Desert Sands Unified

The Desert Sands Unified School District in California encompasses 34 schools, including 19 elementary schools, 7 middle schools, 7 high schools, and 1 alternative school. The district serves a diverse student population and has a mix of high-performing and struggling schools, with stark disparities in academic achievement across the district.

At the top of the district's schools are standouts like Palm Desert High School, which consistently ranks among the best in the state with high test scores, a 95.8% graduation rate, and low chronic absenteeism. The George Washington Charter elementary school also performs exceptionally well, with over 70% of students proficient in ELA and math. Other high-achieving schools include Gerald R. Ford Elementary, James Monroe Elementary, and James Earl Carter Elementary.

In contrast, the district's continuation high schools, Amistad High and Summit High, struggle with low test scores, high dropout rates, and chronic absenteeism issues. There also appears to be a strong correlation between a school's socioeconomic status, as measured by free/reduced lunch rates, and its academic performance, with the highest-poverty schools generally underperforming. Addressing these disparities will be crucial for the Desert Sands Unified School District to ensure all students have access to a high-quality education.