Desert Sands Unified

The Desert Sands Unified School District in California encompasses 34 schools, including 19 elementary schools, 7 middle schools, 7 high schools, and 1 alternative school. The district serves a diverse student population with varying academic performance and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Among the standout schools in the district are Palm Desert High School, which is ranked 311 out of 2,323 California high schools and has a 4-star rating. It boasts a 95.8% four-year graduation rate, a 0.6% dropout rate, and strong test scores, with 71.62% of 11th graders proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy and 39.47% proficient or better in Mathematics. Another high-performing school is George Washington Charter, an elementary charter school ranked 706 out of 5,862 California elementary schools with a 4-star rating and exceptional test scores, with 69.76% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy and 65.61% proficient or better in Mathematics. James Earl Carter Elementary is also a standout, ranked 1,341 out of 5,862 California elementary schools with a 4-star rating and strong test scores.

However, the data also reveals significant performance gaps between the highest and lowest-performing schools in the Desert Sands Unified district, particularly in test scores and graduation rates. Chronic absenteeism is a concern across the district, with rates ranging from 15.5% at Horizon to 76.8% at Amistad High (Continuation). The high rates of free/reduced-price lunch recipients indicate that many students in the district come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, which can present additional barriers to academic success.