	1265	54.7	23.1	92.4
2007	1725	72.3	23.9	90.1
2008	1786	90.0	19.8	92.7
2009	1847	84.0	18.7	72.4
2010	1881	89.0	21.1	68.8
2011	1936	n/a	n/a	76.9
2012	1933	91.3	21.1	87.5
2013	1943	91.8	21.1	n/a
2014	1958	88.0	22.2	76.8
2015	1951	77.0	25.3	97
2016	1937	76.0	25.4	93
2017	1963	80.7	24.3	98
2018	2030	80.2	25.2	88
2019	1997	81.0	24.6	94.3
2020	2051	n/a	n/a	92.1
2021	2116	89.0	23.7	95.5
2022	2101	97.1	21.6	84.9
2023	2018	96.0	21.0	95.9
2024	1974	99.0	19.9	97.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Desert Mirage High

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$12,675

Data source: California Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Desert Mirage High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 1319^th of 2133 High schools	Ranks 1742^nd of 2348 High schools	12.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Desert Mirage High)	42.6	25.8	16.9%
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Coachella Valley Unified)	36.8	26.6	10.2%
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	57.3	55.4	1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Desert Mirage High)	15.5	3.6	11.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Coachella Valley Unified)	16.4	6.9	9.4%
11th Grade Mathematics (California)	32.2	27.4	4.9%
12th Grade Science (Desert Mirage High)	9.7	9.2	0.5%
12th Grade Science (Coachella Valley Unified)	9.8	9.6	0.2%
12th Grade Science (California)	25.6	26.9	1.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1997	2018	1.1%
African American	2	0	100%
American Indian	21	17	19%
Asian	1	1
Hispanic	1959	1991	1.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	6	5	16.7%
Two or More Races	8	4	50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	94.3%	95.9%	1.6%

Schools Near Desert Mirage High

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				CAST Science (2024)				Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2024)		Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2018)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 10th Grade	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science 12th Grade	CAST Science End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics End of Course	Total
Desert Mirage High	Public	9-12	86150 Avenue 66	Thermal	92274	Riverside County	Coachella Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 397-2255	1,974	99	19.9	97.5%	4 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1,947 (98.6%)	2 (0.1%)	13 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (0.4%)	26.3	1521^st of 2323 public high schools	34.5%		18.1	1742^nd of 2348 public high schools	25.8%	221		9.4	6.3	6.5	42.3	42.3	6.7	6.7	$12,675
La Familia Continuation High	Public	10-12	56-615 Olive St.	Thermal	92274	Riverside County	Coachella Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 399-5929	235	16	15.0	97.4%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	231 (98.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9	2093^rd of 2323 public high schools	9.9%		7.9	2202^nd of 2348 public high schools	6.2%	109			2.6	2.6	0.0	0.0	1.2	1.2	$20,612
Coachella Valley High	Public	9-12	83-800 Airport Blvd.	Thermal	92274	Riverside County	Coachella Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 399-5183	2,345	122	19.2	90.3%	11 (0.5%)	4 (0.2%)	2,314 (98.7%)	2 (0.1%)	5 (0.2%)	1 (0.0%)	5 (0.2%)	25.1	1550^th of 2323 public high schools	33.3%		23.4	1609^th of 2348 public high schools	31.5%	59		4.0	7.1	7.0	36.5	36.5	10.3	10.3	$13,320
NOVA Academy - Coachella	Public, Charter	9-12	52-780 Frederick St.	Coachella	92236	Riverside County	NOVA Academy - Coachella District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(714) 569-0948	230	11	20.6	88.7%	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	224 (97.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.3%)	44	1025^th of 2323 public high schools	55.9%		52.6	808^th of 2348 public high schools	65.6%	217	25.0	15.8	28.0	23.5	51.6	51.6	12.5	12.5
Indio High	Public	9-12	81-750 Avenue 46	Indio	92201	Riverside County	Desert Sands Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 775-3550	2,027	85	23.8	93.2%	50 (2.5%)	18 (0.9%)	1,909 (94.2%)	13 (0.6%)	6 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (1.5%)	26.4	1514^th of 2323 public high schools	34.8%		23.5	1602^nd of 2348 public high schools	31.8%	88		16.5	0.0	16.1	35.9	35.9	7.3	7.3	$8,860
Amistad High (Continuation)	Public	9-12	83-501 Dillon Ave.	Indio	92201	Riverside County	Desert Sands Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 775-3570	196	15	13.0	91.8%	4 (2.0%)	2 (1.0%)	183 (93.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.6%)	7.9	2181^st of 2323 public high schools	6.1%		8.9	2138^th of 2348 public high schools	8.9%	43		2.0	0.0	1.8	6.5	6.5	0.0	0.0	$19,790
Desert Sands A.T.L.A.S.	Public	12	83-391 Dillon Ave	Indio	92201	Riverside County	Desert Sands Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 775-3810	59	4	14.6	45.8%	9 (15.3%)	2 (3.4%)	44 (74.6%)	2 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (3.4%)								(n/a)
La Quinta High	Public	9-12	79-255 Blackhawk Way	La Quinta	92253	Riverside County	Desert Sands Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 772-4150	2,488	97	25.5	73.4%	411 (16.5%)	35 (1.4%)	1,882 (75.6%)	73 (2.9%)	5 (0.2%)	5 (0.2%)	77 (3.1%)	58.9	663^rd of 2323 public high schools	71.5%		65.3	555^th of 2348 public high schools	76.4%	108		27.9		28.0	64.9	64.9	23.7	23.7	$7,872
Summit High (Continuation)	Public	10-12	43-330 Palm Royale Dr.	La Quinta	92253	Riverside County	Desert Sands Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 238-9760	167	13	12.8	82.6%	28 (16.8%)	3 (1.8%)	125 (74.9%)	4 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (4.2%)	14.9	1814^th of 2323 public high schools	21.9%		14.3	1859^th of 2348 public high schools	20.8%	45		5.2		6.9	25.8	25.8	3.1	3.1	$11,758
Shadow Hills High	Public	9-12	39-225 Jefferson St.	Indio	92203	Riverside County	Desert Sands Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 393-5400	1,702	72	23.7	77.6%	144 (8.5%)	21 (1.2%)	1,450 (85.2%)	21 (1.2%)	5 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (3.6%)	40.6	1116^th of 2323 public high schools	52.0%		39.7	1149^th of 2348 public high schools	51.1%	33		23.4		23.4	47.6	47.6	12.9	12.9	$8,670

Desert Mirage High

Desert Mirage High:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Coachella Valley Unified:

What do you think?

Rank History for Desert Mirage High

Rank History for all students at Desert Mirage High

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Desert Mirage High

Rank History for Special Education students at Desert Mirage High

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Desert Mirage High

Rank History for Migrant students at Desert Mirage High

Rank History for Female students at Desert Mirage High

Rank History for Disabled students at Desert Mirage High

Rank History for Male students at Desert Mirage High

Rank History for Hispanic students at Desert Mirage High

Enrollment information for Desert Mirage High

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Desert Mirage High

Student/Teacher Ratio Desert Mirage High

Per Pupil Expenditures for Desert Mirage High

Impact of COVID-19 on Desert Mirage High

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Desert Mirage High

Frequently Asked Questions about Desert Mirage High

Rate Desert Mirage High!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Sign up for updates!