Desert Meadows Elementary School

Summary:

Desert Meadows Elementary School is a public school located in Laveen, Arizona, serving grades PK-8 with a student population of 848. The school is part of the Laveen Elementary District, which is ranked 198 out of 288 districts in Arizona and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Desert Meadows has a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 15.7, the school consistently underperforms the Laveen Elementary District and the state of Arizona in both English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency across all grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's 3rd grade ELA proficiency was 35% compared to the district's 37% and the state's 39%. Additionally, the school has seen a steady increase in dropout rates, from 0.7% in 2018-2019 to 3.3% in 2021-2022, which is significantly higher than the state average. The school also has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, reaching 70.87% in 2022-2023, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

When comparing Desert Meadows to other schools in the Laveen Elementary District, it consistently underperforms in both academic achievement and student outcomes. For instance, Paseo Pointe School, which is only 1.56 miles away, outperforms Desert Meadows in ELA and Math proficiency by a significant margin across all grade levels. Despite the school's high percentage of economically disadvantaged students, its per-student spending is relatively high, reaching $10,311 in 2021-2022, suggesting that additional funding alone may not be the sole solution to improving student outcomes at Desert Meadows.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-8

 6855 W Meadows Loop E
       Laveen, AZ  85339-3512


(602) 304-2020

District: Laveen Elementary District

SchoolDigger Rank:
631st of 904 Arizona Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,311 Help


Students who attend Desert Meadows Elementary School usually attend:

High:    Betty Fairfax High School

Student/teacher ratio:  15.7 Help
Number of students:  848

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
61.1%
African American:
19.6%
White:
8.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  70.9% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Desert Meadows Elementary School ranks worse than 69.8% of elementary schools in Arizona. It also ranks 4th among 9 ranked elementary schools in the Laveen Elementary District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 24.75. (See more...)
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Compare Details Desert Meadows Elementary School ranks worse than 78.2% of middle schools in Arizona. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 19.45. (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 (61.1%), African American (19.6%), White (8.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 70.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Desert Meadows Elementary School is 15.7, which is the 3rd best among 9 elementary schools in the Laveen Elementary District. (See more...)
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Compare Desert Meadows Elementary School employs 53.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Desert Meadows Elementary School is $10,311, which is the 3rd highest among 9 elementary schools in the Laveen Elementary District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Desert Meadows Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Desert Meadows Elementary School 631st of 904 Arizona public elementary schools. (See Desert Meadows 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:

SchoolDigger ranks Desert Meadows Elementary School 417th of 533 Arizona public middle schools. (See Desert Meadows Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Laveen Elementary District:

SchoolDigger ranks Laveen Elementary District 198th of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


What do you think?

Your rating for Desert Meadows Elementary School?

Rank History for Desert Meadows Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all elementary school students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 40.36 658th 1062 38.0%
2010 37.95 690th 1090 36.7%
2011 37.19 698th 1075 35.1%
2012 41.47 717th 1141 37.2%
2013 42.00 709th 1158 38.8%
2014 39.90 659th 1079 38.9%
2015 25.88 679th 955 28.9%
2016 31.97 703rd 1079 34.8%
2017 38.37 638th 1106 42.3%
2018 34.73 688th 1109 38.0%
2019 35.53 614th 1039 40.9%
2021 29.60 799th 1226 34.8%
2022 25.17 688th 1000 31.2%
2023 40.13 674th 1245 45.9%
2024 24.75 631st 904 30.2%
See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Multi-racial students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 33.84 715th 1027 30.4%
2022 29.72 385th 444 13.3%
2023 40.88 404th 617 34.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for elementary school English Language Learner students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 42.47 414th 975 57.5%
2023 36.43 229th 451 49.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for elementary school Special Education students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.60 284th 417 31.9%
2021 33.93 791st 1201 34.1%
2023 28.79 607th 820 26.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.11 379th 820 53.8%
2022 36.08 411th 618 33.5%
2023 49.09 498th 1116 55.4%
2024 31.57 363rd 546 33.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.51 575th 1023 43.8%
2019 38.06 502nd 862 41.8%
2021 34.88 739th 1219 39.4%
2022 22.93 668th 824 18.9%
2023 36.91 706th 1219 42.1%
2024 12.21 543rd 593 8.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Foster Care students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 63.86 29th 306 90.5%
2023 7.42 38th 38 0.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.75 722nd 1032 30.0%
2019 23.14 631st 850 25.8%
2021 26.94 861st 1220 29.4%
2022 30.08 583rd 830 29.8%
2023 40.84 649th 1216 46.6%
2024 24.36 466th 609 23.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school Asian students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 23.57 538th 620 13.2%
2023 21.89 286th 316 9.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.71 33rd 100 67.0%
2021 35.10 601st 895 32.8%
2023 30.97 447th 607 26.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.95 583rd 911 36.0%
2019 40.62 397th 709 44.0%
2021 38.60 677th 1198 43.5%
2022 37.65 447th 716 37.6%
2023 49.50 522nd 1170 55.4%
2024 31.20 302nd 472 36.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for elementary school Native American students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 59.54 138th 654 78.9%
2022 22.89 73rd 82 11.0%
2023 62.04 72nd 219 67.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for elementary school Pacific Islander students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 22.09 143rd 171 16.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 48.17 396th 720 45.0%
2021 37.76 755th 1161 35.0%
2022 34.64 577th 800 27.9%
2023 57.59 406th 1024 60.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for White Students!

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

Rank History for Desert Meadows Elementary School

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Rank History for all middle school students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 44.31 368th 663 44.5%
2010 42.07 411th 692 40.6%
2011 29.31 510th 685 25.5%
2012 40.82 485th 772 37.2%
2013 42.79 466th 787 40.8%
2014 33.11 468th 690 32.2%
2015 23.27 405th 521 22.3%
2016 40.46 358th 677 47.1%
2017 35.45 406th 695 41.6%
2018 40.24 383rd 711 46.1%
2019 24.47 439th 605 27.4%
2021 28.87 557th 832 33.1%
2022 30.09 378th 605 37.5%
2023 39.23 447th 854 47.7%
2024 19.45 417th 533 21.8%
See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Multi-racial students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 25.46 518th 650 20.3%
2023 29.56 297th 384 22.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for middle school English Language Learner students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 45.97 171st 606 71.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 40.78 417th 789 47.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.92 208th 503 58.6%
2022 39.19 205th 369 44.4%
2023 45.09 332nd 717 53.7%
2024 21.02 247th 314 21.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.81 364th 624 41.7%
2019 36.34 265th 466 43.1%
2021 33.45 496th 820 39.5%
2022 32.50 322nd 494 34.8%
2023 45.78 360th 806 55.3%
2024 23.71 270th 379 28.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.61 392nd 617 36.5%
2019 14.00 386th 435 11.3%
2021 27.82 573rd 818 30.0%
2023 32.33 510th 810 37.0%
2024 10.12 327th 356 8.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school Asian students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 51.79 201st 404 50.2%
2022 42.18 123rd 192 35.9%
2023 25.71 214th 247 13.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.27 65th 125 48.0%
2021 35.58 362nd 573 36.8%
2023 45.63 195th 400 51.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.53 291st 543 46.4%
2019 31.56 248th 387 35.9%
2021 39.26 433rd 802 46.0%
2022 40.82 211th 392 46.2%
2023 44.04 364th 760 52.1%
2024 26.40 215th 322 33.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for middle school Native American students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 34.68 252nd 390 35.4%
2022 56.45 26th 49 46.9%
2023 60.94 48th 159 69.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for middle school Pacific Islander students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 44.37 51st 108 52.8%
2022 56.60 10th 16 37.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Desert Meadows Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 29.75 589th 780 24.5%
2023 28.44 500th 675 25.9%
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.

Desert Meadows Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 








Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)
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100%

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Reviews:
by a parent
Thursday, October 6, 2011

Open Quote This is my kids' second year at Desert Meadows, and it's been a good school for us. They are currently in 7th grade and 2nd grade. All the teachers they've had have been really good. Ms. Zachary in 2nd grade is great! My 7th grader is in the honors program and is doing really well. The office staff is just okay. Anytime I've tried to contact the principal via e-mail or phone, I get a response from someone else or, more often, no response at all. But other than that, I would recommend this school. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Desert Meadows Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2008 75 69 28 240 18 n/a n/a 0 430
2009 157 212 50 411 26 n/a n/a 0 856
2010 155 210 45 456 32 n/a n/a 0 898
2011 149 231 41 518 29 11 12 0 991
2012 153 243 36 600 29 9 19 0 1089
2013 120 180 26 471 24 5 24 0 850
2014 122 208 18 513 22 8 27 0 918
2015 133 196 20 518 17 11 24 0 919
2016 116 212 21 557 24 5 28 0 963
2017 82 131 15 419 25 10 33 0 715
2018 89 124 13 454 22 13 39 0 754
2019 104 157 21 465 25 13 37 0 822
2020 89 159 19 501 38 7 33 0 846
2021 80 157 12 451 42 9 31 0 782
2022 80 165 15 471 30 7 21 0 789
2023 72 166 15 518 39 6 32 0 848

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 Meadows Elementary School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2008 430 17.1 25.1 35.3
2009 856 39.4 21.7 62.9
2010 898 41.0 21.8 71.2
2011 991 42.0 23.5 66.1
2012 1089 42.5 25.5 48.2
2013 850 39.2 21.6 74.2
2014 918 41.5 22.0 73
2015 919 45.0 20.4 73.4
2016 963 46.0 20.9 52.3
2017 715 17.0 41.9 41.1
2018 754 40.2 18.7 75.9
2019 822 45.3 18.1 66.9
2020 846 45.1 18.7 65.8
2021 782 45.9 17.0 n/a
2022 789 50.0 15.7 28.4
2023 848 53.7 15.7 70.9

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 Meadows Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2008 430 17.1 25.1 35.3
2009 856 39.4 21.7 62.9
2010 898 41.0 21.8 71.2
2011 991 42.0 23.5 66.1
2012 1089 42.5 25.5 48.2
2013 850 39.2 21.6 74.2
2014 918 41.5 22.0 73
2015 919 45.0 20.4 73.4
2016 963 46.0 20.9 52.3
2017 715 17.0 41.9 41.1
2018 754 40.2 18.7 75.9
2019 822 45.3 18.1 66.9
2020 846 45.1 18.7 65.8
2021 782 45.9 17.0 n/a
2022 789 50.0 15.7 28.4
2023 848 53.7 15.7 70.9

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 Meadows Elementary School

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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 $480 (5.7%) $121 (1.4%) $1,082 (12.9%) $6,296 (74.8%) $1,522 (18.1%) $7,818 (92.9%) $8,420
2020 $439 (4.7%) $286 (3.1%) $1,165 (12.6%) $6,898 (74.4%) $1,642 (17.7%) $8,540 (92.2%) $9,266
2021 $779 (7.8%) $260 (2.6%) $1,818 (18.3%) $7,434 (74.8%) $1,471 (14.8%) $8,905 (89.6%) $9,944
2022 $621 (6.0%) $286 (2.8%) $1,528 (14.8%) $7,959 (77.2%) $1,445 (14.0%) $9,404 (91.2%) $10,311

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Desert Meadows 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 614th of 1039 Elementary schoolsRanks 674th of 1245 Elementary schools
 5%
Ranks 439th of 605 Middle schoolsRanks 447th of 854 Middle schools
 20.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students822848
 3.2%
African American157166
 5.7%
American Indian2539
 56%
Asian2115
 28.6%
Hispanic465518
 11.4%
Pacific Islander136
 53.8%
White10472
 30.8%
Two or More Races3732
 13.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients66.9%70.9%
 4%


Schools Near Desert Meadows Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Desert Meadows Elementary School

Students at Desert Meadows Elementary School are 61% Hispanic, 20% African American, 8% White, 5% American Indian, 4% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 848 students attended Desert Meadows Elementary School.

Students who attend Desert Meadows Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Betty Fairfax High School

Desert Meadows Elementary School ranks 631st of 904 Arizona elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.


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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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