How many students attend Desert Hills High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 264 students attended Desert Hills High School.

What is the racial makeup of Desert Hills High School?

Students at Desert Hills High School are 39% Hispanic, 36% White, 13% American Indian, 7% African American, 4% Two or more races.

Desert Hills High School

Summary:

Desert Hills High School is a public charter high school in Gilbert, Arizona, serving 264 students in grades 9-12. The school has a diverse student population, with 36.36% White, 38.64% Hispanic, and 12.88% Native American students.

Despite its diverse student body, Desert Hills High School consistently ranks in the bottom half of Arizona high schools, with only 15% of 11th-grade students proficient in English Language Arts and 7% proficient in Mathematics. The school has struggled with high dropout rates, ranging from 11.4% to 22.4%, and a low four-year graduation rate, ranging from 17.3% to 40.9%. A significant portion of the student population, 30.66% to 48.48%, are recipients of free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students. The school's SchoolDigger rating has fluctuated between 1 and 3 stars out of 5, reflecting its overall academic and performance challenges.

When compared to nearby high-performing schools like Higley High School, Campo Verde High School, and Gilbert Classical Academy, Desert Hills High School's academic performance, graduation rates, and overall school quality are significantly lower. However, the school's performance for certain student subgroups, such as African American, Native American, and homeless students, shows more promising results, with higher rankings compared to other Arizona high schools. The school's inconsistent funding and staffing, with per-student spending ranging from $9,752 to $12,467 and an unreported student-teacher ratio, may contribute to its challenges in improving academic outcomes.

Detail:

Public, Charter 9-12

1515 S Val Vista Dr
Gilbert, AZ 85296-3854

(480) 813-1151

District: American Charter Schools Foundation d.b.a. Desert

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,467

Student/teacher ratio: n/a

Number of students: 264

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

38.6%

White:

36.4%

American Indian:

12.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 48.5%

See top rated Arizona public schools

Compare Desert Hills High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Desert Hills High School is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 18.04. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Desert Hills High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Desert Hills High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (38.6%), White (36.4%), American Indian (12.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 48.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Desert Hills High School is $12,467.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Desert Hills High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Desert Hills High School

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Rank History for all students at Desert Hills High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2009	55.29	189^th	395	52.2%
2010	62.51	157^th	403	61.0%
2011	51.87	195^th	397	50.9%
2012	40.69	278^th	471	41.0%
2013	39.24	299^th	491	39.1%
2014	35.83	263^rd	394	33.2%
2016	18.50	319^th	406	21.4%
2017	18.18	329^th	416	20.9%
2018	14.48	367^th	420	12.6%
2021	21.04	406^th	509	20.2%
2022	37.16	220^th	464	52.6%
2023	18.04	391^st	469	16.6%

See the entire list of Arizona High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Desert Hills High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	58.24	126^th	374	66.3%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Desert Hills High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	44.58	29^th	312	90.7%
2022	41.67	53^rd	258	79.5%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Desert Hills High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2021	31.85	212^th	422	49.8%
2022	32.37	192^nd	380	49.5%
2023	35.42	88^th	172	48.8%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Desert Hills High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	9.93	251^st	253	0.8%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Desert Hills High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2021	66.67	21^st	168	87.5%
2022	28.02	72^nd	150	52.0%
2023	87.08	6^th	60	90.0%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Desert Hills High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	11.60	328^th	354	7.3%
2021	18.36	397^th	492	19.3%
2022	34.82	240^th	456	47.4%
2023	16.17	354^th	406	12.8%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Desert Hills High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	12.62	348^th	370	5.9%
2021	28.66	329^th	492	33.1%
2022	41.20	196^th	455	56.9%
2023	15.48	379^th	429	11.7%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Desert Hills High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	24.04	202^nd	306	34.0%
2022	71.58	47^th	301	84.4%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Desert Hills High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	17.73	262^nd	311	15.8%
2021	19.48	374^th	479	21.9%
2022	39.13	210^th	441	52.4%
2023	27.00	274^th	379	27.7%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Desert Hills High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	30.29	115^th	256	55.1%
2022	54.92	70^th	255	72.5%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Desert Hills High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	8.27	279^th	291	4.1%
2021	19.28	345^th	448	23.0%
2022	19.93	316^th	409	22.7%
2023	8.17	349^th	371	5.9%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for White Students!

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

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1.5)

50%

Reviews:

by a parent
Thursday, January 31, 2013

There is simply no reason to ever treat the students less than human. The behavior of the staff displays lack of respect for the children.. They have given up on the kids and the kids can see it, as they hear day in and day out, just how useless they are in the eyes of the staff. The state needs to come in here and do an investigation to expose all the wrong doing...... THE KIDS HERE AT THIS SCHOOL ARE OK, ITS THE STAFF THAT NEEDS FIXING !!!! Close Quote

by a student
Saturday, June 18, 2011

Drugs run rampant at this school I can think of 3 students I knew personally who died from overdoses in the past year. If u are going to send your kids here to get them away from the drugs and trouble making at their old school. Well guess what? All the students were sent there for that reason. Your kids will only get worse. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Desert Hills High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2002	360	13	7	86	9	n/a	n/a	475
2003	360	13	7	86	9	n/a	n/a	475
2004	279	5	4	91	5	n/a	n/a	384
2005	294	16	5	103	5	n/a	n/a	423
2006	338	27	7	129	3	n/a	n/a	504
2007	337	26	7	125	5	n/a	n/a	500
2008	366	39	12	120	9	n/a	n/a	546
2009	367	43	10	122	12	n/a	n/a	554
2010	292	52	17	141	16	n/a	n/a	518
2011	267	54	24	126	8	0	2	481
2012	242	46	9	116	5	0	6	424
2013	184	42	9	125	5	2	7	374
2014	133	28	5	96	12	1	9	284
2015	100	20	1	77	7	1	3	209
2016	72	21	0	61	33	0	8	195
2017	72	19	2	63	33	1	5	195
2018	78	22	1	63	19	0	3	186
2019	97	27	4	77	30	0	13	248
2020	110	17	3	89	30	0	18	267
2021	96	15	1	67	26	0	10	215
2022	99	18	0	98	46	1	12	274
2023	96	19	1	102	34	1	11	264

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 Hills High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	475	n/a	n/a	n/a
2003	475	n/a	n/a	n/a
2004	384	n/a	n/a	45.6
2005	423	n/a	n/a	47.8
2006	504	n/a	n/a	37.3
2007	500	n/a	n/a	13.2
2008	546	n/a	n/a	22.3
2009	554	n/a	n/a	20.9
2010	518	n/a	n/a	34.2
2011	481	n/a	n/a	20.2
2012	424	n/a	n/a	39.2
2013	374	n/a	n/a	38
2014	284	n/a	n/a	50
2015	209	n/a	n/a	45
2016	195	n/a	n/a	54.4
2017	195	n/a	n/a	48.2
2018	186	n/a	n/a	53.2
2019	248	n/a	n/a	40.7
2020	267	n/a	n/a	49.4
2021	215	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	274	n/a	n/a	30.7
2023	264	n/a	n/a	48.5

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 Hills High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	475	n/a	n/a	n/a
2003	475	n/a	n/a	n/a
2004	384	n/a	n/a	45.6
2005	423	n/a	n/a	47.8
2006	504	n/a	n/a	37.3
2007	500	n/a	n/a	13.2
2008	546	n/a	n/a	22.3
2009	554	n/a	n/a	20.9
2010	518	n/a	n/a	34.2
2011	481	n/a	n/a	20.2
2012	424	n/a	n/a	39.2
2013	374	n/a	n/a	38
2014	284	n/a	n/a	50
2015	209	n/a	n/a	45
2016	195	n/a	n/a	54.4
2017	195	n/a	n/a	48.2
2018	186	n/a	n/a	53.2
2019	248	n/a	n/a	40.7
2020	267	n/a	n/a	49.4
2021	215	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	274	n/a	n/a	30.7
2023	264	n/a	n/a	48.5

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 Hills High School

Year	Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Total Expenditures from Federal Funds	Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,029 (9.9%)	$199 (1.9%)	$2,258 (21.7%)	$4,558 (43.8%)	$4,624 (44.4%)	$9,183 (88.2%)	$10,411
2020	$648 (6.6%)	$338 (3.5%)	$1,634 (16.8%)	$4,395 (45.1%)	$4,370 (44.8%)	$8,765 (89.9%)	$9,752
2021	$1,752 (14.7%)	$844 (7.1%)	$4,348 (36.4%)	$4,407 (36.9%)	$4,931 (41.3%)	$9,338 (78.2%)	$11,935
2022	$2,298 (18.4%)	$1,370 (11.0%)	$5,966 (47.9%)	$4,076 (32.7%)	$4,722 (37.9%)	$8,799 (70.6%)	$12,467

Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Desert Hills High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	248	264	6.5%
African American	27	19	29.6%
American Indian	30	34	13.3%
Asian	4	1	75%
Hispanic	77	102	32.5%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	97	96	1%
Two or More Races	13	11	15.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	40.7%	48.5%	7.8%

Schools Near Desert Hills High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				AASA English Language Arts (2024)			AASA Mathematics (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	AASA English Language Arts 7th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 8th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 11th Grade	AASA Mathematics 7th Grade	AASA Mathematics 8th Grade	AASA Mathematics 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
Desert Hills High School	Public, Charter	9-12	1515 S Val Vista Dr	Gilbert	85296	Maricopa County	American Charter Schools Foundation d.b.a. Desert	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(480) 813-1151	264			48.5%	96 (36.4%)	19 (7.2%)	102 (38.6%)	1 (0.4%)	34 (12.9%)	1 (0.4%)	11 (4.2%)								(n/a)							$12,467	$2,298	$1,370	$5,966	$4,076	$4,723	$8,799
EVIT - American Leadership Academy Gilbert North	Public	9-12	1070 S Higley Rd	Gilbert	85296	Maricopa County	East Valley Institute of Technology	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(480) 344-9895	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Gilbert High School	Public	7-12	1101 E Elliot Rd	Gilbert	85234	Maricopa County	Gilbert Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(480) 497-0177	2,354	111	21.2	28.9%	1,261 (53.6%)	90 (3.8%)	737 (31.3%)	87 (3.7%)	34 (1.4%)	9 (0.4%)	136 (5.8%)	53.5	112^th of 259 public high schools	56.8%		63.7	139^th of 469 public high schools	70.4%	27	77.0	67.0	44.0	56.0	58.0	38.0	$6,343	$96	$27	$218	$5,775	$446	$6,221
EVIT - Gilbert High School	Public	9-12	1101 E Elliot Rd	Gilbert	85234	Maricopa County	East Valley Institute of Technology	No	(n/a)	No	No	(480) 461-4000	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)								$00			$00
EVIT - Williams Field High School	Public	9-12	2076 S Higley Rd	Gilbert	85295	Maricopa County	East Valley Institute of Technology	No	(n/a)	No	No	(480) 461-4000	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)								$00			$00
Williams Field High School	Public	8-12	2076 S. Higley Road	Gilbert	85236	Maricopa County	Higley Unified School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(480) 279-8000	2,115	99	21.4	17.9%	1,179 (55.7%)	165 (7.8%)	490 (23.2%)	99 (4.7%)	24 (1.1%)	11 (0.5%)	147 (7.0%)	74.2	63^rd of 259 public high schools	75.7%		79.4	79^th of 469 public high schools	83.2%	16			60.0			46.0	$6,282	$264	$130	$658	$4,834	$1,054	$5,888
Gilbert Classical Academy 7-12	Public	7-12	55 N Greenfield Rd	Gilbert	85234	Maricopa County	Gilbert Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(480) 497-4034	596	32	18.7		247 (41.4%)	13 (2.2%)	95 (15.9%)	188 (31.5%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	49 (8.2%)	99.7	1^st of 259 public high schools	99.6%		99.9	10^th of 469 public high schools	97.9%	9	94.0	82.0	99.0	79.0	74.0	98.0	$7,314	$00			$6,852	$462	$7,314
Leading Edge Academy Gilbert Early College	Public, Charter	7-12	717 W Ray Rd	Gilbert	85233	Maricopa County	LEAD Charter Schools	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(480) 545-8011	219			24.7%	112 (51.1%)	20 (9.1%)	66 (30.1%)	6 (2.7%)	2 (0.9%)	1 (0.5%)	12 (5.5%)	31.4	170^th of 259 public high schools	34.4%		62.7	145^th of 469 public high schools	69.1%	25			32.0			26.0		$00			$00
EVIT - Campo Verde High School	Public	9-12	3870 S Quartz St	Gilbert	85297	Maricopa County	East Valley Institute of Technology	No	(n/a)	No	No	(480) 461-4000	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)								$00			$00
Campo Verde High School	Public	8-12	3870 S Quartz St	Gilbert	85297	Maricopa County	Gilbert Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(480) 545-3100	1,991	87	22.9	14.0%	1,295 (65.0%)	54 (2.7%)	449 (22.6%)	60 (3.0%)	30 (1.5%)	6 (0.3%)	97 (4.9%)	82.7	47^th of 259 public high schools	81.9%		82.5	66^th of 469 public high schools	85.9%	19			61.0			57.0	$6,263	$55	$18	$129	$5,695	$495	$6,189

Desert Hills High School

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Rank History for Desert Hills High School

Rank History for all students at Desert Hills High School

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Desert Hills High School

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Desert Hills High School

Rank History for Special Education students at Desert Hills High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Desert Hills High School

Rank History for Homeless students at Desert Hills High School

Rank History for Female students at Desert Hills High School

Rank History for Male students at Desert Hills High School

Rank History for African American students at Desert Hills High School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Desert Hills High School

Rank History for Native American students at Desert Hills High School

Rank History for White students at Desert Hills High School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Desert Hills High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Desert Hills High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Desert Hills High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Desert Hills High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Desert Hills High School

Student Body

Schools Near Desert Hills High School

Frequently Asked Questions about Desert Hills High School

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