Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism

Summary:

Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism is a public middle school located in Phoenix, Arizona, serving grades 6-8 with a student population of 572. The school is part of the Cartwright Elementary District, which is ranked 264 out of 288 districts in Arizona and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Desert Sands Academy consistently ranks in the bottom quartile of Arizona middle schools, with a statewide ranking between 378 and 781 out of 832-854 schools over the past several years. The school's performance on state assessments is significantly below the state and district averages, with only 11% of 7th and 8th-grade students proficient or better in English Language Arts, and just 8% and 7% proficient in mathematics, compared to 41%, 35%, 30%, and 28% at the state level, respectively. The school also has relatively high dropout rates, ranging from 2.3% to 5.0% over the past five school years.

While Marc T. Atkinson Middle School & Gifted Academy, another school in the Cartwright Elementary District, ranks in the top 20% of Arizona middle schools, the nearby Raul H. Castro Middle School: Academy of Fine Arts and Estrella Middle School have similar academic performance and demographic profiles to Desert Sands Academy, also ranking in the bottom quartile. Despite the school's increased per-student spending, from $9,181 in 2018-2019 to $14,529 in 2021-2022, this has not translated into improved academic outcomes.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 6308 W Campbell Ave
       Phoenix, AZ  85033-2731


(623) 691-4900

District: Cartwright Elementary District

SchoolDigger Rank:
530th of 533 Arizona Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,529 Help


Students who attend Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism usually attend:

High:    Trevor Browne High School

Feeder schools for Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism:

Elementary:    Heatherbrae School
    Holiday Park School
    Sunset School

Student/teacher ratio:  19.7 Help
Number of students:  572

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
86.0%
African American:
6.5%
White:
4.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  71.9% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism ranks worse than 99.4% of middle schools in Arizona. It also ranks last among 4 ranked middle schools in the Cartwright Elementary District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 7.05. (See more...)
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (86%), African American (6.5%), White (4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 71.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism is 19.7, which is the 2nd best among 4 middle schools in the Cartwright Elementary District. (See more...)
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Compare Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism employs 29 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism is $14,529, which is the highest among 4 middle schools in the Cartwright Elementary District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism:

SchoolDigger ranks Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism 530th of 533 Arizona public middle schools. (See Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:


Cartwright Elementary District:

SchoolDigger ranks Cartwright Elementary District 264th of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 23.09 547th 663 17.5%
2010 31.49 512th 692 26.0%
2011 30.55 498th 685 27.3%
2012 31.94 571st 772 26.0%
2013 42.14 477th 787 39.4%
2014 32.36 477th 690 30.9%
2015 12.76 488th 521 6.3%
2016 22.19 530th 677 21.7%
2017 21.89 551st 695 20.7%
2018 16.26 608th 711 14.5%
2019 9.94 575th 605 5.0%
2021 44.41 378th 832 54.6%
2022 12.46 552nd 605 8.8%
2023 14.20 781st 854 8.5%
2024 7.05 530th 533 0.6%
See the entire list of Arizona Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 24.14 539th 650 17.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 62.68 21st 606 96.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 16.08 175th 178 1.7%
2021 62.18 107th 789 86.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.32 417th 503 17.1%
2022 15.44 338th 369 8.4%
2023 18.09 636th 717 11.3%
2024 8.65 311th 314 1.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 33.31 143rd 257 44.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 15.63 556th 624 10.9%
2019 7.31 449th 466 3.6%
2021 16.81 752nd 820 8.3%
2022 12.89 455th 494 7.9%
2023 15.31 735th 806 8.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Foster Care students at Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 31.16 129th 166 22.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for Male students at Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 17.02 536th 617 13.1%
2019 6.61 426th 435 2.1%
2021 47.99 334th 818 59.2%
2022 7.93 462nd 476 2.9%
2023 12.26 775th 810 4.3%
2024 5.57 352nd 356 1.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 9.68 381st 404 5.7%
2023 26.12 212th 247 14.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.70 99th 125 20.8%
2021 36.11 348th 573 39.3%
2023 9.36 397th 400 0.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.60 449th 543 17.3%
2019 13.99 363rd 387 6.2%
2021 50.58 293rd 802 63.5%
2022 13.71 371st 392 5.4%
2023 16.69 692nd 760 8.9%
2024 8.32 319th 322 0.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 47.82 125th 390 67.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 13.32 731st 780 6.3%
2023 15.09 626th 675 7.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle 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.

Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 




Data source: Arizona Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 657 81 5 226 5 n/a n/a -160 814
1989 566 89 5 201 9 n/a n/a -17 853
1990 556 107 1 230 13 n/a n/a -86 821
1991 510 94 12 260 5 n/a n/a -66 815
1992 523 111 12 242 8 n/a n/a 1 897
1993 486 133 15 323 14 n/a n/a 0 971
1994 494 138 10 320 12 n/a n/a 0 974
1995 467 127 12 456 16 n/a n/a 0 1078
1996 467 127 12 456 16 n/a n/a 0 1078
1997 393 152 12 531 22 n/a n/a 0 1110
1998 319 140 13 555 15 n/a n/a 0 1042
1999 372 133 13 678 18 n/a n/a 0 1214
2000 328 146 18 690 19 n/a n/a 0 1201
2001 230 114 9 640 17 n/a n/a 0 1010
2002 157 104 7 737 13 n/a n/a 0 1018
2003 157 104 7 737 13 n/a n/a 0 1018
2004 103 68 10 751 14 n/a n/a 0 946
2005 116 61 6 785 17 n/a n/a 0 985
2006 120 81 10 1197 15 n/a n/a 0 1423
2007 109 91 15 1223 15 n/a n/a 0 1453
2008 81 58 10 1240 11 n/a n/a 0 1400
2009 69 45 9 1068 18 n/a n/a 0 1209
2010 70 49 4 1039 13 n/a n/a 0 1175
2011 58 67 4 908 5 0 10 0 1052
2012 63 83 3 950 13 2 7 0 1121
2013 65 66 7 980 18 2 8 0 1146
2014 53 67 8 963 22 1 5 0 1119
2015 55 59 10 960 13 2 4 0 1103
2016 46 56 7 921 14 1 6 0 1051
2017 43 63 7 965 13 1 9 0 1101
2018 44 61 8 918 18 0 7 0 1056
2019 37 49 12 798 14 1 9 0 920
2020 24 27 5 474 9 1 8 0 548
2021 21 26 3 451 8 1 5 0 515
2022 23 27 3 381 3 0 4 0 441
2023 23 37 5 492 6 0 9 0 572

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 Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 814 46.5 17.5 n/a
1989 853 44.0 19.3 n/a
1990 821 44.0 18.6 n/a
1991 815 44.5 18.3 n/a
1992 897 44.5 20.1 n/a
1993 971 46.5 20.9 n/a
1994 974 46.5 20.9 n/a
1995 1078 49.0 22.0 n/a
1996 1078 49.0 22.0 n/a
1997 1110 50.0 22.2 n/a
1998 1042 54.0 19.3 n/a
1999 1214 54.0 22.5 n/a
2000 1201 54.0 22.2 n/a
2001 1010 46.5 21.7 n/a
2002 1018 48.0 21.2 n/a
2003 1018 48.0 21.2 n/a
2004 946 46.5 20.3 84.8
2005 985 51.5 19.1 92.1
2006 1423 70.2 20.3 80.3
2007 1453 67.7 21.5 73.7
2008 1400 68.1 20.6 74.8
2009 1209 62.1 19.5 72.3
2010 1175 54.0 21.7 78.1
2011 1052 56.0 18.7 84.2
2012 1121 62.8 17.8 89.2
2013 1146 58.8 19.4 99.7
2014 1119 56.0 19.9 99.7
2015 1103 48.0 22.9 0
2016 1051 50.0 21.0 99.7
2017 1101 50.0 22.0 99.7
2018 1056 52.0 20.3 86.9
2019 920 51.8 17.7 86.8
2020 548 24.6 22.2 86.7
2021 515 29.5 17.4 n/a
2022 441 24.6 17.9 34.5
2023 572 29.0 19.7 71.9

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 Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 814 46.5 17.5 n/a
1989 853 44.0 19.3 n/a
1990 821 44.0 18.6 n/a
1991 815 44.5 18.3 n/a
1992 897 44.5 20.1 n/a
1993 971 46.5 20.9 n/a
1994 974 46.5 20.9 n/a
1995 1078 49.0 22.0 n/a
1996 1078 49.0 22.0 n/a
1997 1110 50.0 22.2 n/a
1998 1042 54.0 19.3 n/a
1999 1214 54.0 22.5 n/a
2000 1201 54.0 22.2 n/a
2001 1010 46.5 21.7 n/a
2002 1018 48.0 21.2 n/a
2003 1018 48.0 21.2 n/a
2004 946 46.5 20.3 84.8
2005 985 51.5 19.1 92.1
2006 1423 70.2 20.3 80.3
2007 1453 67.7 21.5 73.7
2008 1400 68.1 20.6 74.8
2009 1209 62.1 19.5 72.3
2010 1175 54.0 21.7 78.1
2011 1052 56.0 18.7 84.2
2012 1121 62.8 17.8 89.2
2013 1146 58.8 19.4 99.7
2014 1119 56.0 19.9 99.7
2015 1103 48.0 22.9 0
2016 1051 50.0 21.0 99.7
2017 1101 50.0 22.0 99.7
2018 1056 52.0 20.3 86.9
2019 920 51.8 17.7 86.8
2020 548 24.6 22.2 86.7
2021 515 29.5 17.4 n/a
2022 441 24.6 17.9 34.5
2023 572 29.0 19.7 71.9

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 Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism

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YearPersonnel Expenditures from Federal FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from Federal FundsTotal Expenditures from Federal FundsPersonnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $508 (5.5%) $395 (4.3%) $1,411 (15.4%) $6,704 (73.0%) $1,574 (17.1%) $8,278 (90.2%) $9,181
2020 $809 (8.0%) $1,274 (12.6%) $2,892 (28.6%) $7,478 (73.8%) $567 (5.6%) $8,045 (79.4%) $10,128
2021 $2,036 (15.4%) $1,280 (9.7%) $5,352 (40.5%) $7,881 (59.7%) $2,005 (15.2%) $9,886 (74.9%) $13,202
2022 $2,484 (17.1%) $477 (3.3%) $5,445 (37.5%) $9,954 (68.5%) $1,614 (11.1%) $11,568 (79.6%) $14,529

Data source: Arizona Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism

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.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 575th of 605 Middle schoolsRanks 781st of 854 Middle schools
 3.6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students920572
 37.8%
African American4937
 24.5%
American Indian146
 57.1%
Asian125
 58.3%
Hispanic798492
 38.3%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White3723
 37.8%
Two or More Races99
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients86.8%71.9%
 15%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism

Students who attend Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism usually go on to attend Trevor Browne High School

Students at Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism are 86% Hispanic, 6% African American, 4% White, 2% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 572 students attended Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism.

Desert Sands Academy of Mass Communication & Journalism ranks in the bottom 0.6% of Arizona middle schools.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Arizona Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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