School district · Riverside County
Desert Sands Unified schools
Desert Sands Unified’s 20 public elementary schools run from the 8th to the 81st percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). They sit in all four bands, from Strong to Needs Support.
Elementary · 20 schools
from 8th to 81st · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests
- Gerald R. Ford Elementary: 81st percentile, Strong
- George Washington Charter: 76th percentile, Strong
- Martin Van Buren Elementary: 74th percentile, Solid
- James Monroe Elementary: 72nd percentile, Solid
- Amelia Earhart Elementary School of International Studies: 68th percentile, Solid
- James Earl Carter Elementary: 62nd percentile, Solid
- Abraham Lincoln Elementary: 60th percentile, Solid
- Ronald Reagan Elementary: 46th percentile, Developing
- Richard R. Oliphant Elementary: 45th percentile, Developing
- Benjamin Franklin Elementary: 35th percentile, Developing
- Dr. Reynaldo J. Carreon Jr. Academy: 31st percentile, Developing
- Lyndon B. Johnson Elementary: 24th percentile, Needs Support
- Theodore Roosevelt Elementary: 23rd percentile, Needs Support
- Horizon: 22nd percentile, Needs Support
- James Madison Elementary: 22nd percentile, Needs Support
- Harry S. Truman Elementary: 22nd percentile, Needs Support
- Carrillo Ranch Elementary: 18th percentile, Needs Support
- Andrew Jackson Elementary: 15th percentile, Needs Support
- John F. Kennedy Elementary: 13th percentile, Needs Support
- Herbert Hoover Elementary: 8th percentile, Needs Support
One dot per school.
Middle and high school pictures
Middle · 8 schools
from 2nd to 73rd · among 2,529 California middle schools we score · spring 2026 tests
- Palm Desert Charter Middle: 73rd percentile, Solid
- John Glenn Middle School of International Studies: 69th percentile, Solid
- Horizon: 23rd percentile, Needs Support
- La Quinta Middle: 22nd percentile, Needs Support
- Desert Ridge Academy: 17th percentile, Needs Support
- Indio Middle: 13th percentile, Needs Support
- Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle: 8th percentile, Needs Support
- Thomas Jefferson Middle: 2nd percentile, Needs Support
High · 5 schools
from 10th to 69th · among 1,498 California high schools we score · spring 2025 tests
- Palm Desert High: 69th percentile, Solid
- La Quinta High: 68th percentile, Solid
- Shadow Hills High: 37th percentile, Developing
- Horizon: 29th percentile, Developing
- Indio High: 10th percentile, Needs Support
One dot per school. Each stage is placed only among California schools at its own level. 1 of the 31 ranked schools teaches all three levels, so it appears in more than one picture.
- 31 ranked schools
- 2 schools not ranked statewide
Schools around Desert Sands Unified
33 listed public schools with mapped locations.
Loading school locations…
Percentile among California schools at the same level
- Strong75th+
- Solid50–74th
- Developing25–49th
- Needs Supportbelow 25th
- Not scored
The school lists on this page are also available without the map.
Elementary schools
Which elementary schools in Desert Sands Unified score highest?
Gerald R. Ford Elementary is highest, at the 81st percentile.
That’s higher than 81 in 100 of the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests).
Highest in Desert Sands Unified
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level. What patterns mean
- Gerald R. Ford ElementaryIndian Wells
- George Washington CharterPalm Desert · Charter school. Check how it admits students.
- Martin Van Buren ElementaryIndio · Grade-to-grade gains · On the rise
Show the other 17 elementary schools
- James Monroe ElementaryBermuda Dunes
- Amelia Earhart Elementary School of International StudiesIndio
- James Earl Carter ElementaryPalm Desert
- Abraham Lincoln ElementaryPalm Desert
- Ronald Reagan ElementaryPalm Desert
- Richard R. Oliphant ElementaryIndio
- Benjamin Franklin ElementaryLa Quinta
- Dr. Reynaldo J. Carreon Jr. AcademyIndio
- Lyndon B. Johnson ElementaryIndio
- Theodore Roosevelt ElementaryIndio
- HorizonLa Quinta · Check how it admits students.
- James Madison ElementaryIndio
- Harry S. Truman ElementaryLa Quinta
- Carrillo Ranch ElementaryIndio
- Andrew Jackson ElementaryIndio
- John F. Kennedy ElementaryIndio
- Herbert Hoover ElementaryIndio
The average elementary school in Desert Sands Unified had 28 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once.
Middle schools
Which middle schools in Desert Sands Unified score highest?
Palm Desert Charter Middle is highest, at the 73rd percentile.
That’s higher than 73 in 100 of the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests).
Highest in Desert Sands Unified
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level. What patterns mean
- Palm Desert Charter MiddlePalm Desert · Charter school. Check how it admits students.
- John Glenn Middle School of International StudiesIndio · Grade-to-grade gains
- HorizonLa Quinta · Check how it admits students.
Show the other 5 middle schools
- La Quinta MiddleLa Quinta
- Desert Ridge AcademyIndio
- Indio MiddleIndio
- Colonel Mitchell Paige MiddleLa Quinta
- Thomas Jefferson MiddleIndio
The average middle school in Desert Sands Unified had 35 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.
High schools
Which high schools in Desert Sands Unified score highest?
Palm Desert High is highest, at the 69th percentile.
That’s higher than 69 in 100 of the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests).
Highest in Desert Sands Unified
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.
- Palm Desert HighPalm Desert
- La Quinta HighLa Quinta
- Shadow Hills HighIndio
Show the other 2 high schools
- HorizonLa Quinta · Check how it admits students.
- Indio HighIndio
The average high school in Desert Sands Unified had 39 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California high school we score had 22 in 100.
2 high schools not ranked statewide
Continuation schools enroll students differently from a regular school, so each is compared only with schools of its kind.
- Summit High (Continuation)Continuation high school: compared only with other continuation schools
- Amistad High (Continuation)Continuation high school: compared only with other continuation schools
The district
Where does Desert Sands Unified’s money go, and what does it plan?
Desert Sands Unified spent $22,375 per student in the 2024–25 school year.
That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 57 cents of every Desert Sands Unified dollar went to classroom instruction.
Spending by function
Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from the district’s annual financial report (SACS) to the California Department of Education. District-wide: it includes central administration and costs never assigned to one campus.
Share by function, 2024–25
- Instruction57%
- Instruction support13%
- Student services10%
- Administration5%
- Buildings & maintenance11%
- Other4%
Shares of the same spending total, by the report’s spending categories, rounded so they add up to 100. Names are simplified from the report’s own categories.
Who goes to the district’s schools
Student mix
2024–25 · October enrollment count, 25,615 students- Hispanic or Latino76%
- White15%
- Not reported2%
- Asian2%
- Two or more races2%
- Black or African American1%
- Filipino<1%
- American Indian or Alaska Native<1%
- Pacific Islander<1%
Free or reduced-price meals
78%
Across California, 63% of students qualify.
The district’s state records
Is the state giving the district extra help?
The state is giving Desert Sands Unified extra help in 2026, the second year after it qualified on the 2025 Dashboard.
How English learners moved up on the state’s English test
From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 48% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (1,701 of 3,551 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.
3 schools getting state support, 2025–26
James Madison Elementary (Targeted support) · James Monroe Elementary (Targeted support) · Thomas Jefferson Middle (Targeted support)
- James Madison ElementaryTargeted support: English learners
- James Monroe ElementaryTargeted support: students of two or more races
- Thomas Jefferson MiddleTargeted support: English learners
This list covers the district’s own schools; each charter school’s page shows its record. Federal designation under the Every Student Succeeds Act, 2025–26.
Sources: District help (CDE) ↗ · English learner progress (CDE) ↗ · School support (CDE) ↗. State results from the 2026 California School Dashboard.
Which places nearby can you look at next?
Cities in the district
More places (5)
Districts nearby
Common questions
Which public schools in Desert Sands Unified rank highest?
Does living in the Desert Sands Unified district decide which school my child attends?
More questions (5)
Are the public schools in Desert Sands Unified good?
How does chronic absence in Desert Sands Unified compare with California?
How much does Desert Sands Unified spend per student?
What is in Desert Sands Unified’s 2026–27 spending plan?
Where do these results come from?
Sources and methodology
This page lists the public schools governed and funded by Desert Sands Unified, with the district’s spending and state accountability records.
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26 elementary and middle school; 2024–25 high school
Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.
Download these schools (CSV)Free to use under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.