Desert Skies Middle School

Summary:

Desert Skies Middle School is a public middle school located in Sun Valley, Nevada, serving 978 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Washoe County School District, which is ranked 5th out of 13 districts in Nevada and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite the school's high per-student spending of $10,331 and a student-teacher ratio of 21.2, Desert Skies Middle School consistently ranks in the bottom quarter of Nevada middle schools, receiving 0 out of 5 stars from SchoolDigger. The school's proficiency rates in SBAC Mathematics, Reading, and Science are significantly lower than the Washoe County and Nevada state averages across all grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 8.9% of Desert Skies students were proficient or better in SBAC Mathematics, compared to 33.9% in Washoe County and 32.6% in Nevada.

Interestingly, some of the nearby schools, such as Archie Clayton Pre-A.P. Academy and Coral Academy Middle School, are magnet or charter schools that outperform Desert Skies Middle School and the Washoe County and Nevada averages in SBAC proficiency rates. Additionally, other nearby schools, like Yvonne Shaw Middle School and Sky Ranch Middle School, have lower percentages of free and reduced-price lunch recipients, indicating a more diverse socioeconomic makeup compared to Desert Skies Middle School's predominantly low-income student population.

Detail:

Public 6-8

7550 Donatello Dr
Sun Valley, NV 89433

(775) 674-4915

District: Washoe County

SchoolDigger Rank:
139^th of 153 Nevada Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,331

Student/teacher ratio: 20.8

Number of students: 918

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

73.0%

White:

19.4%

Two or more races:

3.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Desert Skies Middle School ranks worse than 90.8% of middle schools in Nevada. It also ranks 17^th among 18 ranked middle schools in the Washoe County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 11.2. (See more...)

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 (73%), White (19.4%), two or more races (3.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Desert Skies Middle School is 20.8, which is the 5^th best among 18 middle schools in the Washoe County School District. (See more...)

Compare Desert Skies Middle School employs 44 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Desert Skies Middle School is $10,331, which is the 6^th highest among 18 middle schools in the Washoe County School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Desert Skies Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Desert Skies Middle School 139^th of 153 Nevada public middle schools. (See Desert Skies Middle School in the ranking list.)

Washoe County:

SchoolDigger ranks Washoe County 5^th of 13 Nevada school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Desert Skies Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NV State Percentile
2021	11.67	130^th	145	10.3%
2022	11.19	138^th	151	8.6%
2023	9.29	146^th	152	3.9%
2024	11.20	139^th	153	9.2%

See the entire list of Nevada Middle School Rankings!

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

Data source: Nevada Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Desert Skies Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2020	203	11	8	771	9	7	41	1050
2021	218	18	6	775	12	9	36	1074
2022	200	15	4	743	14	12	37	1025
2023	185	16	5	716	9	8	39	978
2024	178	11	6	670	9	11	33	918

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 Skies Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2020	1050	55.0	19.0	99.7
2021	1074	53.0	20.2	100
2022	1025	n/a	n/a	100
2023	978	46.0	21.2	100
2024	918	44.0	20.8	100

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 Skies Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2020	1050	55.0	19.0	99.7
2021	1074	53.0	20.2	100
2022	1025	n/a	n/a	100
2023	978	46.0	21.2	100
2024	918	44.0	20.8	100

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 Skies Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2020	$618 (7.3%)	$7,905 (92.7%)	$8,523
2021	$1,007 (11.2%)	$8,011 (88.8%)	$9,018
2022	$1,320 (12.8%)	$9,011 (87.2%)	$10,331

Data source: Nevada Department of Education

Schools Near Desert Skies Middle School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SBAC Mathematics (2024)					SBAC Reading (2024)					SBAC Science (2024)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
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	SBAC Mathematics 5th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 6th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 7th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 8th Grade	SBAC Mathematics All Grades	SBAC Reading 5th Grade	SBAC Reading 6th Grade	SBAC Reading 7th Grade	SBAC Reading 8th Grade	SBAC Reading All Grades	SBAC Science 5th Grade	SBAC Science 8th Grade	SBAC Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Desert Skies Middle School	Public	6-8	7550 Donatello Dr	Sun Valley	89433	Washoe County	Washoe County	No	No	No	Yes	(775) 674-4915	918	44	20.8	100.0%	178 (19.4%)	11 (1.2%)	670 (73.0%)	6 (0.7%)	9 (1.0%)	11 (1.2%)	33 (3.6%)	11.2	139^th of 153 public middle schools	9.2%		9.3	146^th of 152 public middle schools	3.9%	7		6.9	13.6	6.0	8.9		11.3	22.4	18.6	17.6		21.4	21.4	$10,331	$1,320	$9,011
Sky Ranch Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	1200 Windmill Farms	Sparks	89436	Washoe County	Washoe County	No	Yes	No	No	(775) 626-0060	1,339	52	25.7	20.5%	715 (53.4%)	31 (2.3%)	406 (30.3%)	65 (4.9%)	9 (0.7%)	12 (0.9%)	100 (7.5%)	76.8	38^th of 153 public middle schools	75.2%		80.5	31^st of 152 public middle schools	79.6%	7		46.5	49.6	33.5	43.2		56.8	59.5	49.9	55.3		53.1	53.1	$8,727	$534	$8,192
Yvonne Shaw Middle School	Public	6-8	600 Eagle Canyon Dr	Sparks	89441	Washoe County	Washoe County	No	No	No	No	(775) 425-7777	745	35	21.2	19.9%	482 (64.7%)	11 (1.5%)	161 (21.6%)	9 (1.2%)	28 (3.8%)	2 (0.3%)	52 (7.0%)	68.3	51^st of 153 public middle schools	66.7%		70.1	48^th of 152 public middle schools	68.4%	3		41.5	38.6	39.4	39.9		52.3	40.1	52.6	48.4		50.9	50.9	$9,533	$893	$8,640
Sparks Middle School	Public	6-8	2275 18th Street	Sparks	89431	Washoe County	Washoe County	No	No	No	Yes	(775) 353-5770	606	31	19.5	100.0%	64 (10.6%)	19 (3.1%)	473 (78.1%)	16 (2.6%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (2.6%)	17 (2.8%)	11.9	134^th of 153 public middle schools	12.4%		6.1	152^nd of 152 public middle schools	0.0%	18		13.6	12.8	8.2	11.4		16.2	15.8	18.6	16.9		20.2	20.2	$10,374	$1,504	$8,870
George L. Dilworth S.T.E.M Academy	Public	6-8	255 Prater Way	Sparks	89431	Washoe County	Washoe County	No	No	No	Yes	(775) 353-5740	598	34	17.5	100.0%	102 (17.1%)	34 (5.7%)	402 (67.2%)	8 (1.3%)	3 (0.5%)	13 (2.2%)	35 (5.9%)	13.6	129^th of 153 public middle schools	15.7%		18.2	122^nd of 152 public middle schools	19.7%	7		11.2	12.2	10.8	11.4		13.2	17.4	20.3	17.0		27.4	27.4	$10,545	$1,415	$9,131
Lou Mendive Middle School	Public	6-8	1900 Whitewood Drive	Sparks	89434	Washoe County	Washoe County	No	No	No	No	(775) 353-5990	902	38	23.7	34.9%	352 (39.0%)	23 (2.5%)	383 (42.5%)	30 (3.3%)	20 (2.2%)	27 (3.0%)	67 (7.4%)	36.5	86^th of 153 public middle schools	43.8%		35.4	88^th of 152 public middle schools	42.1%	2		17.2	21.9	22.4	20.4		29.7	35.9	40.7	35.2		43.6	43.6	$8,827	$532	$8,295
Fred W. Traner Middle School	Public	6-8	1700 Carville Drive	Reno	89512	Washoe County	Washoe County	No	No	No	Yes	(775) 333-5130	574	31	18.5	100.0%	67 (11.7%)	34 (5.9%)	396 (69.0%)	29 (5.1%)	3 (0.5%)	22 (3.8%)	22 (3.8%)	5.9	153^rd of 153 public middle schools	0.0%		6.5	151^st of 152 public middle schools	0.7%	2				6.5	5.1		7.4	11.3	14.0	10.7		11.7	11.7	$10,783	$1,522	$9,261
Coral Academy Middle School	Public, Charter	5-8	1350 E. Ninth St	Reno	89512	Washoe County	Washoe County	Yes	No	No	No	(775) 323-2332	575	1	575.0		201 (35.0%)	21 (3.7%)	226 (39.3%)	75 (13.0%)	3 (0.5%)	6 (1.0%)	43 (7.5%)	71.4	46^th of 153 public middle schools	69.9%		72.5	44^th of 152 public middle schools	71.1%	2	42.3	42.2	29.5	38.0	37.9	46.4	52.1	50.0	59.7	52.5	12.4	58.7	39.6	$4,587	$194	$4,393
William Obrien Middle School	Public	6-8	5000 Silver Lake Rd	Reno	89506	Washoe County	Washoe County	No	No	No	Yes	(775) 677-5420	1,056	51	20.9	100.0%	260 (24.6%)	41 (3.9%)	611 (57.9%)	31 (2.9%)	3 (0.3%)	47 (4.5%)	63 (6.0%)	11.6	136^th of 153 public middle schools	11.1%		10.4	139^th of 152 public middle schools	8.6%	3		10.2	10.7	5.7	8.8		18.9	21.5	16.8	19.1		21.8	21.8	$8,735	$920	$7,815
Archie Clayton Pre-A.P. Academy	Public, Magnet	6-8	1295 Wyoming Avenue	Reno	89503	Washoe County	Washoe County	No	Yes	No	No	(775) 746-5860	695	29	23.9	100.0%	281 (40.4%)	32 (4.6%)	265 (38.1%)	37 (5.3%)	9 (1.3%)	10 (1.4%)	61 (8.8%)	46.4	74^th of 153 public middle schools	51.6%		43.3	79^th of 152 public middle schools	48.0%	5		25.3	32.9	23.9	27.2		34.9	40.1	44.3	39.7		42.2	42.2	$10,115	$652	$9,463

Frequently Asked Questions about Desert Skies Middle School

How many students attend Desert Skies Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 918 students attended Desert Skies Middle School.

Is Desert Skies Middle School a good school?

Desert Skies Middle School ranks in the bottom 9.2% of Nevada middle schools.

What is the racial makeup of Desert Skies Middle School?

Students at Desert Skies Middle School are 73% Hispanic, 19% White, 4% Two or more races, 1% African American, 1% Pacific Islander.

What district is Desert Skies Middle School in?

Washoe County

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