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Horizon

Q: Is Horizon a good school?

Horizon ranks 3889 th of 5857 California alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public, Virtual, Alternative Grades K-12

3889^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 5,857 California Alternative Schools

Better than 34% of California alternative schools

Summary

Horizon is a K-12 alternative school serving 286 students in La Quinta, California, within the Desert Sands Unified School District, known for achieving strong graduation rates despite facing significant challenges with student attendance.

Academically, Horizon shows particular strengths in math and science, often outperforming both the district average and a nearby alternative school, Desert Learning Academy. Its graduation rate of 88% is a notable success, exceeding the state average. However, the school contends with very high rates of chronic absenteeism and student dropouts, which are areas of serious concern that can impact overall learning.

When compared to Desert Learning Academy, Horizon operates with a higher student-to-teacher ratio and lower spending per student, yet achieves comparable or better results in several key subjects. This suggests the school is finding ways to use its resources effectively for students who are regularly present, though addressing the underlying causes of poor attendance remains a critical priority for future improvement.

286

Students ?

22.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$27,677

Per pupil spending ?

86%

Free/discounted lunch ?

43-330 Palm Royale Dr.
La Quinta, CA 92253-8170

(760) 238-9720

District: Desert Sands Unified

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

75.9%

White:

15.0%

Two or more races:

7.0%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Horizon to nearby alternative schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 44th percentile in 2022 → 65th in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 21 percentile points since 2022

Worth a look

!Test scores below the California average (33% vs 41% meeting standards)

!High chronic absenteeism (59% vs 19% California)

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school33%

District avg33%

California avg41%

Elementary school

3,889^th of 5,857

California public elementary schools ?

Bottom 34%▲ up 8 pts since 2022

From bottom 26% (2022) to bottom 34% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of California Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

1,823^rd of 2,761

California public middle schools ?

Bottom 34%▲ up 15 pts since 2015

From bottom 19% (2015) to bottom 34% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of California Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

High school

746^th of 2,162

California public high schools ?

Top 35%▲ up 31 pts since 2015

From bottom 35% (2015) to top 35% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of California High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

989^th of 1,543Desert Sands Unified among California 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	California percentile	Rating
2025	30.8	3889 of 5857	33.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	24.9	4381 of 5869	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	26.4	4227 of 5859	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	24.9	4359 of 5883	25.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	49.1	2383 of 5113	53.4%	★★★☆☆
2005	27.6	3434 of 4822	28.8%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2022	33.8	2296 of 3311	30.7%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2022	24.0	4311 of 5635	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	37.2	3222 of 5107	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	44.1	2612 of 5087	48.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	28.7	3818 of 5084	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	38.3	3321 of 5460	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	37.6	3321 of 5517	39.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	38.6	3171 of 5363	40.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	28.7	3948 of 5264	25.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2023	30.7	3715 of 5638	34.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	28.2	3943 of 5663	30.4%	★★☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	30.2	1823 of 2761	34.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	34.8	1640 of 2783	41.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	46.3	1273 of 2781	54.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	25.3	1975 of 2740	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	29.5	1808 of 2715	33.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	9.2	2365 of 2480	4.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	15.5	2201 of 2508	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	10.5	2324 of 2497	6.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	20.7	1997 of 2477	19.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	14.6	2137 of 2379	10.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	19.4	1928 of 2259	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	13.5	2028 of 2236	9.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	16.0	1938 of 2179	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	34.7	1338 of 2063	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2008	39.2	1181 of 2005	41.1%	★★☆☆☆
2007	29.3	1407 of 1999	29.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	33.4	1180 of 1804	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2005	22.7	1379 of 1777	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	25.1	1316 of 1769	25.6%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2022	31.6	1169 of 1540	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	18.6	2136 of 2533	15.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	30.4	1659 of 2551	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	38.7	1364 of 2531	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	28.0	1732 of 2509	31.0%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	38.1	1389 of 2395	42.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	39.6	1320 of 2388	44.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	49.5	999 of 2374	57.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	24.9	1825 of 2359	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	15.9	1998 of 2213	9.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	35.9	1549 of 2542	39.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	50.0	1045 of 2579	59.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	55.7	856 of 2531	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	24.5	1921 of 2458	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	45.8	1198 of 2534	52.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	56.0	911 of 2538	64.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	23.5	1915 of 2527	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	62.8	746 of 2162	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	36.8	1319 of 2159	38.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	53.5	907 of 2170	58.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	39.6	1187 of 2123	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	65.2	408 of 1290	68.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	60.6	725 of 2133	66.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	62.9	741 of 2017	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2017	43.2	1172 of 2021	42.0%	★★☆☆☆
2016	24.6	1452 of 2039	28.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	33.0	1302 of 1994	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2013	23.0	1545 of 2426	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2012	24.2	1466 of 2354	37.7%	★★☆☆☆
2011	25.4	1453 of 2367	38.6%	★★☆☆☆
2010	25.5	1409 of 2281	38.2%	★★☆☆☆
2009	31.4	1322 of 2238	40.9%	★★☆☆☆
2008	25.3	1306 of 2117	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2007	26.8	1237 of 2063	40.0%	★★☆☆☆
2006	27.5	1169 of 1968	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2005	28.9	1076 of 1901	43.4%	★★☆☆☆
2004	23.7	1114 of 1653	32.6%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	64.9	619 of 1906	67.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	42.4	1076 of 1915	43.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	58.1	713 of 1915	62.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	44.5	948 of 1858	49.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	64.3	339 of 1054	67.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	57.4	688 of 1833	62.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	68.5	554 of 1760	68.5%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	63.9	628 of 1900	66.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	45.2	1023 of 1902	46.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	64.0	587 of 1917	69.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	39.3	1114 of 1861	40.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	64.8	539 of 1814	70.3%	★★★★☆
2018	63.5	612 of 1742	64.9%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	78.6	364 of 2013	81.9%	★★★★☆
2024	35.3	1336 of 2026	34.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	60.5	686 of 2030	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	33.4	1280 of 1943	34.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	58.8	411 of 1126	63.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	53.4	840 of 1937	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	72.4	474 of 1862	74.5%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	54.8	832 of 1942	57.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	28.1	1375 of 1948	29.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	41.9	1055 of 1963	46.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	21.9	1464 of 1916	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	54.2	465 of 1122	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	57.9	697 of 1880	62.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	41.8	1066 of 1834	41.9%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2023	46.2	656 of 1193	45.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	26.3	898 of 1204	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	53.7	572 of 1222	53.2%	★★★☆☆

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

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)39th percentile+6 vs school

Hispanic (2025)37th percentile+3 vs school

Male (2023)34th percentile+6 vs school

English Language Learner (2022)31st percentile+5 vs school

Female (2022)23rd percentile~ school

Middle school

Male (2025)53rd percentile+19 vs school

Hispanic (2025)42nd percentile+8 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)39th percentile+5 vs school

English Language Learner (2022)24th percentile-4 vs school

Female (2025)16th percentile-18 vs school

High school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)82nd percentile+16 vs school

Female (2025)68th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2025)67th percentile~ school

Male (2025)57th percentile-8 vs school

White (2023)45th percentile-13 vs school

By subject vs California (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts/Literacy38%-11 vs state

Mathematics30%-7 vs state

Science29%-4 vs state

★

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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 Immunizations Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				CAST Science (2025)					Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2025)								Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2025)								% Completely Immunized (2022)	% DTP (2022)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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 ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 5th Grade	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science 10th Grade	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	% Completely Immunized KG	% DTP KG	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Horizon	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	43-330 Palm Royale Dr.	La Quinta	92253	Riverside County	Desert Sands Unified	No	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(760) 238-9720	286	13	22.3	86.0%	43 (15.0%)	2 (0.7%)	217 (75.9%)	4 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (7.0%)								(n/a)		18.8		31.8	28.9	25.0			31.8	40.0	35.5	49.0	38.0	33.3			31.8	12.5	21.9	38.8	29.9	91.7	93.8	$27,677	$26,224	$1,453
Desert Learning Academy	Public, Alternative	K-12	2248 East Ramon Rd.	Palm Springs	92262	Riverside County	Palm Springs Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 778-0487	317	20	15.5	89.6%	49 (15.5%)	22 (6.9%)	232 (73.2%)	6 (1.9%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.9%)								(n/a)	33.3	18.2	14.3		18.6	7.7	60.0	36.8	39.1	55.2	30.3	48.7	41.5	7.7	33.3	15.8	8.7	25.0	18.2	7.7	15.9			$26,404	$25,528	$876

Frequently Asked Questions about Horizon

What is the racial makeup of Horizon?

Students at Horizon are 76% Hispanic, 15% White, 7% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What district is Horizon in?

Desert Sands Unified

Is Horizon a good school?

Horizon ranks 3889^th of 5857 California alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Horizon?

In the 2024-25 school year, 286 students attended Horizon.

Rate Horizon!

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CACalifornia Alternative School Rankings

CACalifornia District Rankings

Schools in La Quinta, CA

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Latest California data All new data »

2024–25 school spending dataJul 1, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataMar 13, 2026

2024–25 CSA Spanish test scoresDec 22, 2025

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesNov 14, 2025

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.