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Desert Hills Middle

Public, Alternative Grades 8-9

Summary

Desert Hills Middle is a public secondary school located in Saint George, Utah, serving grades 8-9 with a total enrollment of 895 students. The school is part of the Washington District, which is ranked 35 out of 98 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Desert Hills Middle consistently outperforms the Washington District and the state of Utah in standardized test scores across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 62% of 8th-grade students at Desert Hills Middle were proficient or better in RISE/English Language Arts, compared to 51.3% for the Washington District and 42.6% for the state. Additionally, Desert Hills Middle has a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (16.76%) compared to nearby schools like Pine View Middle (39.15%) and Dixie Middle (38.88%), indicating that it serves a more affluent student population.

Despite having lower spending per student ($7,403) compared to some nearby schools, such as Pine View Middle ($7,794) and Crimson Cliffs Middle ($9,766), Desert Hills Middle is able to achieve higher academic performance. This could indicate that the school is efficiently utilizing its resources to support student learning.

909

Students ?

24.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$7,403

Per pupil spending ?

16.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

936 E Desert Hills Drive
Saint George, UT 84790

(435) 628-0001

District: Washington District

Racial breakdown:

White:

83.1%

Hispanic:

9.7%

Two or more races:

3.1%

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At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 98th percentile in 2013 → 96th in 2024

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Utah average (61% vs 45% meeting standards)

Worth a look

!Large classes — about 24 students per teacher

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school61%

District avg55%

Utah avg45%

Not ranked this year

Desert Hills Middle did not have enough recent test-score data to be ranked. Check the trend below for past years.

37^th of 93Washington District among Utah districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Utah percentile	Rating
2024	89.8	9 of 210	95.7%	★★★★★
2023	90.9	7 of 216	96.8%	★★★★★
2022	88.7	13 of 209	93.8%	★★★★★
2021	90.1	8 of 213	96.2%	★★★★★
2019	78.6	30 of 222	86.5%	★★★★☆
2017	83.2	17 of 206	91.7%	★★★★★
2016	83.0	15 of 209	92.8%	★★★★★
2015	79.4	34 of 210	83.8%	★★★★☆
2014	78.3	29 of 185	84.3%	★★★★☆
2013	81.6	6 of 243	97.5%	★★★★★
2012	76.4	22 of 238	90.8%	★★★★★
2009	55.0	105 of 205	48.8%	★★★☆☆
2008	72.6	32 of 200	84.0%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Utah percentile	Rating
2024	95.5	6 of 141	95.7%	★★★★★
2023	90.1	8 of 138	94.2%	★★★★★
2022	88.8	8 of 133	94.0%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Utah percentile	Rating
2024	86.8	8 of 183	95.6%	★★★★★
2023	88.7	7 of 191	96.3%	★★★★★
2022	84.4	18 of 191	90.6%	★★★★★

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)

Low Socio Economic Status (2024)96th percentile~ school

White (2024)96th percentile~ school

By subject vs Utah (2024-2025) ?

Science66%+16 vs state

English Language Arts66%+20 vs state

Mathematics54%+14 vs state

1.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Saturday, November 12, 2011

Poor curriculum, despite the fact that Utah's public schools are supposed to be transitioning to Core-which if that's true, they should take a few pointers from the private and charter schools as to what kind of materials and lesson plans to use, - and it seems that though what is taught is supposed to be changing, how it's taught is the same: the tenured staff acts like it's an imposition to ask about what is happening in the class room. It is TERRIBLE- As I type this it's mid November, and not one book had been assigned to read (Language Arts) until a week ago; that is NOT Core standard. Moreover, the list from which the kids can choose has 70 titles, and less than 10 "classics" on it. The rest are pulp teen fiction or drivel. We had our kids in both private and charter schools, and so didn't expect DHMS to be absolutely equal. But the quality of what they are learning (and I'm being generous with that term) is so sub-par as to be offensive. One of my kids is in 8th grade, and they are COLORING a graph for math class. There are some dedicated and great teachers- Winfree is one, who teaches history, Bruin is another for Science, Sparks does shop and keyboarding...but the math and English has been frustrating...for kids who want to go to college, DHMS isn't prep at all, I can only shudder to think that DHHS is more of the same. Close Quote

Schools Near Desert Hills Middle

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				Utah Aspire Plus English Language Arts (2025)		Utah Aspire Plus Mathematics (2025)		Utah Aspire Plus Science (2025)		RISE Mathematics (2025)				RISE Science (2025)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
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	Utah Aspire Plus English Language Arts 9th Grade	Utah Aspire Plus English Language Arts 10th Grade	Utah Aspire Plus Mathematics 9th Grade	Utah Aspire Plus Mathematics 10th Grade	Utah Aspire Plus Science 9th Grade	Utah Aspire Plus Science 10th Grade	RISE Mathematics 3rd Grade	RISE Mathematics 4th Grade	RISE Mathematics 5th Grade	RISE Mathematics 8th Grade	RISE Science 4th Grade	RISE Science 5th Grade	RISE Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Desert Hills Middle	Public, Alternative	8-9	936 E Desert Hills Drive	Saint George	84790	Washington County	Washington District	No	No	No	No	(435) 628-0001	909	38	24.1	16.2%	755 (83.1%)	4 (0.4%)	88 (9.7%)	12 (1.3%)	8 (0.9%)	14 (1.5%)	28 (3.1%)								(n/a)	65.5		52.9		68.2					54.4			65.8	$7,403	$556	$6,847
Southern Utah School of the Deaf	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	919 East Brigham Road	Saint George	84790	Washington County	Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind	No	No	No	No	(801) 431-5103	13	11	1.1	23.1%	5 (38.5%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (53.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (7.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Dixie Middle	Public, Alternative	8-9	825 S 100 E	St George	84770	Washington County	Washington District	No	No	No	No	(435) 628-0441	844	32	26.2	33.4%	575 (68.1%)	5 (0.6%)	209 (24.8%)	2 (0.2%)	10 (1.2%)	17 (2.0%)	26 (3.1%)								(n/a)	49.8		42.0		46.4					39.9			48.3	$7,717	$483	$7,234
Career Technical High School	Public, Alternative	K-12	1001 White Dome Drive	Saint George	84790	Washington County	Washington District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(435) 673-3553	592	35	17.0	23.1%	479 (80.9%)	7 (1.2%)	85 (14.4%)	7 (1.2%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	11 (1.9%)								(n/a)	64.2	75.6	53.8	44.4	78.0	72.4
Freedom Preparatory Academy Washington	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	5690 S Carnelian Pkwy	Saint George	84790	Washington County	Freedom Preparatory Academy	Yes	No	No	No	(801) 437-3100	412	21	19.8	23.3%	336 (81.6%)	3 (0.7%)	46 (11.2%)	7 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	18 (4.4%)								(n/a)							48.2	58.9	52.2		58.9	43.5
Crimson Cliffs Middle	Public, Alternative	8-9	4280 S Crimson Cliffs Way	Washington	84780	Washington County	Washington District	No	No	No	No	(435) 634-7010	933	39	23.8	11.5%	826 (88.5%)	4 (0.4%)	60 (6.4%)	7 (0.8%)	4 (0.4%)	5 (0.5%)	27 (2.9%)								(n/a)	68.4		81.7		74.4					84.1			78.7	$9,766	$541	$9,224
Out of State School	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	121 W Tabernacle	St George	84770	Washington County	Washington District	No	No	No	No	(435) 673-3553	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Pine View Middle	Public, Alternative	8-9	2145 E 130 N	St George	84790	Washington County	Washington District	No	No	No	No	(435) 628-7915	701	31	22.6	42.2%	439 (62.6%)	8 (1.1%)	179 (25.5%)	6 (0.9%)	21 (3.0%)	24 (3.4%)	24 (3.4%)								(n/a)	47.9		35.0		48.8					44.4			51.6	$7,794	$579	$7,215
Snow Canyon Middle	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-9	1215 N Lava Flow Dr	St George	84770	Washington County	Washington District	No	No	No	No	(435) 674-6474	796	32	25.0	34.8%	532 (66.8%)	3 (0.4%)	210 (26.4%)	2 (0.3%)	16 (2.0%)	8 (1.0%)	25 (3.1%)								(n/a)	41.0		40.6		57.3					44.3			57.8	$7,771	$570	$7,201
Post High School Self-Cont	Public, Alternative	K-12	2040 W 2000 North	St George	84770	Washington County	Washington District	No	No	No	No	(435) 673-3553	114	5	22.8	30.7%	85 (74.6%)	1 (0.9%)	22 (19.3%)	2 (1.8%)	2 (1.8%)	1 (0.9%)	1 (0.9%)								(n/a)														$2,262	$346	$1,916

Frequently Asked Questions about Desert Hills Middle

What district is Desert Hills Middle in?

Washington District

How many students attend Desert Hills Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 909 students attended Desert Hills Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Desert Hills Middle?

Students at Desert Hills Middle are 83% White, 10% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 2% Pacific Islander, 1% 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 Utah State Board 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.