Desert Wind Middle School

Summary:

Desert Wind Middle School is a public middle school located in Maricopa, Arizona, serving 817 students in grades 6-8 as part of the Maricopa Unified School District.

Despite its diverse student population, Desert Wind Middle School consistently underperforms compared to state and district averages in English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 28% of 6th graders, 26% of 7th graders, and 22% of 8th graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state averages of 43%, 41%, and 35%, respectively. In Mathematics, the proficiency rates were even lower, with only 8% of 6th graders, 13% of 7th graders, and 10% of 8th graders meeting or exceeding the standards, compared to the state averages of 30%, 30%, and 28%. The school's performance on standardized tests for specific student subgroups, such as Asian, Native American, and Foster Care students, is particularly concerning.

When compared to nearby middle schools, such as Maricopa Wells Middle School and Kyrene del Pueblo Middle School, the academic performance gap at Desert Wind Middle School becomes more apparent. These neighboring schools consistently outperform Desert Wind Middle School in both ELA and Mathematics proficiency, with Kyrene del Pueblo Middle School ranking significantly higher in the state. Additionally, Desert Wind Middle School's statewide ranking has steadily declined over the past several years, from being ranked 290 out of 677 Arizona middle schools in 2015-2016 to being ranked 474 out of 533 in 2023-2024, further highlighting the need for targeted interventions and support to improve educational outcomes for its students.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 35565 W Honeycutt Rd
       Maricopa, AZ  85138-2002


(520) 568-7110

District: Maricopa Unified School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
474th of 533 Arizona Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,733 Help


Students who attend Desert Wind Middle School usually attend:

High:    Maricopa High School

Feeder schools for Desert Wind Middle School:

Elementary:    Pima Butte Elementary School
    Santa Cruz Elementary School
    Santa Rosa Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  21.5 Help
Number of students:  817

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
44.7%
White:
26.8%
African American:
16.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  51.9% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Desert Wind Middle School ranks worse than 88.9% of middle schools in Arizona. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 13.58. (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 Student population at Desert Wind Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (44.7%), White (26.8%), African American (16.2%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 51.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Desert Wind Middle School is 21.5. (See more...)
Help
Compare Desert Wind Middle School employs 37.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Desert Wind Middle School is $8,733.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Desert Wind Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Desert Wind Middle School 474th of 533 Arizona public middle schools. (See Desert Wind Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Maricopa Unified School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Maricopa Unified School District 224th of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Desert Wind Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Desert Wind Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 47.36 341st 663 48.6%
2010 51.88 315th 692 54.5%
2011 44.10 387th 685 43.5%
2012 35.98 531st 772 31.2%
2013 37.70 520th 787 33.9%
2014 35.36 450th 690 34.8%
2015 26.08 376th 521 27.8%
2016 49.50 290th 677 57.2%
2017 28.10 474th 695 31.8%
2018 32.45 453rd 711 36.3%
2019 26.33 415th 605 31.4%
2021 32.08 513th 832 38.3%
2022 22.38 450th 605 25.6%
2023 22.42 651st 854 23.8%
2024 13.58 474th 533 11.1%
See the entire list of Arizona Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Desert Wind Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 29.97 474th 650 27.1%
2023 15.44 361st 384 6.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Desert Wind Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 41.74 298th 606 50.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Desert Wind Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.98 107th 178 39.9%
2021 36.50 493rd 789 37.5%
2023 16.15 344th 363 5.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Desert Wind Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.13 346th 503 31.2%
2022 18.83 319th 369 13.6%
2023 19.85 619th 717 13.7%
2024 12.14 300th 314 4.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Desert Wind Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 32.37 228th 257 11.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Desert Wind Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.24 377th 624 39.6%
2019 21.47 354th 466 24.0%
2021 35.20 474th 820 42.2%
2022 17.75 422nd 494 14.6%
2023 23.15 616th 806 23.6%
2024 10.11 353rd 379 6.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Foster Care students at Desert Wind Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 50.17 47th 166 71.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Desert Wind Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 44.42 86th 143 39.9%
2023 32.45 87th 110 20.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Desert Wind Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.04 422nd 617 31.6%
2019 19.40 345th 435 20.7%
2021 31.22 528th 818 35.5%
2022 16.25 406th 476 14.7%
2023 21.01 644th 810 20.5%
2024 8.68 343rd 356 3.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Desert Wind Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 45.86 243rd 404 39.9%
2022 15.43 188th 192 2.1%
2023 9.51 240th 247 2.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Desert Wind Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.31 77th 125 38.4%
2021 33.64 382nd 573 33.3%
2023 14.13 375th 400 6.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Desert Wind Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.03 367th 543 32.4%
2019 23.57 304th 387 21.4%
2021 35.34 484th 802 39.7%
2022 21.79 312th 392 20.4%
2023 19.48 656th 760 13.7%
2024 16.31 279th 322 13.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Desert Wind Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 49.61 111th 390 71.5%
2023 12.89 142nd 159 10.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Desert Wind Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 23.60 89th 108 17.6%
2022 49.16 15th 16 6.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Desert Wind Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.86 308th 436 29.4%
2019 19.16 281st 337 16.6%
2021 38.56 487th 780 37.6%
2022 17.21 392nd 446 12.1%
2023 21.90 557th 675 17.5%
2024 5.87 265th 273 2.9%
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 Wind Middle School 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 Wind Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2009 272 110 33 196 24 n/a n/a 0 635
2010 302 124 26 208 24 n/a n/a 0 684
2011 276 113 22 214 20 1 4 0 650
2012 273 103 16 225 19 1 7 0 644
2013 276 81 16 182 20 2 11 0 588
2014 188 68 11 119 15 2 8 0 411
2015 178 69 7 130 14 2 14 0 414
2016 193 61 11 135 19 2 16 0 437
2017 187 66 14 156 20 1 21 0 465
2018 238 85 23 242 23 5 32 0 648
2019 282 105 12 288 25 8 32 0 752
2020 265 118 8 314 23 3 47 0 778
2021 273 115 8 328 29 7 49 0 809
2022 258 104 12 303 32 6 45 0 760
2023 219 132 14 365 31 4 52 0 817

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 Wind Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2009 635 32.6 19.5 35.9
2010 684 32.0 21.3 49.9
2011 650 30.0 21.6 48.8
2012 644 29.0 22.2 52.3
2013 588 27.1 21.6 54.3
2014 411 17.6 23.2 57.2
2015 414 21.0 19.7 61.1
2016 437 14.0 31.2 63.8
2017 465 17.0 27.3 62.4
2018 648 30.1 21.5 53.9
2019 752 34.4 21.8 52.9
2020 778 37.0 21.0 53
2021 809 37.9 21.3 n/a
2022 760 37.5 20.2 19.1
2023 817 37.9 21.5 51.9

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 Wind Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2009 635 32.6 19.5 35.9
2010 684 32.0 21.3 49.9
2011 650 30.0 21.6 48.8
2012 644 29.0 22.2 52.3
2013 588 27.1 21.6 54.3
2014 411 17.6 23.2 57.2
2015 414 21.0 19.7 61.1
2016 437 14.0 31.2 63.8
2017 465 17.0 27.3 62.4
2018 648 30.1 21.5 53.9
2019 752 34.4 21.8 52.9
2020 778 37.0 21.0 53
2021 809 37.9 21.3 n/a
2022 760 37.5 20.2 19.1
2023 817 37.9 21.5 51.9

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 Wind Middle School

Help

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 $202 (2.9%) $178 (2.5%) $582 (8.3%) $5,398 (76.8%) $1,248 (17.8%) $6,646 (94.6%) $7,026
2020 $78 (1.8%) $79 (1.8%) $235 (5.3%) $4,134 (93.3%) $141 (3.2%) $4,276 (96.5%) $4,433
2021 $419 (5.0%) $538 (6.4%) $1,376 (16.4%) $5,610 (67.0%) $1,809 (21.6%) $7,419 (88.6%) $8,376
2022 $267 (3.1%) $954 (10.9%) $1,489 (17.1%) $6,582 (75.4%) $929 (10.6%) $7,512 (86.0%) $8,733

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Desert Wind Middle 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 415th of 605 Middle schoolsRanks 651st of 854 Middle schools
 7.6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students752817
 8.6%
African American105132
 25.7%
American Indian2531
 24%
Asian1214
 16.7%
Hispanic288365
 26.7%
Pacific Islander84
 50%
White282219
 22.3%
Two or More Races3252
 62.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients52.9%51.9%
 1%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Desert Wind Middle School

Students who attend Desert Wind Middle School usually go on to attend Maricopa High School

Desert Wind Middle School ranks in the bottom 11.1% of Arizona middle schools.

Students at Desert Wind Middle School are 45% Hispanic, 27% White, 16% African American, 6% Two or more races, 4% American Indian, 2% Asian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 817 students attended Desert Wind Middle School.


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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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