Desert Sky Elementary

Q: Is Desert Sky Elementary a good school?

Desert Sky Elementary ranks 182 nd of 1168 Washington elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Desert Sky Elementary is a public elementary school in West Richland, Washington, serving 408 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Richland School District, which is ranked 67 out of 247 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Desert Sky Elementary consistently outperforms the Richland School District and the state of Washington in standardized test scores across all grades and subjects. The school's performance is particularly strong in SBAC/Math, with 65.85% of students proficient or better, compared to 46.09% for the district and 41.68% for the state. In WCAS/Science, Desert Sky's proficiency rate of 82.26% is significantly higher than the district's 56.3% and the state's 49.73%. The school also excels in the performance of specific student groups, with male students and low socio-economic status students ranking among the top in the state.

While Desert Sky Elementary has a relatively homogeneous student population, with 79.9% of students identifying as White, the school's academic excellence sets it apart from nearby schools in the Richland School District. Lewis & Clark Elementary, Jefferson Elementary, Sacajawea Elementary, and Tapteal Elementary all perform below Desert Sky in both academic achievement and SchoolDigger rankings. The only nearby school that compares to Desert Sky's performance is Orchard Elementary.

Detail:

Public K-5

2100 Sunshine Avenue
West Richland, WA 99353

(509) 967-6225

District: Richland School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
182^nd of 1,168 Washington Elementary Schools

Students who attend Desert Sky Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Leona Libby Middle School
High:	Richland High School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.3

Number of students: 408

Racial breakdown:

White:

79.9%

Hispanic:

10.5%

Two or more races:

5.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 19.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Desert Sky Elementary ranks better than 84.4% of elementary schools in Washington. It also ranks 2^nd among 10 ranked elementary schools in the Richland School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 83.52. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Desert Sky Elementary has the smallest elementary school student body size in the Richland School District. Racial makeup is: White (79.9%), Hispanic (10.5%), two or more races (5.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 19.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Richland School District. (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Desert Sky Elementary is 16.3, which is the 4^th best among 10 elementary schools in the Richland School District. (See more...)

Compare Desert Sky Elementary employs 25 full-time teachers.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Desert Sky Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Desert Sky Elementary 182^nd of 1168 Washington public elementary schools. (See Desert Sky Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Richland School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Richland School District 67^th of 247 Washington school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Desert Sky Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Desert Sky Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	87.05	142^nd	1169	87.9%
2024	83.52	182^nd	1168	84.4%

See the entire list of Washington Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Desert Sky Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	46.91	180^th	339	46.9%

See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Desert Sky Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	87.32	50^th	1013	95.1%
2024	86.57	56^th	1024	94.5%

See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Desert Sky Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	82.13	169^th	1094	84.6%
2024	74.36	250^th	1093	77.1%

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

Rank History for Male students at Desert Sky Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	89.68	99^th	1099	91.0%
2024	89.13	108^th	1099	90.2%

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

Rank History for White students at Desert Sky Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	82.21	153^rd	1011	84.9%
2024	76.76	218^th	1009	78.4%

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

Data source: test scores: Washington Office of Superindentent of Public Instruction, 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: Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Desert Sky Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2022	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2023	326	5	13	43	0	0	21	0	408

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 Sky Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2022	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
2023	408	25.0	16.3	19.1

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 Sky Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2022	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
2023	408	25.0	16.3	19.1

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.

Kindergarten Immunization Rates

Desert Sky Elementary

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Year	Completely Immunized	Religious Exemption	Medical Exemption	Conditional	Personal Exemption	Polio	Measles	Mumps	Rubella	Diphtheria	Hepatitis B	Varicella	Pertussis	Tetanus
2023	95.3%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	98.4%	98.4%	98.4%	98.4%	98.4%	96.9%	96.9%	98.4%	98.4%
2024	98.6%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	98.6%	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	98.6%	100.0%	100.0%	98.6%	98.6%

Data source: Washington State Department of Health

Schools Near Desert Sky Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				WCAS Science (2024)		SBAC English Language Arts (2024)				SBAC Math (2024)				% Completely Immunized (2024)	% Polio (2024)	% Measles (2024)	% Mumps (2024)	% Rubella (2024)	% Diphtheria (2024)	% Hepatitis B (2024)	% Varicella (2024)	% Pertussis (2024)	% Tetanus (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
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	WCAS Science 5th Grade	WCAS Science All Grades	SBAC English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 4th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts All Grades	SBAC Math 3rd Grade	SBAC Math 4th Grade	SBAC Math 5th Grade	SBAC Math All Grades	% Completely Immunized KG	% Polio KG	% Measles KG	% Mumps KG	% Rubella KG	% Diphtheria KG	% Hepatitis B KG	% Varicella KG	% Pertussis KG	% Tetanus KG	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Desert Sky Elementary	Public	K-5	2100 Sunshine Avenue	West Richland	99353	Benton County	Richland School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(509) 967-6225	408	25	16.3	19.1%	326 (79.9%)	5 (1.2%)	43 (10.5%)	13 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (5.1%)	83.5	182^nd of 1168 public elementary schools	84.4%		87.1	142^nd of 1169 public elementary schools	87.9%	40	82.3	82.3	61.2	70.7	67.7	66.7	67.2	68.0	61.9	65.9	98.6	98.6	100.0	100.0	100.0	98.6	100.0	100.0	98.6	98.6
William Wiley Elementary School	Public	K-5	2820 S Highlands Blvd	West Richland	99353	Benton County	Richland School District	No	No	No	No	(509) 967-6375	527	29	18.1	28.5%	394 (74.8%)	7 (1.3%)	86 (16.3%)	8 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (6.1%)								(n/a)											95.9	97.3	97.3	97.3	97.3	97.3	98.6	97.3	97.3	97.3	$16,059	$865	$15,194
Tapteal Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	705 N 62nd Ave	West Richland	99353	Benton County	Richland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 967-6350	471	29	16.1	65.2%	263 (55.8%)	2 (0.4%)	174 (36.9%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	3 (0.6%)	25 (5.3%)	42.3	652^nd of 1168 public elementary schools	44.2%		24.8	917^th of 1169 public elementary schools	21.6%	265	56.0	56.0	58.0	34.2	52.0	47.9	54.3	30.5	32.0	39.1	89.3	90.7	94.7	94.7	94.7	89.3	94.7	94.7	89.3	89.3	$14,789	$1,097	$13,692
White Bluffs Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1250 Kensington	Richland	99352	Benton County	Richland School District	No	No	No	No	(509) 967-6575	629	34	18.7	26.6%	434 (69.0%)	3 (0.5%)	118 (18.8%)	34 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	39 (6.2%)	82.2	200^th of 1168 public elementary schools	82.9%		84.9	161^st of 1169 public elementary schools	86.2%	39	79.4	79.4	63.2	59.1	73.5	65.2	62.5	70.5	65.4	66.2	97.1	97.1	100.0	100.0	100.0	97.1	99.0	98.1	97.1	97.1	$14,100	$869	$13,231
Marcus Whitman Elementary	Public	K-5	1704 Gray St.	Richland	99352	Benton County	Richland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 967-6300	484	27	17.9	67.1%	301 (62.2%)	6 (1.2%)	139 (28.7%)	5 (1.0%)	5 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	27 (5.6%)	68.5	334^th of 1168 public elementary schools	71.4%		52.3	513^th of 1169 public elementary schools	56.1%	179	59.0	59.0	64.4	52.9	70.5	62.2	69.0	65.9	34.6	55.7	96.8	96.8	96.8	96.8	96.8	96.8	96.8	96.8	96.8	96.8	$18,661	$1,575	$17,087
Jason Lee Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1750 McMurray	Richland	99352	Benton County	Richland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 967-6475	504	29	17.3	58.1%	352 (69.8%)	7 (1.4%)	110 (21.8%)	4 (0.8%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (5.8%)	57.8	472^nd of 1168 public elementary schools	59.6%		61.8	407^th of 1169 public elementary schools	65.2%	65	73.1	73.1	42.5	54.0	58.2	51.4	47.5	48.0	50.8	48.6	91.5	93.9	95.1	95.1	95.1	92.7	95.1	92.7	92.7	92.7	$18,403	$1,339	$17,063
Lewis & Clark Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	415 Jadwin	Richland	99352	Benton County	Richland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 967-6275	486	30	16.3	67.5%	280 (57.6%)	10 (2.1%)	128 (26.3%)	26 (5.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (8.4%)	74	281^st of 1168 public elementary schools	75.9%		70.3	322^nd of 1169 public elementary schools	72.5%	41	66.3	66.3	63.5	66.7	61.1	63.7	63.5	61.6	50.0	58.5	93.2	93.2	94.5	94.5	94.5	93.2	98.6	94.5	93.2	93.2	$18,207	$1,537	$16,670
Jefferson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1550 George Washington Way	Richland	99352	Benton County	Richland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 967-6250	414	28	14.9	66.9%	250 (60.4%)	11 (2.7%)	108 (26.1%)	9 (2.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (8.2%)	48.2	586^th of 1168 public elementary schools	49.8%		38.7	708^th of 1169 public elementary schools	39.4%	122	57.6	57.6	46.3	48.0	57.8	50.8	50.0	44.0	35.9	43.0	89.1	92.2	93.8	92.2	92.2	92.2	96.9	92.2	92.2	92.2	$20,665	$1,851	$18,814
Sacajawea Elementary	Public	K-5	535 Fuller St.	Richland	99352	Benton County	Richland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 967-6325	458	29	15.7	51.5%	292 (63.8%)	9 (2.0%)	103 (22.5%)	14 (3.1%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	38 (8.3%)	45.9	611^th of 1168 public elementary schools	47.7%		45.3	611^th of 1169 public elementary schools	47.7%		65.3	65.3	33.3	54.7	53.3	47.1	37.3	41.3	44.0	40.9	87.7	95.1	93.8	93.8	93.8	92.6	96.3	91.4	92.6	92.6	$17,751	$1,330	$16,421
Orchard Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1600 Gala Way	Richland	99352	Benton County	Richland School District	No	No	No	No	(509) 967-6175	616	37	16.6	26.3%	410 (66.6%)	12 (1.9%)	88 (14.3%)	67 (10.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	36 (5.8%)	87.3	138^th of 1168 public elementary schools	88.2%		87.9	133^rd of 1169 public elementary schools	88.6%	5	80.4	80.4	63.7	75.0	80.4	73.1	65.7	68.1	70.3	68.0	96.9	98.0	98.0	98.0	98.0	98.0	96.9	96.9	98.0	98.0	$15,519	$886	$14,633

Frequently Asked Questions about Desert Sky Elementary

What district is Desert Sky Elementary in?

Richland School District

What schools do graduates of Desert Sky Elementary attend?

Students who attend Desert Sky Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Leona Libby Middle School
High : Richland High School

What is the racial makeup of Desert Sky Elementary?

Students at Desert Sky Elementary are 80% White, 11% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 1% African American.

How many students attend Desert Sky Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 408 students attended Desert Sky Elementary.

Is Desert Sky Elementary a good school?

Desert Sky Elementary ranks 182^nd of 1168 Washington elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Washington State Department of Health and the Washington Office of Superindentent of Public Instruction.

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.