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#7094 of 9,539 schools in CA

Gerald R. Ford Elementary

Elementary School · Desert Sands Unified · Indian Wells, CA

A Desert Sands Unified elementary school where students score 21 points above what's typical for similar communities.

44-210 Warner Trail, Indian Wells, CA 92210

  • Math 56% vs CA 39% (2024)
  • Reading 63% vs CA 45% (2024)
  • 24.6:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress3.1Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-2.33 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics9.2Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency56.5% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency63.6% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg+10.8 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+20.8 pts
Overall Proficiency60% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)39% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected+21.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile88th
Resources & Environment4.2Below Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio24.6:1
District spending per student$17,070
Chronic Absenteeism27.6%

Students at Gerald R. Ford Elementary score 60% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 39%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency56%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
39%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency63%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
45%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 35 points since 2020, reaching 60% in 2024.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
84%
ELA
70%
2010
Math
86%
ELA
75%
2011
Math
85%
ELA
80%
2012
Math
86%
ELA
76%
2014
Math
57%
ELA
63%
2015
Math
54%
ELA
60%
2016
Math
55%
ELA
60%
2017
Math
59%
ELA
67%
2018
Math
61%
ELA
69%
2019
Math
61%
ELA
69%
2020*
Math
25%
ELA
25%
2021*
Math
25%
ELA
25%
2022
Math
47%
ELA
56%
2024
Math
56%
ELA
63%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 59% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 62% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 34 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

63.6%

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 Gerald R. Ford Elementary 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 23Car-Dependent
  • Bike 27Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High1,616/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Indian Wells), 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

$145,313

Median home value

$1,002,200

Median rent

$1,029/mo

College educated

59.3%

Homeownership

77.3%

Poverty rate

3.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 92210; 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
HorizonEnrollment path unverified6.6K–120.8 mi356Compare →
Palm Desert Learning Tree CenterPrivate · tuitionNot ratedK–60.8 mi90Compare →
Palm Desert Learning Tree CenterPrivate · tuition5.4privatePK–50.8 mi130Compare →
James Monroe ElementaryEnrollment path unverified8.1K–51.3 mi537Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Desert Sands Unified

Schools in district
35
Rank in district
#14 of 33
District spending per student
$17,070NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
10.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

Gerald R. Ford Elementary is listed in Desert Sands Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Gerald R. Ford Elementary

Gerald R. Ford Elementary is a public elementary school in Indian Wells, CA, part of Desert Sands Unified, serving approximately 615 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 24.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.1 out of 10 and ranks #7,094 of 9,539 schools in CA.

State assessment records show 59% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 62% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Gerald R. Ford Elementary

What grades does Gerald R. Ford Elementary serve?

Gerald R. Ford Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Gerald R. Ford Elementary?

Gerald R. Ford Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 615 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Gerald R. Ford Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Gerald R. Ford Elementary is 24.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Gerald R. Ford Elementary rank in CA?

Gerald R. Ford Elementary ranks #7,094 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Gerald R. Ford Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Gerald R. Ford Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.1 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 Gerald R. Ford Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Gerald R. Ford Elementary has 59% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 62% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Gerald R. Ford Elementary a charter school?

No, Gerald R. Ford Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Gerald R. Ford Elementary a Title I school?

No, Gerald R. Ford Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Gerald R. Ford Elementary?

63.6% of students at Gerald R. Ford Elementary 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
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
615
Student-Teacher Ratio
24.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
25
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Riverside County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
27.6%
Area population (ZIP 92210)
4,830
Area median age
67.5
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 92210; 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

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