Desert Springs Middle

Summary:

Desert Springs Middle is a public middle school located in Desert Hot Springs, California, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 803 students. The school is part of the Palm Springs Unified School District, which is ranked 1055 out of 1568 districts in California and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Desert Springs Middle has consistently ranked in the bottom quartile of California middle schools, maintaining a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger throughout this period. The school faces significant challenges, including a high chronic absenteeism rate of 47.1% in 2022-2023, well above the district and state averages. Academically, Desert Springs Middle students perform well below their peers, with only 21.56% proficient or better in English Language Arts and 12.41% in mathematics, compared to the district and state averages. The school also struggles to support the academic achievement of its diverse student population, with subgroup performance rankings in the bottom quartile of California middle schools.

While Desert Springs Middle is the lowest-performing school in the immediate vicinity, the other middle schools in the Palm Springs Unified District also struggle academically, suggesting systemic challenges within the district. In contrast, Palm Desert Charter Middle, a public charter school in the Desert Sands Unified District, stands out as a high-performing institution, with proficiency rates significantly above the district and state averages. The consistently high rates of chronic absenteeism at Desert Springs Middle may be a significant factor contributing to the school's poor academic outcomes, and addressing this issue could be a crucial step in improving student learning and achievement.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 66-755 Two Bunch Palms Trail
       Desert Hot Springs, CA  92240-5775


(760) 251-7200

District: Palm Springs Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
2409th of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,837 Help


Students who attend Desert Springs Middle usually attend:

High:    Desert Hot Springs High

Feeder schools for Desert Springs Middle:

Elementary:    Bubbling Wells Elementary
    Cabot Yerxa Elementary
    Della S. Lindley Elementary
    Julius Corsini Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  22.2 Help
Number of students:  740

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
84.3%
White:
7.0%
African American:
4.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  96.9% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Desert Springs Middle ranks worse than 86.7% of middle schools in California. It also ranks 4th among 5 ranked middle schools in the Palm Springs Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 16.55. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (84.3%), White (7%), African American (4.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 96.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Desert Springs Middle is 22.2. 3 middle schools in the Palm Springs Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Desert Springs Middle employs 33.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Desert Springs Middle is $12,837. 3 middle schools in the Palm Springs Unified School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Desert Springs Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Desert Springs Middle 2409th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Desert Springs Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Palm Springs Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Palm Springs Unified 1055th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Desert Springs Middle

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Rank History for all students at Desert Springs Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 17.04 1522nd 1769 14.0%
2005 11.94 1638th 1777 7.8%
2006 18.96 1511th 1804 16.2%
2007 14.45 1793rd 1999 10.3%
2008 26.19 1530th 2005 23.7%
2009 24.70 1609th 2063 22.0%
2010 29.68 1586th 2179 27.2%
2011 25.83 1755th 2236 21.5%
2012 26.01 1767th 2259 21.8%
2013 29.15 1736th 2379 27.0%
2015 14.98 2186th 2477 11.7%
2016 18.11 2102nd 2497 15.8%
2017 17.96 2108th 2508 15.9%
2018 18.29 2069th 2480 16.6%
2019 21.23 2131st 2715 21.5%
2022 20.54 2197th 2740 19.8%
2023 15.27 2497th 2802 10.9%
2024 16.55 2409th 2777 13.3%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Desert Springs Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.95 1048th 1364 23.2%
2019 30.27 1104th 1442 23.4%
2022 36.86 898th 1540 41.7%
2023 35.24 966th 1529 36.8%
2024 30.29 1208th 1477 18.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Desert Springs Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 26.06 1222nd 1538 20.5%
2024 19.81 1464th 1550 5.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Desert Springs Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.51 1734th 2230 22.2%
2019 29.34 1713th 2369 27.7%
2022 28.96 1734th 2458 29.5%
2023 19.74 2180th 2549 14.5%
2024 21.29 2126th 2575 17.4%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Desert Springs Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 24.72 267th 321 16.8%
2024 44.58 184th 394 53.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Desert Springs Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.13 1907th 2262 15.7%
2019 23.52 1840th 2380 22.7%
2022 22.13 1976th 2509 21.2%
2023 16.08 2261st 2547 11.2%
2024 18.10 2175th 2546 14.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Desert Springs Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.57 966th 1369 29.4%
2019 25.10 1203rd 1491 19.3%
2022 35.12 893rd 1531 41.7%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Desert Springs Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.68 1910th 2273 16.0%
2019 18.54 2041st 2407 15.2%
2022 19.87 2060th 2527 18.5%
2023 15.25 2306th 2558 9.9%
2024 15.12 2282nd 2547 10.4%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Desert Springs Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.74 505th 600 15.8%
2019 27.10 482nd 643 25.0%
2022 39.67 353rd 637 44.6%
2023 34.15 397th 614 35.3%
2024 27.53 468th 626 25.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Desert Springs Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.13 1678th 2072 19.0%
2019 29.32 1562nd 2213 29.4%
2022 24.55 1833rd 2359 22.3%
2023 18.04 2092nd 2391 12.5%
2024 20.34 2001st 2383 16.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Desert Springs Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.59 1166th 1496 22.1%
2019 13.61 1411th 1602 11.9%
2022 34.36 1023rd 1555 34.2%
2023 18.20 1282nd 1552 17.4%
2024 22.72 1203rd 1535 21.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: California 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 Springs Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: California Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
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0%

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0%

0%

  

Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Desert Springs Middle

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1990 255 31 9 101 0 n/a n/a 0 396
1991 540 44 13 277 8 n/a n/a 0 882
1992 549 57 12 341 9 n/a n/a 0 968
1993 588 56 19 430 15 n/a n/a 0 1108
1994 576 62 19 478 11 n/a n/a 0 1146
1995 474 66 13 491 15 n/a n/a 0 1059
1996 474 66 13 491 15 n/a n/a 0 1059
1997 456 70 14 489 15 n/a n/a 0 1044
1998 427 70 11 541 9 n/a n/a 0 1058
1999 425 62 14 577 11 n/a n/a 0 1089
2000 409 64 11 629 7 n/a n/a 0 1120
2001 406 70 13 691 10 n/a n/a 16 1206
2002 400 74 12 859 13 n/a n/a 2 1360
2003 400 74 12 859 13 n/a n/a 2 1360
2004 384 91 15 975 13 n/a n/a 0 1478
2005 363 112 18 1032 15 n/a n/a 0 1540
2006 336 136 20 1158 15 n/a n/a 0 1665
2007 334 128 17 1256 13 n/a n/a 0 1748
2008 305 120 21 1284 7 n/a n/a 0 1737
2009 279 118 15 1254 8 7 1 0 1682
2010 273 116 14 1251 11 6 10 0 1681
2011 223 134 17 1187 9 5 10 0 1585
2012 113 83 6 670 3 2 6 0 883
2013 93 74 4 696 4 0 11 0 882
2014 107 47 3 716 1 1 10 0 885
2015 89 48 3 695 1 1 18 0 855
2016 77 41 6 741 2 3 13 0 883
2017 79 56 7 783 3 1 16 0 945
2018 87 70 5 793 4 1 17 0 977
2019 88 76 3 777 5 0 16 0 965
2020 63 74 4 743 6 0 28 0 918
2021 59 69 9 708 4 0 25 0 874
2022 58 47 7 660 2 1 25 0 800
2023 61 45 7 668 3 0 19 0 803
2024 52 33 5 624 4 3 17 2 740

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 Springs Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 396 19.0 20.8 n/a
1991 882 39.2 22.5 n/a
1992 968 39.8 24.3 48
1993 1108 45.0 24.6 61
1994 1146 48.8 23.5 61.9
1995 1059 42.6 24.9 65.1
1996 1059 42.6 24.9 65.1
1997 1044 45.8 22.8 73.1
1998 1058 43.0 24.6 73.5
1999 1089 42.0 25.9 79.2
2000 1120 44.2 25.3 88.6
2001 1206 53.4 22.6 85.8
2002 1360 57.3 23.7 86
2003 1360 57.3 23.7 86
2004 1478 55.8 26.5 83
2005 1540 55.6 27.7 89.8
2006 1665 67.6 24.6 91.7
2007 1748 72.1 24.2 77.3
2008 1737 78.5 22.1 85.1
2009 1682 69.6 21.4 86.4
2010 1681 66.0 25.4 92.6
2011 1585 n/a n/a 93.8
2012 883 34.5 25.5 88.8
2013 882 34.0 25.9 86.4
2014 885 34.7 25.5 85.2
2015 855 38.0 22.5 96.6
2016 883 36.0 24.5 94.6
2017 945 38.8 24.3 92.6
2018 977 44.2 22.1 96.5
2019 965 44.8 21.5 97.4
2020 918 n/a n/a 93.9
2021 874 38.0 23.0 99.3
2022 800 38.5 20.7 97.8
2023 803 34.5 23.2 99
2024 740 33.3 22.2 96.9

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 Springs Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 396 19.0 20.8 n/a
1991 882 39.2 22.5 n/a
1992 968 39.8 24.3 48
1993 1108 45.0 24.6 61
1994 1146 48.8 23.5 61.9
1995 1059 42.6 24.9 65.1
1996 1059 42.6 24.9 65.1
1997 1044 45.8 22.8 73.1
1998 1058 43.0 24.6 73.5
1999 1089 42.0 25.9 79.2
2000 1120 44.2 25.3 88.6
2001 1206 53.4 22.6 85.8
2002 1360 57.3 23.7 86
2003 1360 57.3 23.7 86
2004 1478 55.8 26.5 83
2005 1540 55.6 27.7 89.8
2006 1665 67.6 24.6 91.7
2007 1748 72.1 24.2 77.3
2008 1737 78.5 22.1 85.1
2009 1682 69.6 21.4 86.4
2010 1681 66.0 25.4 92.6
2011 1585 n/a n/a 93.8
2012 883 34.5 25.5 88.8
2013 882 34.0 25.9 86.4
2014 885 34.7 25.5 85.2
2015 855 38.0 22.5 96.6
2016 883 36.0 24.5 94.6
2017 945 38.8 24.3 92.6
2018 977 44.2 22.1 96.5
2019 965 44.8 21.5 97.4
2020 918 n/a n/a 93.9
2021 874 38.0 23.0 99.3
2022 800 38.5 20.7 97.8
2023 803 34.5 23.2 99
2024 740 33.3 22.2 96.9

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 Springs Middle

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $12,837

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Desert Springs Middle

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 2131st of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 2497th of 2802 Middle schools
 10.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Desert Springs Middle)39.618
 21.6%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Palm Springs Unified)40.230.9
 9.2%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.544.2
 4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Desert Springs Middle)18.615.9
 2.7%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Palm Springs Unified)27.220
 7.2%
   6th Grade Mathematics (California)38.533.2
 5.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Desert Springs Middle)30.423.8
 6.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Palm Springs Unified)40.934.3
 6.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Desert Springs Middle)19.814.5
 5.4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Palm Springs Unified)25.921
 4.9%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Desert Springs Middle)28.716.7
 12%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Palm Springs Unified)36.432.3
 4.1%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Desert Springs Middle)15.37.5
 7.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Palm Springs Unified)19.115.1
 4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Desert Springs Middle)12.37.6
 4.7%
   8th Grade Science (Palm Springs Unified)19.416.5
 2.9%
   8th Grade Science (California)30.828.8
 2.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students965803
 16.8%
African American7645
 40.8%
American Indian53
 40%
Asian37
 133.3%
Hispanic777668
 14%
Pacific Islander00
White8861
 30.7%
Two or More Races1619
 18.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients97.4%99%
 1.6%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Desert Springs Middle

Students at Desert Springs Middle are 84% Hispanic, 7% White, 4% African American, 2% Two or more races.

Students who attend Desert Springs Middle usually go on to attend Desert Hot Springs High

In the 2023-24 school year, 740 students attended Desert Springs Middle.

Desert Springs Middle ranks in the bottom 13.3% of California middle schools.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California 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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