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Desert Sands Unified


At a glance
989thof 1,543 California districts▲ 27
Better than 35% of California districts
47-950 Dune Palms Rd.
La Quinta, CA 92253-4000
·(760) 777-4200·All California district rankings →
Statewide performance 2016–2025
2025: better than 35.9% of districts
35
Schools
25,613
Students
Top rankedGeorge Washington Charter681st of 5,857 California elementary schools
Biggest riser
Abraham Lincoln Elementary up 621 spots statewide this year
Smallest classes
Amistad High (Continuation) 12.6 students per teacher
SchoolDigger ratings
4★
3★
2★
1★
0★
3 schools without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)
Summary:

The Desert Sands Unified school district serves roughly 21,000 students across 34 schools in the Coachella Valley, spanning from Indio to Palm Desert, with a mix of 19 elementary, 7 middle, 7 high, and one alternative K-12 school.

Academic performance varies widely across the district, with standout schools like George Washington Charter Elementary and Palm Desert High School achieving proficiency rates well above the district average, while others such as John F. Kennedy Elementary and Indio Middle School face significant challenges, particularly in mathematics.

Key takeaways for parents include the district's strong 93.6% graduation rate, but also concerningly high chronic absenteeism and below-average test scores in core subjects. There is a clear pattern where schools in Palm Desert and La Quinta, like Gerald R. Ford Elementary, generally outperform those in other areas, and middle schools show the most dramatic performance gaps, indicating a critical need for academic support during those years.

Ranking:
Map legend
E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private





Districts nearby


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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