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Public high school · Scottsdale Unified District (4240) · Scottsdale, Arizona

Desert Mountain High School

Desert Mountain High School rates 7.6, right at the middle of Scottsdale Unified District (4240)'s high schools, whose rated median is 7.3.

High schools, 1 to 10This campus against public high schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
7.6this school

7.6 on a one-to-ten scale; the Scottsdale Unified District (4240) median is 7.3.

#483 of 2,019 schools in Arizona · Scottsdale Unified District (4240): 5 high schools rated, median 7.3

The brief

A Scottsdale Unified District (4240) high school where students score 79 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 483 of 2,019 schools in Arizona and 17 of 30 in Scottsdale Unified District (4240).

Desert Mountain High School is listed in Scottsdale Unified District (4240), and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math81%429 students tested · state average not published · 2022 EdFacts
Reading77%429 students tested · state average not published · 2022 EdFacts
Proficiency declined earlier in the 14-year record (2009–2022), then recovered 7 points since 2019, reaching 79% in 2022.2022 EdFacts; 28 test records from AZ state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
5.3
25% of the rating
Academics
9.9
25% of the rating
College Readiness
8.7
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
5.7
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2024

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 73% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 73% (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 85259; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Desert Mountain High School and the 20 nearest high schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$145,574
Median home value
$956,300
Median rent
$1,769/mo
College educated
68.6%
Homeownership
77.5%
Poverty rate
3.9%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 85259; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
6
Car-Dependent
Transit Score
0
Minimal Transit
Bike Score
31
Somewhat Bikeable
City reported crime
1,907/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Scottsdale. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Scottsdale), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

AP and IB
4 AP courses · IB Programme
19.3% participation · state average 2.8 AP courses · 297 IB enrolled · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics
1 sport
0 boys' · 1 girls' · 37 teams (incl. JV) · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM courses
5 of 5
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. Basis Scottsdale0.5 mi · charter
    8.7Compare →
  2. Desert Mountain High Schoolthis school
    7.6
  3. 6.5Compare →
  4. 5.4Compare →
Three grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and one rates higher than Desert Mountain High School.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

The public record

What's said publicly about Desert Mountain High School

Sources:School's websiteWikipediaWayback Machine

Synthesized from public, attributable sources. Updated May 2026.Reviewed for accuracy.

Desert Mountain High School is a public high school located in northeast Scottsdale, Arizona, operating within the Scottsdale Unified School District. It opened in the fall of 1995 and is the newest of five high schools in the district 3. The school marked its 30th year during the 2024-25 school year 2. Facilities include four computer labs, a media studio, a theater, a college/career center, yearbook and newspaper production labs, a child development department, and off-campus medical education facilities 3. The school also features a business-regulated curriculum and extensive athletic facilities 3. In partnership with HonorHealth Sports Medicine and the Scottsdale Charros Foundation, the school received a new automated external defibrillator to support student safety at athletic events 1. The district is launching strategic action teams, including the SPARK Team, to strengthen signature programs such as IB, AVID, and Dual Language Immersion 1.
Sources (3)
  1. desertmountain.susd.org
  2. web.archive.org
  3. en.wikipedia.org
Generated by AI from public sources. Every claim is grounded in a cited source.Report inaccuracy

Questions families ask

What grades does Desert Mountain High School serve?

Desert Mountain High School serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Desert Mountain High School?

Desert Mountain High School has an enrollment of approximately 1,940 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Mountain High School?

The student-teacher ratio at Desert Mountain High School is 20.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Desert Mountain High School rank in AZ?

Desert Mountain High School ranks #483 of 2,019 schools in AZ.

What is Desert Mountain High School's MySchoolScout rating?

Desert Mountain High School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.6 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Desert Mountain High School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Desert Mountain High School has 73% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 73% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Desert Mountain High School a charter school?

No, Desert Mountain High School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Desert Mountain High School a Title I school?

No, Desert Mountain High School is not currently a Title I school.

School facts

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
1,940
Student-teacher ratio
20.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
93
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Midsize City
County
Maricopa County
4-year graduation
94.0%
Class of 2023
Rank in district
#17 of 30
Schools in district
30
District spending per student
$11,306
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
5.6%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 85259)
22,156
Area average commute
24.7 min
Area median age
52

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Arizona Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.