Is Arizona Desert Elementary School a good school?

Arizona Desert Elementary School ranks in the bottom 19.0% of Arizona elementary schools.

How many students attend Arizona Desert Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 651 students attended Arizona Desert Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Arizona Desert Elementary School?

Students at Arizona Desert Elementary School are 100% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Arizona Desert Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Arizona Desert Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : San Luis Middle School High : San Luis High School

Arizona Desert Elementary School

Summary:

Arizona Desert Elementary School is a public elementary school located in San Luis, Arizona, serving 629 students in grades K-6. The school is part of the Gadsden Elementary District, which is ranked 219 out of 288 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Arizona Desert Elementary School consistently ranks in the bottom half of Arizona elementary schools, with a ranking between 698-934 out of over 1,000 schools in recent years. The school's performance on state assessments (AASA and AzSCI) is significantly below the state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas, with proficiency rates ranging from 21% to 37% in 2023-2024, compared to the state averages of 38% to 46%. This low academic performance has been a persistent issue for the school over the past several years.

While the nearby Gadsden Elementary School and Cesar Chavez Elementary School have similar student demographics and academic performance profiles to Arizona Desert Elementary School, the nearby Desert View Elementary and Educational Pastor Elementary 4 schools have significantly higher academic performance and rankings within the same district. This suggests that there may be significant variation in the quality of education and resources within the Gadsden Elementary District.

Detail:

Public K-6

1245 N. Main St.
San Luis, AZ 85349

(928) 627-6940

District: Gadsden Elementary District

SchoolDigger Rank:
739^th of 912 Arizona Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,875

Students who attend Arizona Desert Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	San Luis Middle School
High:	San Luis High School

Student/teacher ratio: 27.1

Number of students: 651

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

99.7%

White:

0.2%

Two or more races:

0.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 95.9%

See top rated Arizona elementary schools

Compare Arizona Desert Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Arizona Desert Elementary School ranks worse than 81% of elementary schools in Arizona. It also ranks 5^th among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Gadsden Elementary District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 18.15. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (99.7%), two or more races (0.2%), White (0.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Arizona Desert Elementary School is 27.1, which is the lowest among 7 elementary schools in the Gadsden Elementary District! (See more...)

Compare Arizona Desert Elementary School employs 24 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Arizona Desert Elementary School is $7,875. 3 elementary schools in the Gadsden Elementary District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Arizona Desert Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Arizona Desert Elementary School 739^th of 912 Arizona public elementary schools. (See Arizona Desert Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

Gadsden Elementary District:

SchoolDigger ranks Gadsden Elementary District 230^th of 297 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)

What do you think?

Your rating for Arizona Desert Elementary School?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Arizona Desert Elementary School

Compare

Rank History for all students at Arizona Desert Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile
2009	18.34	947^th	1062	10.8%
2010	26.18	863^rd	1090	20.8%
2011	25.18	866^th	1075	19.4%
2012	22.61	1004^th	1141	12.0%
2013	30.19	902^nd	1158	22.1%
2014	27.33	821^st	1079	23.9%
2015	16.97	821^st	955	14.0%
2016	15.53	955^th	1079	11.5%
2017	22.98	853^rd	1106	22.9%
2018	24.42	829^th	1109	25.2%
2019	26.18	736^th	1039	29.2%
2021	22.62	934^th	1226	23.8%
2022	20.37	757^th	1000	24.3%
2023	34.74	749^th	1245	39.8%
2024	18.15	739^th	912	19.0%

See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Arizona Desert Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	49.50	57^th	155	63.2%
2021	41.13	448^th	975	54.1%
2023	19.87	395^th	451	12.4%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at Arizona Desert Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	35.62	745^th	1201	38.0%
2023	37.36	499^th	820	39.1%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Arizona Desert Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	39.03	493^rd	820	39.9%
2022	27.11	470^th	618	23.9%
2023	42.64	606^th	1116	45.7%
2024	30.61	377^th	556	32.2%

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

Rank History for Migrant students at Arizona Desert Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	58.41	3^rd	7	57.1%
2019	53.72	1^st	1	0.0%
2021	39.24	31^st	60	48.3%
2023	36.40	25^th	37	32.4%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Female students at Arizona Desert Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	25.74	764^th	1023	25.3%
2019	28.56	589^th	862	31.7%
2021	25.93	892^nd	1219	26.8%
2022	20.05	693^rd	824	15.9%
2023	34.31	739^th	1219	39.4%
2024	11.15	554^th	602	8.0%

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

Rank History for Male students at Arizona Desert Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	28.39	726^th	1032	29.7%
2019	20.66	664^th	850	21.9%
2021	21.53	980^th	1220	19.7%
2022	16.12	719^th	830	13.4%
2023	33.22	765^th	1216	37.1%
2024	9.69	589^th	628	6.2%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Arizona Desert Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	34.04	603^rd	911	33.8%
2019	31.17	471^st	709	33.6%
2021	29.21	850^th	1198	29.0%
2022	24.66	558^th	716	22.1%
2023	41.18	649^th	1170	44.5%
2024	21.35	385^th	486	20.8%

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

Rank History for White students at Arizona Desert Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	6.21	1149^th	1161	1.0%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary 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

We're sorry, but no reviews have been submitted for Arizona Desert Elementary School.

If you have first-hand knowledge about Arizona Desert Elementary School, submit a rating!

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Arizona Desert Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1999	0	0	0	282	0	n/a	n/a	282
2000	3	1	0	803	0	n/a	n/a	807
2001	6	1	0	1193	0	n/a	n/a	1200
2004	0	1	0	734	0	n/a	n/a	735
2005	0	0	0	693	0	n/a	n/a	693
2006	3	1	0	689	0	n/a	n/a	693
2007	2	1	0	720	0	n/a	n/a	723
2008	3	0	0	704	0	n/a	n/a	707
2009	4	0	0	689	0	n/a	n/a	693
2010	5	0	0	699	0	n/a	n/a	704
2011	2	0	0	701	0	0	0	703
2012	2	0	1	729	0	2	0	734
2013	1	0	0	737	0	1	0	739
2014	0	0	0	735	0	2	1	738
2015	2	0	0	760	2	1	0	765
2016	0	0	0	768	1	0	0	769
2017	0	0	0	727	0	0	0	727
2018	1	0	0	686	0	0	0	687
2019	1	0	0	664	0	0	0	665
2020	1	0	0	654	1	0	0	656
2021	2	0	0	626	1	0	0	629
2022	2	0	0	621	1	0	1	625
2023	3	0	0	624	1	0	1	629
2024	1	0	0	649	0	0	1	651

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 Arizona Desert Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1999	282	13.3	21.2	n/a
2000	807	31.0	26.0	n/a
2001	1200	44.3	27.1	n/a
2004	735	28.5	25.8	99.6
2005	693	29.0	23.9	94.4
2006	693	32.0	21.7	99.6
2007	723	29.0	24.9	99.6
2008	707	33.5	21.1	99.6
2009	693	28.0	24.8	99.6
2010	704	29.0	24.2	92.8
2011	703	26.0	27.0	99.6
2012	734	29.0	25.3	99.6
2013	739	27.0	27.3	99.6
2014	738	24.0	30.7	99.6
2015	765	26.0	29.4	5.5
2016	769	27.0	28.4	99.6
2017	727	21.0	34.6	99.6
2018	687	21.0	32.7	95.9
2019	665	18.0	36.9	95.8
2020	656	20.0	32.8	95.9
2021	629	25.0	25.1	n/a
2022	625	22.0	28.4	96
2023	629	22.0	28.5	95.9
2024	651	24.0	27.1	n/a

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 Arizona Desert Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1999	282	13.3	21.2	n/a
2000	807	31.0	26.0	n/a
2001	1200	44.3	27.1	n/a
2004	735	28.5	25.8	99.6
2005	693	29.0	23.9	94.4
2006	693	32.0	21.7	99.6
2007	723	29.0	24.9	99.6
2008	707	33.5	21.1	99.6
2009	693	28.0	24.8	99.6
2010	704	29.0	24.2	92.8
2011	703	26.0	27.0	99.6
2012	734	29.0	25.3	99.6
2013	739	27.0	27.3	99.6
2014	738	24.0	30.7	99.6
2015	765	26.0	29.4	5.5
2016	769	27.0	28.4	99.6
2017	727	21.0	34.6	99.6
2018	687	21.0	32.7	95.9
2019	665	18.0	36.9	95.8
2020	656	20.0	32.8	95.9
2021	629	25.0	25.1	n/a
2022	625	22.0	28.4	96
2023	629	22.0	28.5	95.9
2024	651	24.0	27.1	n/a

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 Arizona Desert Elementary 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	$991 (11.8%)	$99 (1.2%)	$2,080 (24.8%)	$5,951 (70.8%)	$1,364 (16.2%)	$7,315 (87.0%)	$8,404
2020	$935 (14.3%)	$132 (2.0%)	$2,001 (30.6%)	$4,524 (69.3%)	$943 (14.4%)	$5,466 (83.7%)	$6,532
2021	$844 (12.0%)	$146 (2.1%)	$1,834 (26.1%)	$4,900 (69.8%)	$1,126 (16.0%)	$6,026 (85.9%)	$7,016
2022	$1,004 (12.7%)	$521 (6.6%)	$2,530 (32.1%)	$5,639 (71.6%)	$711 (9.0%)	$6,350 (80.6%)	$7,875

Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Arizona Desert Elementary 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.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 736^th of 1039 Elementary schools	Ranks 749^th of 1245 Elementary schools	10.7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	665	629	5.4%
African American	0	0
American Indian	0	1
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	664	624	6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	1	3	200%
Two or More Races	0	1
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	95.8%	95.9%	0.1%

Schools Near Arizona Desert Elementary 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)					AzSCI Science (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 3rd Grade	AASA English Language Arts 4th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 5th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 6th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 7th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 8th Grade	AASA Mathematics 3rd Grade	AASA Mathematics 4th Grade	AASA Mathematics 5th Grade	AASA Mathematics 6th Grade	AASA Mathematics 7th Grade	AzSCI Science 5th 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
Arizona Desert Elementary School	Public	K-6	1245 N. Main St.	San Luis	85349	Yuma County	Gadsden Elementary District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(928) 627-6940	651	24	27.1		1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	649 (99.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	18.2	739^th of 912 public elementary schools	19.0%		34.7	749^th of 1245 public elementary schools	39.8%	10	22.0	37.0	21.0	25.0			34.0	31.0	22.0	28.0		12.0	$7,875	$1,004	$521	$2,530	$5,639	$711	$6,350
San Luis Pre-School	Public	PK	22751 S Main St	San Luis	85349	Yuma County	Gadsden Elementary District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(928) 627-6960	167	5	33.4		2 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	164 (98.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)													$13,240	$1,598	$416	$3,613	$10,525	$701	$11,226
Rio Colorado Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1055 N. Main Street	San Luis	85349	Yuma County	Gadsden Elementary District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(928) 627-6902	539	19	28.3		3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	534 (99.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16.1	762^nd of 912 public elementary schools	16.4%		26.8	873^rd of 1245 public elementary schools	29.9%	111	16.0	20.0	30.0	29.0			22.0	22.0	30.0	25.0			$8,075	$984	$624	$2,592	$5,796	$670	$6,467
Educational Pastor Elementary 4	Public	K-6	985 Sixth Avenue	San Luis	85349	Yuma County	Gadsden Elementary District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(928) 627-6980	646	22	29.3		0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	646 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29.2	583^rd of 912 public elementary schools	36.1%		40.3	671^st of 1245 public elementary schools	46.1%	88	28.0	45.0	35.0	33.0			39.0	32.0	34.0	27.0		25.0	$7,274	$889	$558	$2,337	$5,415	$411	$5,826
Cesar Chavez Elementary	Public	K-6	1130 North 10th Avenue	San Luis	85349	Yuma County	Gadsden Elementary District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(928) 627-6958	722	22	32.8		4 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	718 (99.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22.1	663^rd of 912 public elementary schools	27.3%		40.3	670^th of 1245 public elementary schools	46.2%	7	25.0	28.0	31.0	38.0			34.0	20.0	26.0	35.0		21.0	$7,504	$893	$579	$2,365	$5,353	$680	$6,033
Desert View Elementary	Public	K-6	1508 N. 10th Avenue	San Luis	85349	Yuma County	Gadsden Elementary District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(928) 627-6915	751	22	34.1		3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	747 (99.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	47.2	425^th of 912 public elementary schools	53.4%		63.3	410^th of 1245 public elementary schools	67.1%	15	25.0	59.0	51.0	45.0			38.0	44.0	44.0	43.0		28.0		$00			$00
Harvest Preparatory Academy San Luis AZ	Public, Charter	K-8	1044 N. 10th Avenue	San Luis	85349	Yuma County	Harvest Power Community Development Group Inc.	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(928) 627-5008	583				11 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	572 (98.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16.7	757^th of 912 public elementary schools	17.0%		21	982^nd of 1245 public elementary schools	21.1%	225		30.0	23.0	24.0	40.0	16.0	28.0	32.0	23.0		19.0	21.0		$00			$00
Sun Valley Elementary School	Public	K-6	3667 E. San Luis Ln.	San Luis	85349	Yuma County	Somerton Elementary District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(928) 341-6000	243	12	20.2		0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	240 (98.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)								(n/a)
Gadsden Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	18745 S. Gadsden Street	Gadsden	85336	Yuma County	Gadsden Elementary District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(928) 627-6970	442	16	27.6		1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	441 (99.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28.7	587^th of 912 public elementary schools	35.6%		40.6	663^rd of 1245 public elementary schools	46.7%	76		23.0	32.0	38.0			45.0	25.0	41.0	31.0		22.0	$8,140	$1,121	$529	$2,772	$5,895	$594	$6,489
Bravie T. Soto Elementary School	Public	K-6	1201 Main Street	Somerton	85350	Yuma County	Somerton Elementary District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(928) 341-6000	220	11	20.0		0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	218 (99.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)								(n/a)		36.0

Arizona Desert Elementary School

Arizona Desert Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Gadsden Elementary District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Arizona Desert Elementary School

Rank History for all students at Arizona Desert Elementary School

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Arizona Desert Elementary School

Rank History for Special Education students at Arizona Desert Elementary School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Arizona Desert Elementary School

Rank History for Migrant students at Arizona Desert Elementary School

Rank History for Female students at Arizona Desert Elementary School

Rank History for Male students at Arizona Desert Elementary School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Arizona Desert Elementary School

Rank History for White students at Arizona Desert Elementary School

Enrollment information for Arizona Desert Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Arizona Desert Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Arizona Desert Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Arizona Desert Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Arizona Desert Elementary School

Rankings

Student Body

Schools Near Arizona Desert Elementary School

Frequently Asked Questions about Arizona Desert Elementary School

Rate Arizona Desert Elementary School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Sign up for updates!