Summary:
This analysis covers five elementary schools (grades K-5) in the Desert Hot Springs area (zip code 92240), all part of the Palm Springs Unified district, which serve a high-needs community with economic disadvantage rates consistently above 90%.
Among these schools, Bella Vista Elementary stands out as the top performer, with the highest test scores in English, math, and science and the lowest rate of chronic student absenteeism. In contrast, Cabot Yerxa Elementary faces the most significant challenges, including the highest absenteeism and the lowest math proficiency, while Julius Corsini Elementary has the highest per-student spending but also very high absenteeism and low scores. Two Bunch Palms Elementary and Bubbling Wells Elementary fall in the middle of the group in terms of overall performance.
As a group, these schools perform below state averages academically, with particularly wide gaps in mathematics. A major area of concern shared by all is chronic absenteeism, which averages 35%—far above the state average—and shows a strong correlation with lower test scores. A notable positive finding is that several schools, especially Bella Vista, perform relatively better in science, suggesting potential strengths in that subject area. Parents should note that all schools in this area share similar socioeconomic demographics and face comparable challenges within a district that ranks in the bottom quartile statewide.
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