Desert Learning Academy

Summary:

Desert Learning Academy is an alternative public school located in Palm Springs, California, serving grades K-12 with a total enrollment of 436 students. The school is part of the Palm Springs Unified School District, which is ranked 1055 out of 1568 districts in California and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Desert Learning Academy has seen fluctuating graduation rates, ranging from 67.2% to 86.5% over the past five years, its most recent rate of 78.7% is still higher than the district's average of 49.28%. However, the school has experienced a significant increase in dropout rates, from 7.7% in 2019-2020 to 19.1% in the most recent year, which is notably higher than the district's average of 13.3%. Additionally, the school has seen a concerning trend of increasing chronic absenteeism, from 33.8% in 2017-2018 to 58.2% in 2020-2021, significantly higher than the district and state averages.

In terms of academic performance, Desert Learning Academy generally underperforms the Palm Springs Unified School District and the state in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. However, the school does outperform the district in some specific areas, such as 11th-grade ELA and 3rd-grade Math. The school's high concentration of economically disadvantaged students, with 95.95% to 96.48% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch over the past three years, likely plays a significant role in its academic challenges. In comparison, the nearby Horizon school, which is part of the Desert Sands Unified School District, generally outperforms Desert Learning Academy in terms of graduation rates, dropout rates, and test scores.


Detail:

Public, Alternative K-12

 2248 East Ramon Rd.
       Palm Springs, CA  92262-7917


(760) 778-0487

District: Palm Springs Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
4209th of 5,862 California Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,298 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  18.1 Help
Number of students:  378

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
70.1%
White:
16.4%
African American:
6.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  92.3% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Desert Learning Academy ranks worse than 71.8% of elementary schools in California. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 26.9. (See more...)
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Compare Details Desert Learning Academy ranks worse than 64.1% of middle schools in California. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 30.67. (See more...)
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Compare Details Desert Learning Academy ranks worse than 52.1% of high schools in California. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 37.04. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Desert Learning Academy who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
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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 (70.1%), White (16.4%), African American (6.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 92.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Desert Learning Academy is 18.1. (See more...)
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Compare Desert Learning Academy employs 20.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Desert Learning Academy is $17,298.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Desert Learning Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Desert Learning Academy 4209th of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Desert Learning Academy in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:

SchoolDigger ranks Desert Learning Academy 1780th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Desert Learning Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:

SchoolDigger ranks Desert Learning Academy 1210th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Desert Learning Academy in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Palm Springs Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Palm Springs Unified 1055th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Desert Learning Academy?

Rank History for Desert Learning Academy

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Desert Learning Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.10 3741st 5662 33.9%
2019 39.45 3227th 5789 44.3%
2022 35.53 3420th 5883 41.9%
2023 35.89 3442nd 5874 41.4%
2024 26.90 4209th 5862 28.2%
See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Desert Learning Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 52.47 2128th 5264 59.6%
2023 50.86 2309th 5374 57.0%
2024 35.19 3505th 5511 36.4%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Desert Learning Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 37.35 3170th 5635 43.7%
2023 34.34 3389th 5617 39.7%
2024 17.18 4939th 5605 11.9%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Desert Learning Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 34.87 3386th 5663 40.2%
2023 36.97 3267th 5650 42.2%
2024 34.45 3449th 5636 38.8%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Desert Learning Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 42.92 2669th 5084 47.5%
2023 46.14 2477th 5098 51.4%
2024 40.05 2957th 5102 42.0%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Hispanic Students!

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

Rank History for Desert Learning Academy

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Rank History for all middle school students at Desert Learning Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.99 2005th 2480 19.2%
2019 27.57 1890th 2715 30.4%
2022 22.94 2090th 2740 23.7%
2023 28.03 1904th 2802 32.0%
2024 30.67 1780th 2777 35.9%
See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school English Language Learner students at Desert Learning Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 40.88 728th 1540 52.7%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Desert Learning Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.81 1844th 2230 17.3%
2019 28.58 1746th 2369 26.3%
2022 30.55 1677th 2458 31.8%
2023 37.45 1447th 2549 43.2%
2024 39.62 1387th 2575 46.1%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Desert Learning Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 28.26 1675th 2380 29.6%
2022 22.95 1932nd 2509 23.0%
2023 26.41 1814th 2547 28.8%
2024 27.10 1797th 2546 29.4%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Desert Learning Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 12.09 2247th 2407 6.6%
2022 24.58 1862nd 2527 26.3%
2023 30.62 1641st 2558 35.8%
2024 36.34 1457th 2547 42.8%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Desert Learning Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 24.28 1736th 2213 21.6%
2022 26.08 1781st 2359 24.5%
2023 26.36 1789th 2391 25.2%
2024 39.66 1314th 2383 44.9%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Hispanic Students!

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

Rank History for Desert Learning Academy

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Rank History for all high school students at Desert Learning Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.85 1312th 2017 35.0%
2019 39.89 1211th 2133 43.2%
2021 34.81 841st 1290 34.8%
2022 47.54 983rd 2123 53.7%
2023 39.42 1162nd 2348 50.5%
2024 37.04 1210th 2323 47.9%
See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for high school English Language Learner students at Desert Learning Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 86.69 39th 1044 96.3%
2023 26.20 979th 1323 26.0%
2024 37.02 566th 1350 58.1%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for high school Special Education students at Desert Learning Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 59.23 332nd 1547 78.5%
2024 77.14 142nd 1534 90.7%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Desert Learning Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.06 1206th 1862 35.2%
2019 53.42 839th 1937 56.7%
2021 45.22 617th 1126 45.2%
2022 57.65 681st 1943 65.0%
2023 50.23 874th 2247 61.1%
2024 42.89 1050th 2235 53.0%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for high school Female students at Desert Learning Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.69 1210th 1760 31.3%
2019 30.95 1254th 1833 31.6%
2021 39.09 639th 1054 39.4%
2022 39.72 1060th 1858 42.9%
2023 33.96 1252nd 2118 40.9%
2024 32.91 1278th 2098 39.1%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for high school Male students at Desert Learning Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.13 1229th 1834 33.0%
2019 52.67 802nd 1880 57.3%
2021 24.29 865th 1122 22.9%
2022 51.05 806th 1916 57.9%
2023 43.45 964th 2207 56.3%
2024 39.30 1067th 2172 50.9%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for high school African American students at Desert Learning Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 29.66 371st 522 28.9%
2023 28.59 504th 720 30.0%
2024 29.16 515th 721 28.6%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for high school Hispanic students at Desert Learning Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.31 1253rd 1742 28.1%
2019 48.78 908th 1814 49.9%
2022 62.44 565th 1861 69.6%
2023 42.76 1037th 2142 51.6%
2024 46.11 939th 2125 55.8%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for high school White students at Desert Learning Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 31.01 861st 1222 29.5%
2022 27.19 885th 1204 26.5%
2023 38.39 783rd 1434 45.4%
2024 25.71 980th 1406 30.3%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative 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 Learning 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:
No reviews have been submitted!


Enrollment information for Desert Learning Academy

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2017 36 11 1 79 3 0 3 0 133
2018 48 14 3 123 2 1 6 0 197
2019 56 15 2 130 1 2 12 0 218
2020 60 16 2 127 2 1 7 0 215
2021 49 12 2 169 4 1 10 0 247
2022 104 66 24 598 7 1 23 0 823
2023 79 34 11 292 4 1 14 1 436
2024 62 25 8 265 4 1 11 2 378

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 Learning Academy

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2017 133 9.2 14.4 63.9
2018 197 13.3 14.8 74.6
2019 218 12.6 17.1 70.6
2020 215 n/a n/a 70.2
2021 247 10.0 24.6 96
2022 823 24.6 33.4 96.5
2023 436 16.0 27.2 96.1
2024 378 20.8 18.1 92.3

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 Learning Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2017 133 9.2 14.4 63.9
2018 197 13.3 14.8 74.6
2019 218 12.6 17.1 70.6
2020 215 n/a n/a 70.2
2021 247 10.0 24.6 96
2022 823 24.6 33.4 96.5
2023 436 16.0 27.2 96.1
2024 378 20.8 18.1 92.3

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 Learning Academy

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $17,298

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Desert Learning 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 3227th of 5789 Elementary schoolsRanks 3442nd of 5874 Elementary schools
 2.9%
Ranks 1890th of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 1904th of 2802 Middle schools
 1.7%
Ranks 1211th of 2133 High schoolsRanks 1162nd of 2348 High schools
 7.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Desert Learning Academy)18.255.2
 37%
   5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Palm Springs Unified)42.938.2
 4.7%
   5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.746.7
 5%
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Desert Learning Academy)63.611.1
 52.5%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Palm Springs Unified)40.230.9
 9.2%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.544.2
 4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Desert Learning Academy)27.310.7
 16.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Palm Springs Unified)27.220
 7.2%
   6th Grade Mathematics (California)38.533.2
 5.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Desert Learning Academy)5031.4
 18.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Palm Springs Unified)40.934.3
 6.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Desert Learning Academy)17.716.7
 1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Palm Springs Unified)25.921
 4.9%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Desert Learning Academy)31.334
 2.8%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Palm Springs Unified)36.432.3
 4.1%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Desert Learning Academy)12.515.6
 3.1%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Palm Springs Unified)19.115.1
 4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Desert Learning Academy)15.627.1
 11.5%
   8th Grade Science (Palm Springs Unified)19.416.5
 2.9%
   8th Grade Science (California)30.828.8
 2.1%
10th Grade Science (Desert Learning Academy)18.835.3
 16.5%
   10th Grade Science (Palm Springs Unified)18.835.3
 16.5%
   10th Grade Science (California)23.224.1
 0.9%
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Desert Learning Academy)4850
 2%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Palm Springs Unified)48.747.2
 1.5%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Desert Learning Academy)14.38.3
 6%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Palm Springs Unified)21.317.9
 3.5%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
12th Grade Science (Desert Learning Academy)4.415.9
 11.6%
   12th Grade Science (Palm Springs Unified)15.717.1
 1.5%
   12th Grade Science (California)25.626.9
 1.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students218436
 100%
African American1534
 126.7%
American Indian14
 300%
Asian211
 450%
Hispanic130292
 124.6%
Pacific Islander21
 50%
White5679
 41.1%
Two or More Races1214
 16.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients70.6%96.1%
 25.5%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Desert Learning Academy

Desert Learning Academy ranks 4209th of 5862 California alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

In the 2023-24 school year, 378 students attended Desert Learning Academy.

Students at Desert Learning Academy are 70% Hispanic, 16% White, 7% African American, 3% Two or more races, 2% Asian, 1% American Indian.


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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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