Desert Ridge Academy

Summary:

Desert Ridge Academy is a public middle school located in Indio, California, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 1,030 students. The school is part of the Desert Sands Unified School District, which is ranked 1011 out of 1568 districts in California and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Desert Ridge Academy faces several challenges, including high chronic absenteeism rates, low academic performance, and struggles in supporting the needs of various student subgroups. The school's chronic absenteeism rate has risen significantly, from 9.2% in 2017-2018 to 31.8% in 2022-2023, which is notably higher than the state average of 12.1%. Academically, Desert Ridge Academy consistently underperforms compared to the Desert Sands Unified School District and the state of California in Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics. For example, in 2023-2024, only 24.9% of Desert Ridge Academy students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 39.07% for the district and 47.04% for the state. The school also struggles to support the academic achievement of Hispanic, English Language Learner, Special Education, and Low Socioeconomic Status students, ranking in the bottom 25% of California middle schools for these subgroups.

When comparing Desert Ridge Academy to other middle schools in the area, it becomes clear that the school is underperforming. For instance, Palm Desert Charter Middle, which is also in the Desert Sands Unified School District, outperforms Desert Ridge Academy by a significant margin in both ELA and Mathematics proficiency rates. The high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch at Desert Ridge Academy, reaching 80.97% in 2022-2023, suggests that the school serves a community with significant socioeconomic challenges, which may contribute to the academic struggles observed. Despite these challenges, the data indicates that there is room for improvement, and with the right strategies and resources, Desert Ridge Academy could potentially enhance student outcomes.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 79-767 Avenue 39
       Indio, CA  92203-9647


(760) 393-5500

District: Desert Sands Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
2273rd of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,283 Help


Students who attend Desert Ridge Academy usually attend:

High:    Shadow Hills High

Feeder schools for Desert Ridge Academy:

Elementary:    Andrew Jackson Elementary
    Richard R. Oliphant Elementary
    Ronald Reagan Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  22.8 Help
Number of students:  1,018

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
84.6%
White:
7.9%
Two or more races:
4.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  81.4% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Desert Ridge Academy ranks worse than 81.9% of middle schools in California. It also ranks 5th among 7 ranked middle schools in the Desert Sands Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 19.57. (See more...)
Help
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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (84.6%), White (7.9%), two or more races (4.2%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 81.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Desert Ridge Academy is 22.8. 3 middle schools in the Desert Sands Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Desert Ridge Academy employs 44.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Desert Ridge Academy is $7,283, which is the lowest among 7 middle schools in the Desert Sands Unified School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Desert Ridge Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Desert Ridge Academy 2273rd of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Desert Ridge Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Desert Sands Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Desert Sands Unified 1011th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Desert Ridge Academy

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Desert Ridge Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2010 34.94 1444th 2179 33.7%
2011 51.53 1055th 2236 52.8%
2012 66.64 658th 2259 70.9%
2013 59.20 916th 2379 61.5%
2015 46.66 1179th 2477 52.4%
2016 49.42 1124th 2497 55.0%
2017 43.46 1295th 2508 48.4%
2018 32.26 1600th 2480 35.5%
2019 31.76 1723rd 2715 36.5%
2022 20.25 2211th 2740 19.3%
2023 23.49 2126th 2802 24.1%
2024 19.57 2273rd 2777 18.1%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Desert Ridge Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 9.09 614th 678 9.4%
2024 10.36 637th 699 8.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Desert Ridge Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.46 604th 1364 55.7%
2019 43.27 579th 1442 59.8%
2022 32.22 1133rd 1540 26.4%
2023 39.22 808th 1529 47.2%
2024 29.02 1280th 1477 13.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Desert Ridge Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 21.27 1418th 1538 7.8%
2024 21.26 1422nd 1550 8.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Desert Ridge Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.79 1630th 2230 26.9%
2019 31.84 1608th 2369 32.1%
2022 21.46 2046th 2458 16.8%
2023 24.19 2004th 2549 21.4%
2024 21.69 2111th 2575 18.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Desert Ridge Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.16 1531st 2262 32.3%
2019 29.99 1625th 2380 31.7%
2022 20.23 2063rd 2509 17.8%
2023 23.10 1968th 2547 22.7%
2024 18.05 2178th 2546 14.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Desert Ridge Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.47 750th 1369 45.2%
2019 32.07 968th 1491 35.1%
2022 23.19 1329th 1531 13.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Desert Ridge Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.40 1455th 2273 36.0%
2019 32.18 1543rd 2407 35.9%
2022 20.85 2012th 2527 20.4%
2023 23.73 1933rd 2558 24.4%
2024 21.32 2030th 2547 20.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Desert Ridge Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.12 1232nd 2072 40.5%
2019 37.99 1312th 2213 40.7%
2022 22.06 1936th 2359 17.9%
2023 28.20 1715th 2391 28.3%
2024 23.33 1881st 2383 21.1%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Desert Ridge Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.49 754th 1496 49.6%
2019 47.17 837th 1602 47.8%
2022 44.30 840th 1555 46.0%
2023 28.58 1104th 1552 28.9%
2024 19.21 1262nd 1535 17.8%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for White 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.

Desert Ridge Academy Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: California Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Desert Ridge Academy

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2010 82 20 12 618 4 0 5 0 741
2011 97 17 11 794 2 0 5 0 926
2012 114 16 13 919 1 0 5 0 1068
2013 118 10 12 932 1 0 6 0 1079
2014 129 13 12 966 2 0 5 0 1127
2015 156 13 14 1050 0 0 16 0 1249
2016 161 16 14 1101 4 1 21 0 1318
2017 167 14 12 1145 3 0 35 0 1376
2018 154 16 9 1159 5 0 64 0 1407
2019 132 14 8 1146 5 1 71 0 1377
2020 110 10 7 1016 1 0 56 0 1200
2021 80 8 9 926 2 0 34 0 1059
2022 69 8 13 879 1 0 28 0 998
2023 74 12 13 892 3 1 34 1 1030
2024 80 17 11 861 3 2 43 1 1018

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 Ridge Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2010 741 35.0 21.1 66.4
2011 926 n/a n/a 75.8
2012 1068 38.0 28.1 n/a
2013 1079 37.6 28.6 80.2
2014 1127 37.7 29.8 74
2015 1249 44.0 28.3 78.8
2016 1318 47.0 28.0 73.9
2017 1376 50.0 27.5 73
2018 1407 49.1 28.6 71.1
2019 1377 50.9 27.0 71
2020 1200 n/a n/a 74.3
2021 1059 38.0 27.8 75.4
2022 998 39.0 25.5 81.1
2023 1030 40.3 25.5 81
2024 1018 44.5 22.8 81.4

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 Ridge Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2010 741 35.0 21.1 66.4
2011 926 n/a n/a 75.8
2012 1068 38.0 28.1 n/a
2013 1079 37.6 28.6 80.2
2014 1127 37.7 29.8 74
2015 1249 44.0 28.3 78.8
2016 1318 47.0 28.0 73.9
2017 1376 50.0 27.5 73
2018 1407 49.1 28.6 71.1
2019 1377 50.9 27.0 71
2020 1200 n/a n/a 74.3
2021 1059 38.0 27.8 75.4
2022 998 39.0 25.5 81.1
2023 1030 40.3 25.5 81
2024 1018 44.5 22.8 81.4

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 Ridge Academy

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $7,283

Data source: California Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Desert Ridge Academy

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 1723rd of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 2126th of 2802 Middle schools
 12.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Desert Ridge Academy)36.528.4
 8.1%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Desert Sands Unified)42.632.6
 9.9%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.544.2
 4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Desert Ridge Academy)28.717.2
 11.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Desert Sands Unified)32.523.5
 9%
   6th Grade Mathematics (California)38.533.2
 5.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Desert Ridge Academy)39.827
 12.8%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Desert Sands Unified)46.241.4
 4.8%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Desert Ridge Academy)23.411.2
 12.2%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Desert Sands Unified)29.424
 5.4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Desert Ridge Academy)42.230.6
 11.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Desert Sands Unified)46.235.7
 10.5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Desert Ridge Academy)24.413.2
 11.2%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Desert Sands Unified)28.221.4
 6.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Desert Ridge Academy)17.218.6
 1.4%
   8th Grade Science (Desert Sands Unified)22.822.7
 0.1%
   8th Grade Science (California)30.828.8
 2.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students13771030
 25.2%
African American1412
 14.3%
American Indian53
 40%
Asian813
 62.5%
Hispanic1146892
 22.2%
Pacific Islander11
White13274
 43.9%
Two or More Races7134
 52.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients71%81%
 9.9%


Schools Near Desert Ridge Academy









Frequently Asked Questions about Desert Ridge Academy

Desert Ridge Academy ranks in the bottom 18.1% of California middle schools.

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,018 students attended Desert Ridge Academy.

Students who attend Desert Ridge Academy usually go on to attend Shadow Hills High

Students at Desert Ridge Academy are 85% Hispanic, 8% White, 4% Two or more races, 2% African American, 1% Asian.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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