Desert Springs Elementary School

Q: Is Desert Springs Elementary School a good school?

Desert Springs Elementary School ranks 197 th of 301 Idaho elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Desert Springs Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Nampa, Idaho, serving grades PK-5 with a student population of 667. The school is part of the Vallivue School District, which is ranked 46 out of 77 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Desert Springs has a more diverse student population compared to the nearby schools, with a higher percentage of Hispanic students (40.03%) and a lower percentage of White students (54.42%). The school has shown strong academic performance in certain areas, ranking in the top 3 and 5 schools in the state for Hispanic and White student performance, respectively, in recent years. However, its overall state ranking has fluctuated between 85 and 197 out of 301 Idaho elementary schools. Desert Springs has also experienced a significant decrease in chronic absenteeism, from 32.0% in 2021-2022 to 22.3% in 2022-2023, though this is still higher than the state average.

While Desert Springs performs better than the nearby Vallivue School District and the state average in some academic areas, it lags behind other schools in the district, such as Central Canyon Elementary and Lakevue Elementary, in overall state rankings and test scores. The school's spending per student ($7,529 in 2018-2019) is on par with the nearby schools, suggesting that funding and resources may not be a significant factor in its academic performance.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

18178 Santa Ana Avenue
Nampa, ID 83687-5131

(208) 466-1555

District: Vallivue School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
197^th of 301 Idaho Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,529

Students who attend Desert Springs Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Sage Valley Middle School
High:	Ridgevue High School

Student/teacher ratio: 19.0

Number of students: 667

Racial breakdown:

White:

54.4%

Hispanic:

40.0%

Two or more races:

3.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 39.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Desert Springs Elementary School ranks worse than 65.4% of elementary schools in Idaho. It also ranks 5^th among 7 ranked elementary schools in the Vallivue School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 35.12. (See more...)

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

Compare Details Desert Springs Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Vallivue School District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Desert Springs Elementary School is $7,529, which is the highest among 7 elementary schools in the Vallivue School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Desert Springs Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Desert Springs Elementary School 197^th of 301 Idaho public elementary schools. (See Desert Springs Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Vallivue School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Vallivue School District 46^th of 77 Idaho school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Desert Springs Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Desert Springs Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ID State Percentile
2008	14.60	317^th	335	5.4%
2009	26.41	298^th	349	14.6%
2010	38.93	257^th	356	27.8%
2011	43.42	236^th	359	34.3%
2012	50.78	194^th	354	45.2%
2013	58.40	160^th	357	55.2%
2015	55.19	100^th	226	55.8%
2016	36.68	155^th	240	35.4%
2017	44.37	168^th	292	42.5%
2018	55.35	109^th	254	57.1%
2019	50.47	83^rd	171	51.5%
2021	40.34	98^th	166	41.0%
2023	63.79	85^th	252	66.3%
2024	35.12	197^th	301	34.6%

See the entire list of Idaho Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Desert Springs Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	53.29	69^th	121	43.0%

See the entire list of Best Idaho Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Desert Springs Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	57.50	55^th	121	54.5%

See the entire list of Best Idaho Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Desert Springs Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	83.96	3^rd	19	84.2%
2024	45.48	23^rd	58	60.3%

See the entire list of Best Idaho Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Desert Springs Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ID State Percentile
2019	71.18	8^th	18	55.6%
2021	70.53	2^nd	11	81.8%
2022	81.08	5^th	37	86.5%
2024	70.39	40^th	135	70.4%

See the entire list of Best Idaho Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Idaho 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.

Data source: Idaho Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Desert Springs Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2008	422	8	3	233	8	n/a	n/a	674
2009	315	32	4	284	2	n/a	n/a	637
2010	317	3	4	290	2	n/a	n/a	616
2011	338	4	4	300	2	0	6	654
2012	328	3	3	285	2	0	10	631
2013	360	4	5	299	5	0	8	681
2014	362	4	4	293	3	2	6	674
2015	342	2	1	302	7	1	9	664
2016	367	5	1	305	6	0	17	701
2017	369	1	1	349	4	0	23	747
2018	366	1	1	260	4	0	18	650
2019	355	0	2	281	2	1	16	657
2020	383	7	1	235	4	1	19	650
2021	316	9	0	227	1	1	22	576
2022	387	10	0	253	1	1	24	676
2023	363	11	0	267	1	3	22	667

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 Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	674	32.0	21.1	58.3
2009	637	33.5	19.0	62
2010	616	32.2	19.1	77.3
2011	654	31.1	21.0	78.9
2012	631	29.0	21.7	75
2013	681	30.0	22.7	74
2014	674	29.5	22.8	68.2
2015	664	30.0	22.1	68.4
2016	701	31.0	22.6	67.9
2017	747	32.2	23.1	69.3
2018	650	31.7	20.4	57.1
2019	657	30.5	21.5	51.3
2020	650	32.9	19.7	49.4
2021	576	33.0	17.4	35.6
2022	676	35.0	19.3	30
2023	667	35.0	19.0	39.4

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 Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	674	32.0	21.1	58.3
2009	637	33.5	19.0	62
2010	616	32.2	19.1	77.3
2011	654	31.1	21.0	78.9
2012	631	29.0	21.7	75
2013	681	30.0	22.7	74
2014	674	29.5	22.8	68.2
2015	664	30.0	22.1	68.4
2016	701	31.0	22.6	67.9
2017	747	32.2	23.1	69.3
2018	650	31.7	20.4	57.1
2019	657	30.5	21.5	51.3
2020	650	32.9	19.7	49.4
2021	576	33.0	17.4	35.6
2022	676	35.0	19.3	30
2023	667	35.0	19.0	39.4

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 Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,066 (14.2%)	$6,463 (85.8%)	$7,529

Data source: Idaho Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Desert Springs 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 83^rd of 171 Elementary schools	Ranks 85^th of 252 Elementary schools	14.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Desert Springs Elementary School)	55.4	56.3	0.9%
3rd Grade Math (Vallivue School District)	56.3	51	5.3%
3rd Grade Math (Idaho)	53	49.4	3.6%
4th Grade Math (Desert Springs Elementary School)	62.9	59.6	3.3%
4th Grade Math (Vallivue School District)	57	47.9	9.1%
4th Grade Math (Idaho)	49.9	47.2	2.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Desert Springs Elementary School)	63.5	61.2	2.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Vallivue School District)	59.5	50	9.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Idaho)	52	48.4	3.6%
5th Grade Math (Desert Springs Elementary School)	45.7	34	11.7%
5th Grade Math (Vallivue School District)	52.1	36.8	15.3%
5th Grade Math (Idaho)	44.9	41.5	3.4%
All Grades Math (Desert Springs Elementary School)	54.1	49.9	4.2%
All Grades Math (Vallivue School District)	43.3	37.7	5.6%
All Grades Math (Idaho)	44.4	41.5	2.9%
All Grades Science (Desert Springs Elementary School)	67	42.2	24.8%
All Grades Science (Vallivue School District)	55.1	42.1	13%
All Grades Science (Idaho)	58.9	40.8	18.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Desert Springs Elementary School)	56.2	56.8	0.6%
All Grades English Language Arts (Vallivue School District)	57.4	54.3	3.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Idaho)	55	52.2	2.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	657	667	1.5%
African American	0	11
American Indian	2	1	50%
Asian	2	0	100%
Hispanic	281	267	5%
Pacific Islander	1	3	200%
White	355	363	2.3%
Two or More Races	16	22	37.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	51.3%	39.4%	11.9%

Schools Near Desert Springs Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ISAT Math (2024)							ISAT Science (2024)			ISAT English Language Arts (2024)							Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISAT Math 3rd Grade	ISAT Math 4th Grade	ISAT Math 5th Grade	ISAT Math 6th Grade	ISAT Math 7th Grade	ISAT Math 8th Grade	ISAT Math All Grades	ISAT Science 5th Grade	ISAT Science 8th Grade	ISAT Science All Grades	ISAT English Language Arts 3rd Grade	ISAT English Language Arts 4th Grade	ISAT English Language Arts 5th Grade	ISAT English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISAT English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISAT English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISAT English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Desert Springs Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	18178 Santa Ana Avenue	Nampa	83687	Canyon County	Vallivue School District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 466-1555	667	35	19.0	39.4%	363 (54.4%)	11 (1.6%)	267 (40.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.4%)	22 (3.3%)	35.1	197^th of 301 public elementary schools	34.6%		63.8	85^th of 252 public elementary schools	66.3%	112	46.5	40.4	36.2				40.8			33.1			50.4				47.4	$7,529	$1,066	$6,463
East Canyon Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	18408 Northside Boulevard	Nampa	83687	Canyon County	Vallivue School District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 466-6929	692	33	20.9	33.4%	373 (53.9%)	12 (1.7%)	276 (39.9%)	4 (0.6%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	24 (3.5%)	27.6	217^th of 301 public elementary schools	27.9%		49.9	125^th of 252 public elementary schools	50.4%	92	39.7	43.2	22.2				34.6			24.4	44.8	47.2	43.8				45.3	$7,529	$1,066	$6,463
Skyway Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	19430 Ward Road	Caldwell	83605	Canyon County	Vallivue School District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 454-0445	738	38	19.4	49.9%	324 (43.9%)	8 (1.1%)	377 (51.1%)	3 (0.4%)	6 (0.8%)	3 (0.4%)	17 (2.3%)	19.8	239^th of 301 public elementary schools	20.6%		28.4	178^th of 252 public elementary schools	29.4%	61	27.2	38.8	30.7				32.6			28.5			39.0					$7,529	$1,066	$6,463
Willow Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	198 Elementary Lane	Nampa	83651	Canyon County	Nampa School District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 468-4617	586	32	18.3	55.8%	314 (53.6%)	4 (0.7%)	235 (40.1%)	7 (1.2%)	2 (0.3%)	5 (0.9%)	19 (3.2%)	36.7	192^nd of 301 public elementary schools	36.2%		48.5	132^nd of 252 public elementary schools	47.6%	60	44.5	43.1	31.8				40.2			34.1	46.0	48.5	51.7				48.6	$7,567	$1,381	$6,186
Central Canyon Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	16437 Florida Avenue	Caldwell	83607	Canyon County	Vallivue School District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 459-3367	636	31	20.5	49.5%	295 (46.4%)	4 (0.6%)	310 (48.7%)	4 (0.6%)	2 (0.3%)	3 (0.5%)	18 (2.8%)	49.3	154^th of 301 public elementary schools	48.8%		60.1	94^th of 252 public elementary schools	62.7%	60	43.9	44.5	43.5				44.0			43.6	45.6	54.0	64.5				54.6	$7,529	$1,066	$6,463
Lakevue Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	12843 Cirrus Drive	Nampa	83651	Canyon County	Vallivue School District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 467-1478	951	43	22.1	38.6%	538 (56.6%)	20 (2.1%)	338 (35.5%)	5 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (1.5%)	36 (3.8%)	45.8	164^th of 301 public elementary schools	45.5%		52.9	117^th of 252 public elementary schools	53.6%	47	49.2	40.4	33.1				40.7				55.3	46.8	63.7				55.1	$7,529	$1,066	$6,463
Heritage Community Charter	Public, Charter	K-8	1803 East Ustick Road	Caldwell	83605	Canyon County	Heritage Community Charter School Inc.	Yes	No	No	Yes	(208) 453-8070	482	23	20.9	59.8%	139 (28.8%)	2 (0.4%)	336 (69.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.8%)	9.7	280^th of 301 public elementary schools	7.0%					(n/a)	28.3	30.0	16.7	11.1	27.1	12.5	21.4	30.0	30.0	30.0	31.6	20.0		17.0		31.6	29.2	$6,084	$917	$5,167
Birch Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6900 Birch Lane	Nampa	83687	Canyon County	Vallivue School District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 461-5960	662	33	20.0	32.8%	443 (66.9%)	7 (1.1%)	170 (25.7%)	9 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	32 (4.8%)	50.2	147^th of 301 public elementary schools	51.2%		44.2	148^th of 252 public elementary schools	41.3%	1	42.9	66.1	38.4				49.6			42.3			50.9				52.8	$7,529	$1,066	$6,463
Van Buren Elementary School	Public	K-5	3115 Marble Front Road	Caldwell	83605	Canyon County	Caldwell District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 455-3326	561	34	16.4	89.8%	194 (34.6%)	5 (0.9%)	340 (60.6%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (2.9%)	7.7	285^th of 301 public elementary schools	5.3%		12	228^th of 252 public elementary schools	9.5%	57	29.9	11.2	18.5				20.1			19.7	32.3	15.7	35.1				28.0	$7,967	$1,386	$6,581
Mosaics Public School	Public, Charter	K-7	3121 Lincoln Road	Caldwell	83605	Canyon County	Mosaics Public School Inc.	Yes	No	No	Yes	(208) 332-6800	416	22	19.2	49.8%	261 (62.7%)	0 (0.0%)	134 (32.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	18 (4.3%)	37.8	186^th of 301 public elementary schools	38.2%					(n/a)	41.7	56.9	33.9	27.1	45.6		40.8			39.3	45.7	55.2	46.4	45.7	41.3		47.1

Frequently Asked Questions about Desert Springs Elementary School

What district is Desert Springs Elementary School in?

Vallivue School District

How many students attend Desert Springs Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 667 students attended Desert Springs Elementary School.

Is Desert Springs Elementary School a good school?

Desert Springs Elementary School ranks 197^th of 301 Idaho elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Desert Springs Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Sage Valley Middle School
High : Ridgevue High School

What is the racial makeup of Desert Springs Elementary School?

Students at Desert Springs Elementary School are 54% White, 40% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 2% African American.

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