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Below Average

#7584 of 9,539 schools in CA

Desert Springs Middle

Middle School · Palm Springs Unified · Desert Hot Springs, CA

A Palm Springs Unified middle school serving grades 6th – 8th.

66-755 Two Bunch Palms Trail, Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240

  • Math 12% vs CA 34% (2024)
  • Reading 22% vs CA 47% (2024)
  • 22.4:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.8Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change-1.52 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics4.3Below Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency12.4% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency21.6% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-22 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-24.3 pts
Overall Proficiency17% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)20% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-2.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile24th
Resources & Environment3.7Needs Improvement25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio22.4:1
District spending per student$20,811
Chronic Absenteeism56.4%

Students at Desert Springs Middle score 17% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 20%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency12%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
34%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency22%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
47%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 9 points since 2018, to 17% in 2024, across a 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 13 years
2009
Math
31%
ELA
31%
2010
Math
28%
ELA
34%
2011
Math
31%
ELA
32%
2012
Math
36%
ELA
34%
2013
Math
90%
ELA
90%
2014
Math
11%
ELA
21%
2015
Math
10%
ELA
30%
2016
Math
13%
ELA
29%
2017
Math
15%
ELA
28%
2018
Math
18%
ELA
33%
2019
Math
18%
ELA
33%
2022
Math
14%
ELA
27%
2024
Math
12%
ELA
22%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 23% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 32% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 32 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

96.9%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Desert Springs Middle sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 59Somewhat Walkable
  • Transit 33Some Transit
  • Bike 44Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High1,698/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Desert Hot Springs), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$51,284

Median home value

$294,200

Median rent

$1,367/mo

College educated

15.3%

Homeownership

55.7%

Poverty rate

18.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 92240; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Painted Hills MiddleEnrollment path unverified6.06–82.7 mi744Compare →
Desert Learning AcademyEnrollment path unverified7.1K–12Not available378Compare →
James Workman MiddleEnrollment path unverified5.96–8Not available1,027Compare →
Nellie N. Coffman MiddleEnrollment path unverified6.36–8Not available928Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Palm Springs Unified

Schools in district
28
Rank in district
#23 of 27
District spending per student
$20,811NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
13.8%Census SAIPE · 2024

Desert Springs Middle is listed in Palm Springs Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Desert Springs Middle

Desert Springs Middle is a public middle school in Desert Hot Springs, CA, part of Palm Springs Unified, serving approximately 740 students in grades 6th-8th with a 22.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.8 out of 10 and ranks #7,584 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 23% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 32% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Desert Springs Middle

What grades does Desert Springs Middle serve?

Desert Springs Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Desert Springs Middle?

Desert Springs Middle has an enrollment of approximately 740 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Springs Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Desert Springs Middle is 22.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Desert Springs Middle rank in CA?

Desert Springs Middle ranks #7,584 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Desert Springs Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Desert Springs Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.8 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 Springs Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Desert Springs Middle has 23% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 32% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Desert Springs Middle a charter school?

No, Desert Springs Middle is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Desert Springs Middle a Title I school?

No, Desert Springs Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Desert Springs Middle?

96.9% of students at Desert Springs Middle qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
740
Student-Teacher Ratio
22.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
33
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Town
County
Riverside County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
56.4%
Area population (ZIP 92240)
40,918
Area average commute
29.1 min
Area median age
35.6
About this school's data

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

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 · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • 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 92240; 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, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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