Desert Ridge High

Public 8-12

 10045 E Madero Ave
       Mesa, AZ  85209-1399


(480) 984-8947

District: Gilbert Unified District

SchoolDigger Rank:
161st of 469 Arizona High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $6,032 Help


Feeder schools for Desert Ridge High:

Elementary:    Augusta Ranch Elementary
    Boulder Creek Elementary
    Canyon Rim Elementary
    Meridian
Middle:    Desert Ridge Junior High

Student/teacher ratio:  23.1 Help
Number of students:  2,284

Racial breakdown:

White:
59.1%
Hispanic:
29.7%
Two or more races:
4.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  22.9% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Desert Ridge High ranks better than 65.7% of high schools in Arizona. It also ranks 5th among 6 ranked high schools in the Gilbert Unified District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 58.22. (See more...)
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The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Desert Ridge High freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (59.1%), Hispanic (29.7%), two or more races (4.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 22.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Desert Ridge High is 23.1. 4 high schools in the Gilbert Unified District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Desert Ridge High employs 98.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Desert Ridge High is $6,032. 4 high schools in the Gilbert Unified District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Desert Ridge High:

SchoolDigger ranks Desert Ridge High 161st of 469 Arizona public high schools. (See Desert Ridge High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Foster Care students:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
Native American students:
Pacific Islander students:
White students:


Gilbert Unified District:

SchoolDigger ranks Gilbert Unified District 104th of 540 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Desert Ridge High.

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Rank History for Desert Ridge High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Desert Ridge High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 88.13 51st 395 87.1%
2010 81.06 82nd 403 79.7%
2011 83.64 66th 397 83.4%
2012 79.52 88th 471 81.3%
2013 74.19 129th 491 73.7%
2014 76.99 93rd 394 76.4%
2015 47.99 104th 261 60.2%
2016 67.24 85th 406 79.1%
2017 57.53 118th 416 71.6%
2018 51.70 140th 420 66.7%
2019 33.59 168th 285 41.1%
2021 54.99 184th 509 63.9%
2022 58.05 138th 464 70.3%
2023 58.22 161st 469 65.7%
See the entire list of Arizona High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Desert Ridge High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.81 47th 76 38.2%
2021 55.53 150th 374 59.9%
2022 77.32 58th 282 79.4%
2023 33.15 138th 199 30.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Desert Ridge High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 44.58 29th 312 90.7%
2022 41.67 53rd 258 79.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Desert Ridge High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.29 97th 155 37.4%
2021 51.03 134th 422 68.2%
2022 49.61 110th 380 71.1%
2023 24.14 143rd 172 16.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Desert Ridge High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.19 93rd 253 63.2%
2022 63.91 44th 168 73.8%
2023 50.72 147th 347 57.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Desert Ridge High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 57.99 40th 150 73.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Desert Ridge High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.52 125th 354 64.7%
2019 35.64 141st 247 42.9%
2021 52.90 192nd 492 61.0%
2022 55.17 148th 456 67.5%
2023 55.42 154th 406 62.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Foster Care students at Desert Ridge High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 47.03 36th 130 72.3%
2022 47.51 41st 116 64.7%
2023 18.89 22nd 25 12.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Desert Ridge High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 50.46 44th 102 56.9%
2022 22.27 103rd 125 17.6%
2023 3.44 73rd 74 1.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Desert Ridge High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.86 150th 370 59.5%
2019 29.77 152nd 238 36.1%
2021 53.86 178th 492 63.8%
2022 57.42 141st 455 69.0%
2023 57.34 163rd 429 62.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Desert Ridge High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.98 73rd 83 12.0%
2019 24.13 39th 44 11.4%
2021 33.03 158th 231 31.6%
2022 56.19 100th 238 58.0%
2023 75.43 26th 146 82.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Desert Ridge High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.45 68th 122 44.3%
2021 28.25 198th 306 35.3%
2022 44.91 131st 301 56.5%
2023 26.19 145th 201 27.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Desert Ridge High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.44 128th 311 58.8%
2019 28.42 118th 183 35.5%
2021 40.14 244th 479 49.1%
2022 52.29 144th 441 67.3%
2023 46.86 178th 379 53.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Desert Ridge High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 30.29 115th 256 55.1%
2022 25.05 150th 255 41.2%
2023 98.56 3rd 128 97.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Desert Ridge High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 20.13 80th 129 38.0%
2023 61.20 11th 41 73.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Desert Ridge High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.52 151st 291 48.1%
2019 20.74 176th 217 18.9%
2021 52.19 206th 448 54.0%
2022 47.75 182nd 409 55.5%
2023 46.10 194th 371 47.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Arizona 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 Ridge High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2.3)
33%

0%

0%

0%

67%

  

by a parent
Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Open Quote Do NOT let your children attend this school. The teaching staff is never avalible! Your only choice is VM or email which you will not get a reply for over a week and by then any concerns you have are doubled. They supply zero extra help so if your student is unable to get the help they need in their 34 plus students in a classroom, tough. And going to the Admin is a joke, they pour "sorry's" on you and empty promises. And since the school shuts down by 3:30 your only choice is to take time of from work repeatedly to try and get a hold of anyone. So if you have any intrest in being a hands on parent find another school. It will be worth it for your students education. Close Quote


Facebook Profile Picture by a student on FaceBook
Monday, July 13, 2009

Open Quote I am a Student at Desert Ridge High and the staff couldn't be any more helpful. The Other students can be rough at times but hey there just kids. The teachers are Excellent, always ready to teach something new. In other words Desert Ridge High is an Awesome school. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Desert Ridge High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2002 701 46 16 134 3 n/a n/a 0 900
2003 701 46 16 134 3 n/a n/a 0 900
2004 1104 92 37 222 10 n/a n/a 0 1465
2005 1340 121 49 303 9 n/a n/a 0 1822
2006 1443 150 66 353 11 n/a n/a 0 2023
2007 1596 148 68 399 14 n/a n/a 0 2225
2008 1669 189 91 429 18 n/a n/a 0 2396
2009 1698 154 92 425 17 n/a n/a 0 2386
2010 1732 177 100 447 15 n/a n/a 0 2471
2011 1761 163 97 464 19 1 9 0 2514
2012 1718 146 95 488 15 8 19 0 2489
2013 1778 140 102 560 21 10 47 0 2658
2014 1860 138 102 569 18 9 58 0 2754
2015 1877 119 97 568 14 10 67 0 2752
2016 1896 117 99 558 25 5 68 0 2768
2017 1866 113 93 540 28 4 70 0 2714
2018 1751 115 94 566 32 5 63 0 2626
2019 1735 113 102 598 28 8 65 0 2649
2020 1578 76 81 604 17 9 76 0 2441
2021 1288 60 61 521 15 12 75 0 2032
2022 1444 75 75 669 24 13 100 0 2400
2023 1349 66 58 678 20 11 102 0 2284

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 Ridge High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 900 62.1 14.5 n/a
2003 900 62.1 14.5 n/a
2004 1465 80.8 18.1 0.2
2005 1822 106.0 17.2 2.9
2006 2023 112.5 18.0 18.1
2007 2225 129.3 17.2 17.2
2008 2396 127.8 18.7 18.8
2009 2386 137.3 17.4 22.4
2010 2471 117.1 21.0 23.3
2011 2514 117.5 21.3 27.3
2012 2489 113.8 21.8 16.6
2013 2658 112.4 23.6 1.6
2014 2754 119.3 23.0 0.6
2015 2752 119.0 23.1 0.2
2016 2768 110.0 25.1 0.3
2017 2714 118.1 22.9 25.5
2018 2626 117.1 22.4 23
2019 2649 125.1 21.1 23
2020 2441 127.1 19.2 20
2021 2032 110.9 18.3 n/a
2022 2400 100.6 23.8 8.1
2023 2284 98.8 23.1 22.9

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 Ridge High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 900 62.1 14.5 n/a
2003 900 62.1 14.5 n/a
2004 1465 80.8 18.1 0.2
2005 1822 106.0 17.2 2.9
2006 2023 112.5 18.0 18.1
2007 2225 129.3 17.2 17.2
2008 2396 127.8 18.7 18.8
2009 2386 137.3 17.4 22.4
2010 2471 117.1 21.0 23.3
2011 2514 117.5 21.3 27.3
2012 2489 113.8 21.8 16.6
2013 2658 112.4 23.6 1.6
2014 2754 119.3 23.0 0.6
2015 2752 119.0 23.1 0.2
2016 2768 110.0 25.1 0.3
2017 2714 118.1 22.9 25.5
2018 2626 117.1 22.4 23
2019 2649 125.1 21.1 23
2020 2441 127.1 19.2 20
2021 2032 110.9 18.3 n/a
2022 2400 100.6 23.8 8.1
2023 2284 98.8 23.1 22.9

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 Ridge High

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YearPersonnel Expenditures from Federal FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from Federal FundsTotal Expenditures from Federal FundsPersonnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $106 (1.5%) $125 (1.8%) $338 (4.8%) $5,713 (81.3%) $1,081 (15.4%) $6,794 (96.7%) $7,025
2020 $43 (0.8%) $106 (1.9%) $192 (3.5%) $5,106 (93.6%) $198 (3.6%) $5,305 (97.3%) $5,454
2021 $57 (0.9%) $197 (3.0%) $310 (4.7%) $5,979 (89.8%) $426 (6.4%) $6,404 (96.2%) $6,658
2022 $20 (0.3%) $35 (0.6%) $75 (1.2%) $5,607 (93.0%) $370 (6.1%) $5,977 (99.1%) $6,032

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Desert Ridge High

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 168th of 285 High schoolsRanks 161st of 469 High schools
 24.6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students26492284
 13.8%
African American11366
 41.6%
American Indian2820
 28.6%
Asian10258
 43.1%
Hispanic598678
 13.4%
Pacific Islander811
 37.5%
White17351349
 22.2%
Two or More Races65102
 56.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients23%22.9%
 0%


Schools Near Desert Ridge High









Frequently Asked Questions about Desert Ridge High

In the 2022-23 school year, 2,284 students attended Desert Ridge High.

Desert Ridge High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Augusta Ranch Elementary
Elementary : Boulder Creek Elementary
Elementary : Canyon Rim Elementary
Elementary : Meridian
Middle : Desert Ridge Junior High

Desert Ridge High ranks 161st of 469 Arizona high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students at Desert Ridge High are 59% White, 30% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 3% African American, 3% Asian.


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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. Attendance Areas provided by ATTOM.

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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