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Desert Palms Elementary School

Q: Is Desert Palms Elementary School a good school?

Desert Palms Elementary School ranks 568 th of 909 Arizona elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-8

568^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 909 Arizona Elementary Schools

Better than 38% of Arizona elementary schools

Summary

Desert Palms Elementary School is a public school located in Glendale, Arizona, serving grades PK-8 with a total enrollment of 415 students. The school is part of the Peoria Unified School District, which is ranked 138 out of 289 districts in Arizona and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite the school's relatively high per-student spending of $9,393 in the 2021-2022 school year, Desert Palms Elementary School has consistently underperformed compared to the district and the state of Arizona in standardized test scores across various grade levels and subjects. The school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics were significantly lower than the district and state averages in the 2024-2025 school year, and its statewide ranking has dropped from 444 out of 955 Arizona elementary schools in 2014-2015 to 568 out of 909 in 2024-2025, with a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Interestingly, the nearby schools, such as Kachina Elementary School, Marshall Ranch Elementary School, and Copperwood School, generally outperform Desert Palms Elementary School in academic achievement, with higher proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics. These nearby schools also have lower dropout rates and a more diverse student population, with a lower percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

373

Students ?

14.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,393

Per pupil spending ?

58.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

11441 N 55th Ave
Glendale, AZ 85304-3402

(623) 412-4600

District: Peoria Unified School District

Students who attend Desert Palms Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Ironwood High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

46.9%

White:

32.2%

African American:

8.8%

See top rated Arizona elementary schools

Compare Desert Palms Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 54th percentile in 2015 → 38th in 2025

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 16 percentile points since 2015

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!Near the bottom of Peoria Unified School District's ranking

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school35%

District avg42%

Arizona avg38%

Elementary school

568^th of 909

Arizona public elementary schools ?

Bottom 38%▼ down 16 pts since 2015

From top 46% (2015) to bottom 38% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Arizona Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

256^th of 552

Arizona public middle schools ?

Top 46%▼ down 2 pts since 2015

See the entire ranking list of Arizona Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

24^th of 30Elementary Schools in the Peoria Unified School District

138^th of 289Peoria Unified School District among Arizona districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	29.1	568 of 909	37.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	20.6	692 of 912	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	25.3	902 of 1245	27.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	29.0	642 of 1000	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	35.5	714 of 1226	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	29.6	691 of 1039	33.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	36.7	655 of 1109	40.9%	★★☆☆☆
2017	46.0	540 of 1106	51.2%	★★★☆☆
2016	43.3	548 of 1079	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2015	46.4	444 of 955	53.5%	★★★☆☆
2014	55.2	489 of 1079	54.7%	★★★☆☆
2013	55.2	513 of 1158	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2012	62.9	417 of 1141	63.5%	★★★☆☆
2011	43.1	611 of 1075	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2010	53.8	492 of 1090	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2009	50.7	528 of 1062	50.3%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2022	38.5	230 of 289	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	44.1	409 of 895	54.3%	★★★☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	50.1	342 of 620	44.8%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	39.3	545 of 975	44.1%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	29.4	816 of 1219	33.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	26.5	635 of 824	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	38.4	686 of 1219	43.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	23.7	643 of 862	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	36.8	622 of 1023	39.2%	★★☆☆☆

Foster Care

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	47.5	106 of 306	65.4%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	34.4	754 of 1170	35.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	45.3	580 of 1198	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	45.2	453 of 911	50.3%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	38.3	664 of 1116	40.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	37.9	511 of 820	37.7%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	18.9	1018 of 1216	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	31.6	768 of 1220	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	48.7	406 of 850	52.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	34.1	645 of 1032	37.5%	★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	13.3	591 of 617	4.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	52.0	207 of 444	53.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	45.2	528 of 1027	48.6%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	25.8	653 of 820	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	28.3	958 of 1201	20.2%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	9.5	984 of 1024	3.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	23.4	981 of 1161	15.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	16.8	636 of 720	11.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	42.5	256 of 552	53.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	40.7	271 of 550	50.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	33.9	506 of 854	40.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	31.1	367 of 605	39.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	38.2	444 of 832	46.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	24.0	441 of 605	27.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	38.0	403 of 711	43.3%	★★☆☆☆
2017	52.4	270 of 695	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2016	33.5	416 of 677	38.6%	★★☆☆☆
2015	48.3	231 of 521	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2014	64.7	234 of 690	66.1%	★★★☆☆
2013	67.1	227 of 787	71.2%	★★★★☆
2012	63.4	257 of 772	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2011	63.2	229 of 685	66.6%	★★★☆☆
2010	74.5	158 of 692	77.2%	★★★★☆
2009	64.8	216 of 663	67.4%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	22.7	507 of 573	11.5%	☆☆☆☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	35.6	176 of 247	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	48.8	227 of 404	43.8%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	56.4	57 of 606	90.6%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	32.9	490 of 806	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	44.9	378 of 820	53.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	34.2	385 of 624	38.3%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	44.1	363 of 760	52.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	53.5	262 of 802	67.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.5	196 of 543	63.9%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	38.8	397 of 717	44.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	37.4	295 of 503	41.4%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	32.6	506 of 810	37.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	30.3	538 of 818	34.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	41.5	306 of 617	50.4%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	10.0	376 of 384	2.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	61.4	66 of 211	68.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	42.1	354 of 650	45.5%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	28.1	644 of 789	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	18.7	594 of 675	12.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	34.7	533 of 780	31.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	15.8	391 of 436	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Elementary school

Foster Care (2021)65th percentile+24 vs school

Asian (2021)45th percentile+3 vs school

English Language Learner (2021)44th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2023)41st percentile+13 vs school

Hispanic (2023)36th percentile+8 vs school

Female (2023)33rd percentile+6 vs school

African American (2022)20th percentile-15 vs school

Special Education (2023)20th percentile-7 vs school

Male (2023)16th percentile-11 vs school

Multi-racial (2023)4th percentile-23 vs school

White (2023)4th percentile-24 vs school

Middle school

English Language Learner (2021)91st percentile+44 vs school

Hispanic (2023)52nd percentile+11 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2023)45th percentile+4 vs school

Female (2023)39th percentile~ school

Male (2023)38th percentile-3 vs school

Asian (2023)29th percentile-12 vs school

Special Education (2021)18th percentile-28 vs school

White (2023)12th percentile-29 vs school

African American (2021)12th percentile-35 vs school

Multi-racial (2023)2nd percentile-39 vs school

By subject vs Arizona (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts38%-3 vs state

Science32%~ state avg

Mathematics31%-4 vs state

3.0

2 ratings

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★1

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Schools Near Desert Palms Elementary School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				AASA English Language Arts (2025)						AASA Mathematics (2025)						AzSCI Science (2025)		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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	AASA English Language Arts 3rd Grade	AASA English Language Arts 4th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 5th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 6th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 7th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 8th Grade	AASA Mathematics 3rd Grade	AASA Mathematics 4th Grade	AASA Mathematics 5th Grade	AASA Mathematics 6th Grade	AASA Mathematics 7th Grade	AASA Mathematics 8th Grade	AzSCI Science 5th Grade	AzSCI Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
Desert Palms Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	11441 N 55th Ave	Glendale	85304	Maricopa County	Peoria Unified School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(623) 412-4600	373	26	14.4		120 (32.2%)	33 (8.8%)	175 (46.9%)	14 (3.8%)	10 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (5.6%)	29.1	568^th of 909 public elementary schools	37.5%		20.6	692^nd of 912 public elementary schools	24.1%	124		43.0	27.0	35.0		48.0	33.0					29.0		32.0	$9,393	$408	$747	$1,563	$7,351	$887	$8,238
Marshall Ranch Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	12995 N Marshall Ranch Dr	Glendale	85304	Maricopa County	Peoria Unified School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(623) 486-6450	662	39	16.9		293 (44.3%)	45 (6.8%)	273 (41.2%)	20 (3.0%)	5 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	25 (3.8%)	35.7	506^th of 909 public elementary schools	44.3%		37.5	500^th of 912 public elementary schools	45.2%	6	36.0	50.0	32.0	37.0	41.0	43.0	43.0	45.0	24.0	23.0	25.0	39.0	31.0	33.0	$8,605	$187	$309	$683	$7,201	$908	$8,109
Heritage School	Public	PK, KG-8	5312 W Mountain View Rd	Glendale	85302	Maricopa County	Peoria Unified School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(623) 412-4525	478	28	16.8		135 (28.2%)	31 (6.5%)	255 (53.3%)	21 (4.4%)	12 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (5.0%)	30.5	560^th of 909 public elementary schools	38.4%		29.5	582^nd of 912 public elementary schools	36.2%	22	23.0	45.0	25.0	45.0	42.0	38.0	28.0	39.0			22.0			26.0	$8,740	$528	$685	$1,742	$7,165	$362	$7,527
Arroyo Elementary School	Public	K-8	4535 W Cholla St	Glendale	85304	Maricopa County	Washington Elementary School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(602) 896-5100	504	33	15.5		132 (26.2%)	21 (4.2%)	299 (59.3%)	18 (3.6%)	9 (1.8%)	1 (0.2%)	24 (4.8%)	21.2	688^th of 909 public elementary schools	24.3%		17.3	752^nd of 912 public elementary schools	17.5%	64	26.0	32.0		24.0	34.0	40.0	44.0	29.0	22.0			28.0	20.0	20.0	$8,728	$963	$190	$2,115	$6,829	$747	$7,576
Sahuaro Ranch Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	10401 N 63rd Ave	Glendale	85302	Maricopa County	Peoria Unified School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(623) 412-4775	578	39	15.0		183 (31.7%)	45 (7.8%)	299 (51.7%)	9 (1.6%)	16 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (4.5%)	51.4	377^th of 909 public elementary schools	58.5%		35.1	518^th of 912 public elementary schools	43.2%	141	45.0	54.0	34.0	46.0	38.0	41.0	58.0	50.0	21.0	54.0	27.0	21.0	29.0	31.0	$8,490	$403	$496	$1,302	$7,185	$406	$7,590
Desert Valley Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	12901 N 63rd Ave	Glendale	85304	Maricopa County	Peoria Unified School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(623) 412-4750	439	31	14.1		187 (42.6%)	21 (4.8%)	193 (44.0%)	14 (3.2%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	19 (4.3%)	40.3	470^th of 909 public elementary schools	48.3%		36.8	508^th of 912 public elementary schools	44.3%	38	43.0	63.0	26.0	34.0	44.0	36.0	30.0	50.0			28.0	31.0	25.0	21.0	$9,472	$281	$394	$956	$7,466	$1,331	$8,797
Copperwood School	Public	PK, KG-8	11232 N 65th Ave	Glendale	85304	Maricopa County	Peoria Unified School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(623) 412-4650	625	37	16.8		291 (46.6%)	35 (5.6%)	240 (38.4%)	19 (3.0%)	5 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	34 (5.4%)	70.6	247^th of 909 public elementary schools	72.8%		56.2	354^th of 912 public elementary schools	61.2%	107	55.0	58.0	58.0	47.0	43.0	54.0	66.0	49.0	76.0	36.0	34.0	40.0	46.0	54.0	$6,984	$77	$321	$475	$5,973	$613	$6,586
Sunset School	Public	PK, KG-6	4626 W Mountain View Rd	Glendale	85302	Maricopa County	Washington Elementary School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(602) 347-3300	497	27	18.0		108 (21.7%)	32 (6.4%)	302 (60.8%)	22 (4.4%)	5 (1.0%)	2 (0.4%)	26 (5.2%)	33.6	532^nd of 909 public elementary schools	41.5%		19.4	712^th of 912 public elementary schools	21.9%	180	18.0	43.0	44.0	37.0				34.0	32.0	22.0			41.0		$8,869	$874	$217	$1,964	$6,813	$965	$7,778
Sweetwater School	Public	K-8	4602 W Sweetwater Ave	Glendale	85304	Maricopa County	Washington Elementary School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(602) 896-6500	483	46	10.4		179 (37.1%)	23 (4.8%)	236 (48.9%)	6 (1.2%)	13 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (5.4%)	49.4	390^th of 909 public elementary schools	57.1%		60.1	329^th of 912 public elementary schools	63.9%	61		42.0	37.0	49.0	57.0	52.0		35.0	65.0	40.0	24.0	32.0	35.0	37.0	$16,398	$1,159	$198	$2,515	$13,470	$1,571	$15,041
Kachina Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	5304 W Crocus Dr	Glendale	85306	Maricopa County	Peoria Unified School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(623) 412-4500	273	19	14.7		105 (38.5%)	13 (4.8%)	124 (45.4%)	12 (4.4%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	17 (6.2%)								(n/a)					59.0	47.0									$13,711	$596	$840	$2,033	$9,515	$2,759	$12,274

Frequently Asked Questions about Desert Palms Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Desert Palms Elementary School?

Students at Desert Palms Elementary School are 47% Hispanic, 32% White, 9% African American, 6% Two or more races, 4% Asian, 3% American Indian.

How many students attend Desert Palms Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 373 students attended Desert Palms Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Desert Palms Elementary School attend?

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

High : Ironwood High School

Is Desert Palms Elementary School a good school?

Desert Palms Elementary School ranks 568^th of 909 Arizona elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Desert Palms Elementary School in?

Peoria Unified School District

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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.