Desert Mesa Elementary School

Summary:

Desert Mesa Elementary School is a public elementary school in Yuma, Arizona, serving 841 students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade, and is part of the Yuma Elementary District.

Despite being part of a lower-ranked district, Desert Mesa Elementary School has consistently performed better than the district and state averages in academic assessments, such as AASA English Language Arts and Mathematics. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 46% of 5th-grade students at Desert Mesa were proficient or better in AASA English Language Arts, compared to 31% for the Yuma Elementary District and 38% for the state. The school also has a higher spending per student compared to the state average, with $7,339 spent per student in the 2021-2022 school year, compared to the state average of $6,964.

While Desert Mesa Elementary School is performing well overall, there are still some areas where the school could improve, such as the performance of its African American and Native American student subgroups, which have lower rankings compared to other subgroups. However, the school's strong military connection and its ability to effectively serve its diverse student population, including a high percentage of Hispanic students, suggest that it has successful strategies in place that could be replicated by other schools in the area.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 2350 S Avenue 7 1/2 E
       Yuma, AZ  85365-8603


(928) 502-8600

District: Yuma Elementary District

SchoolDigger Rank:
440th of 912 Arizona Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,339 Help


Students who attend Desert Mesa Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Castle Dome Middle School
High:    Gila Ridge High School

Student/teacher ratio:  22.1 Help
Number of students:  841

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
75.1%
White:
20.9%
African American:
1.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  58.9% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Desert Mesa Elementary School ranks better than 51.8% of elementary schools in Arizona. It also ranks 3rd among 9 ranked elementary schools in the Yuma Elementary District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 44.46. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Desert Mesa Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Yuma Elementary District. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (75.1%), White (20.9%), African American (1.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 58.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Desert Mesa Elementary School is 22.1. 11 elementary schools in the Yuma Elementary District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Desert Mesa Elementary School employs 38 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Desert Mesa Elementary School is $7,339. 10 elementary schools in the Yuma Elementary District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Desert Mesa Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Desert Mesa Elementary School 440th of 912 Arizona public elementary schools. (See Desert Mesa 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:
White students:


Yuma Elementary District:

SchoolDigger ranks Yuma Elementary District 223rd of 297 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Desert Mesa Elementary School?

Rank History for Desert Mesa Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Desert Mesa Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 36.19 699th 1062 34.2%
2010 49.57 543rd 1090 50.2%
2011 48.77 537th 1075 50.0%
2012 48.16 614th 1141 46.2%
2013 49.48 602nd 1158 48.0%
2014 56.94 471st 1079 56.3%
2015 45.43 456th 955 52.3%
2016 55.89 433rd 1079 59.9%
2017 54.62 447th 1106 59.6%
2018 60.36 411th 1109 62.9%
2019 46.18 511th 1039 50.8%
2021 39.23 670th 1226 45.4%
2022 42.90 505th 1000 49.5%
2023 58.81 448th 1245 64.0%
2024 44.46 440th 912 51.8%
See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Desert Mesa Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 54.40 395th 1027 61.5%
2023 53.96 241st 617 60.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 38.86 826th 975 15.3%
2023 26.77 305th 451 32.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Desert Mesa Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 49.55 442nd 1201 63.2%
2023 53.25 299th 820 63.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.43 259th 820 68.4%
2022 34.26 428th 618 30.7%
2023 58.39 374th 1116 66.5%
2024 37.97 320th 556 42.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Migrant students at Desert Mesa Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 37.72 34th 60 43.3%
2023 30.80 30th 37 18.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Female students at Desert Mesa Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.69 374th 1023 63.4%
2019 29.42 584th 862 32.3%
2021 39.72 661st 1219 45.8%
2022 44.55 476th 824 42.2%
2023 65.71 368th 1219 69.8%
2024 28.80 432nd 602 28.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Desert Mesa Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 35.51 194th 239 18.8%
2022 82.51 8th 101 92.1%
2023 70.22 25th 145 82.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Desert Mesa Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.16 396th 1032 61.6%
2019 47.27 422nd 850 50.4%
2021 39.02 679th 1220 44.3%
2022 30.99 571st 830 31.2%
2023 50.18 539th 1216 55.7%
2024 27.89 446th 628 29.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Desert Mesa Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 46.12 397th 620 36.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Desert Mesa Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 23.33 797th 895 10.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Desert Mesa Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.89 315th 911 65.4%
2019 41.28 389th 709 45.1%
2021 42.21 614th 1198 48.7%
2022 41.52 423rd 716 40.9%
2023 61.18 379th 1170 67.6%
2024 42.18 256th 486 47.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Desert Mesa Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 28.47 530th 654 19.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Desert Mesa Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.41 211th 720 70.7%
2019 47.39 331st 595 44.4%
2021 45.30 634th 1161 45.4%
2022 44.02 462nd 800 42.3%
2023 62.96 335th 1024 67.3%
2024 38.29 321st 486 34.0%
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.

Desert Mesa 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: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Open Quote Very friendly staff, and excellent teachers!!! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Desert Mesa Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1999 229 8 8 305 5 n/a n/a 0 555
2000 216 9 5 309 7 n/a n/a 0 546
2001 259 12 9 319 4 n/a n/a 0 603
2002 402 17 10 427 12 n/a n/a 0 868
2003 402 17 10 427 12 n/a n/a 0 868
2004 355 9 5 426 8 n/a n/a 0 803
2005 334 19 4 468 8 n/a n/a 0 833
2006 291 19 4 472 10 n/a n/a 0 796
2007 262 23 7 496 8 n/a n/a 0 796
2008 250 16 5 512 6 n/a n/a 0 789
2009 201 20 16 518 10 n/a n/a 0 765
2010 218 18 12 467 4 n/a n/a 0 719
2011 205 19 11 459 6 1 1 0 702
2012 226 21 8 437 7 3 3 0 705
2013 219 12 6 425 6 0 4 0 672
2014 214 10 10 432 6 1 8 0 681
2015 217 10 8 453 6 3 0 0 697
2016 207 8 3 484 3 0 9 0 714
2017 189 8 3 482 4 1 6 0 693
2018 172 4 1 533 4 2 9 0 725
2019 177 6 2 545 4 1 4 0 739
2020 243 9 3 533 5 1 11 0 805
2021 157 8 4 509 3 0 8 0 689
2022 159 12 4 598 4 1 6 0 784
2023 176 14 5 632 5 0 9 0 841

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 Mesa Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1999 555 27.8 20.0 n/a
2000 546 33.5 16.3 n/a
2001 603 31.3 19.3 n/a
2002 868 42.2 20.6 n/a
2003 868 42.2 20.6 n/a
2004 803 41.8 19.2 58.3
2005 833 44.0 18.9 61.7
2006 796 42.5 18.7 55.3
2007 796 41.0 19.4 10.9
2008 789 37.0 21.3 57.3
2009 765 40.5 18.9 60.9
2010 719 34.0 21.1 59.1
2011 702 32.0 21.9 57.8
2012 705 32.0 22.0 51.9
2013 672 33.0 20.3 53.3
2014 681 32.0 21.2 50.1
2015 697 32.0 21.7 53.2
2016 714 33.0 21.6 59.5
2017 693 32.5 21.3 66.5
2018 725 34.8 20.8 60
2019 739 35.0 21.1 63.9
2020 805 37.0 21.7 54.9
2021 689 35.0 19.6 n/a
2022 784 39.0 20.1 32.7
2023 841 38.0 22.1 58.9

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 Mesa Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1999 555 27.8 20.0 n/a
2000 546 33.5 16.3 n/a
2001 603 31.3 19.3 n/a
2002 868 42.2 20.6 n/a
2003 868 42.2 20.6 n/a
2004 803 41.8 19.2 58.3
2005 833 44.0 18.9 61.7
2006 796 42.5 18.7 55.3
2007 796 41.0 19.4 10.9
2008 789 37.0 21.3 57.3
2009 765 40.5 18.9 60.9
2010 719 34.0 21.1 59.1
2011 702 32.0 21.9 57.8
2012 705 32.0 22.0 51.9
2013 672 33.0 20.3 53.3
2014 681 32.0 21.2 50.1
2015 697 32.0 21.7 53.2
2016 714 33.0 21.6 59.5
2017 693 32.5 21.3 66.5
2018 725 34.8 20.8 60
2019 739 35.0 21.1 63.9
2020 805 37.0 21.7 54.9
2021 689 35.0 19.6 n/a
2022 784 39.0 20.1 32.7
2023 841 38.0 22.1 58.9

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 Mesa Elementary School

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,950 (23.3%) $7,356 (87.9%) $8,370
2020 $1,537 (26.2%) $4,754 (81.0%) $5,872
2021 $2,746 (39.4%) $5,134 (73.7%) $6,964
2022 $3,691 (50.3%) $4,881 (66.5%) $7,339

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Desert Mesa 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 511th of 1039 Elementary schoolsRanks 448th of 1245 Elementary schools
 13.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students739841
 13.8%
African American614
 133.3%
American Indian45
 25%
Asian25
 150%
Hispanic545632
 16%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White177176
 0.6%
Two or More Races49
 125%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients63.9%58.9%
 5%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Desert Mesa Elementary School

Desert Mesa Elementary School ranks 440th of 912 Arizona elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

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

Middle : Castle Dome Middle School
High : Gila Ridge High School

Students at Desert Mesa Elementary School are 75% Hispanic, 21% White, 2% African American, 1% Two or more races.

In the 2022-23 school year, 841 students attended Desert Mesa Elementary 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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