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Desert Sky Elementary

Q: Is Desert Sky Elementary a good school?

Desert Sky Elementary ranks 169 th of 1160 Washington elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

169^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,160 Washington Elementary Schools

Better than 85% of Washington elementary schools

Summary

Desert Sky Elementary is a consistently high-performing public school serving about 440 students in grades K-5 within the strong Richland School District in West Richland, WA.

The school stands out for its exceptional academic results, ranking in the top 15% of all Washington elementary schools, and it achieves this with moderate per-student spending and a class size slightly above the district average. A key strength is its remarkable effectiveness with specific student groups; it ranks in the state's top 1% for Hispanic student achievement and earns a 5-star rating for its male student performance. The school also shows particular prowess in science, with over 70% of fifth graders scoring proficient, well above the state average. This excellence is consistent across all grade levels, showing no significant weak spots from year to year.

When compared to nearby schools, Desert Sky's model of cost-effective excellence is clear. It outperforms schools like Jefferson Elementary and Lewis & Clark Elementary, which have lower student-teacher ratios and, in some cases, higher spending. Even its close neighbor, William Wiley Elementary, with similar demographics and spending, ranks lower, suggesting Desert Sky's success is driven by specific, effective practices. An area noted for potential growth is Special Education services, where performance is average compared to the school's otherwise outstanding record. Overall, Desert Sky is a model of stable, high-quality education within its high-achieving district.

441

Students ?

17.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$18,315

Per pupil spending ?

20.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2100 Sunshine Avenue
West Richland, WA 99353

(509) 967-6225

District: Richland School District

Students who attend Desert Sky Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Leona Libby Middle School
High:	Richland High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

77.1%

Hispanic:

12.7%

Two or more races:

6.3%

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At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 88th percentile in 2023 → 85th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Washington average (69% vs 48% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 15% of Washington elementary schools

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Richland School District

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school69%

District avg54%

Washington avg48%

169^th of 1,160

Washington public elementary schools ?

Top 15%▼ down 2 pts since 2023

See the entire ranking list of Washington Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 11Elementary Schools in the Richland School District

73^rd of 247Richland School District among Washington 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	Washington percentile	Rating
2025	84.7	169 of 1160	85.4%	★★★★☆
2024	83.5	182 of 1168	84.4%	★★★★☆
2023	87.1	142 of 1169	87.9%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2025	79.9	192 of 1092	82.4%	★★★★☆
2024	74.4	250 of 1093	77.1%	★★★★☆
2023	82.1	169 of 1094	84.6%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2025	95.5	5 of 659	99.2%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2025	66.0	284 of 1013	72.0%	★★★★☆
2024	86.6	56 of 1024	94.5%	★★★★★
2023	87.3	50 of 1013	95.1%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2025	87.9	110 of 1098	90.0%	★★★★★
2024	89.1	108 of 1099	90.2%	★★★★★
2023	89.7	99 of 1099	91.0%	★★★★★

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2025	42.7	217 of 363	40.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	46.9	180 of 339	46.9%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2025	79.7	177 of 1007	82.4%	★★★★☆
2024	76.8	218 of 1009	78.4%	★★★★☆
2023	82.2	153 of 1011	84.9%	★★★★☆

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)

Hispanic (2025)99th percentile+14 vs school

Male (2025)90th percentile+5 vs school

White (2025)82nd percentile-3 vs school

Female (2025)82nd percentile-3 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)72nd percentile-13 vs school

Special Education (2025)40th percentile-45 vs school

By subject vs Washington (2024-2025) ?

Science71%+22 vs state

English Language Arts69%+16 vs state

Math67%+24 vs state

★

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Schools Near Desert Sky Elementary

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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 (2025)				Ranking (2024)				WCAS Science (2025)		SBAC English Language Arts (2025)				SBAC Math (2025)				% Completely Immunized (2024)	% Polio (2024)	% Measles (2024)	% Mumps (2024)	% Rubella (2024)	% Diphtheria (2024)	% Hepatitis B (2024)	% Varicella (2024)	% Pertussis (2024)	% Tetanus (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	WCAS Science 5th Grade	WCAS Science All Grades	SBAC English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 4th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts All Grades	SBAC Math 3rd Grade	SBAC Math 4th Grade	SBAC Math 5th Grade	SBAC Math All Grades	% Completely Immunized KG	% Polio KG	% Measles KG	% Mumps KG	% Rubella KG	% Diphtheria KG	% Hepatitis B KG	% Varicella KG	% Pertussis KG	% Tetanus KG	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Desert Sky Elementary	Public	K-5	2100 Sunshine Avenue	West Richland	99353	Benton County	Richland School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(509) 967-6225	441	25	17.6	20.2%	340 (77.1%)	2 (0.5%)	56 (12.7%)	12 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	28 (6.3%)	84.7	169^th of 1160 public elementary schools	85.4%		83.5	182^nd of 1168 public elementary schools	84.4%	13	71.1	71.1	66.7	68.8	72.4	69.3	72.2	67.5	61.3	67.0	98.6	98.6	100.0	100.0	100.0	98.6	100.0	100.0	98.6	98.6	$18,315	$237	$18,078
William Wiley Elementary School	Public	K-5	2820 S Highlands Blvd	West Richland	99353	Benton County	Richland School District	No	No	No	No	(509) 967-6375	493	30	16.4	27.8%	355 (72.0%)	5 (1.0%)	99 (20.1%)	10 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	23 (4.7%)	75.1	257^th of 1160 public elementary schools	77.8%					(n/a)	60.0	60.0	58.2	75.6	60.6	65.1	64.2	68.6	53.0	61.3	95.9	97.3	97.3	97.3	97.3	97.3	98.6	97.3	97.3	97.3	$18,173	$469	$17,704
Tapteal Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	705 N 62nd Ave	West Richland	99353	Benton County	Richland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 967-6350	458	26	17.5	53.5%	256 (55.9%)	4 (0.9%)	175 (38.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.6%)	42.7	647^th of 1160 public elementary schools	44.2%		42.3	652^nd of 1168 public elementary schools	44.2%	5	50.6	50.6	51.4	38.8	54.3	48.6	43.1	40.3	42.0	41.8	89.3	90.7	94.7	94.7	94.7	89.3	94.7	94.7	89.3	89.3	$18,489	$978	$17,512
White Bluffs Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1250 Kensington	Richland	99352	Benton County	Richland School District	No	No	No	No	(509) 967-6575	653	34	19.3	27.7%	438 (67.1%)	5 (0.8%)	138 (21.1%)	27 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	44 (6.7%)	71.2	301^st of 1160 public elementary schools	74.1%		82.2	200^th of 1168 public elementary schools	82.9%	101	65.7	65.7	55.6	53.3	70.6	59.7	57.1	55.1	67.0	59.7	97.1	97.1	100.0	100.0	100.0	97.1	99.0	98.1	97.1	97.1	$15,447	$403	$15,044
Marcus Whitman Elementary	Public	K-5	1704 Gray St.	Richland	99352	Benton County	Richland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 967-6300	467	25	18.6	59.7%	287 (61.5%)	4 (0.9%)	145 (31.0%)	3 (0.6%)	5 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (4.7%)	52.2	531^st of 1160 public elementary schools	54.2%		68.5	334^th of 1168 public elementary schools	71.4%	197	55.1	55.1	60.2	40.0	53.9	53.2	62.4	40.0	41.6	49.4	96.8	96.8	96.8	96.8	96.8	96.8	96.8	96.8	96.8	96.8	$19,451	$1,026	$18,424
Jason Lee Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1750 McMurray	Richland	99352	Benton County	Richland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 967-6475	518	31	16.6	62.2%	345 (66.6%)	8 (1.5%)	134 (25.9%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (5.0%)	43.6	631^st of 1160 public elementary schools	45.6%		57.8	472^nd of 1168 public elementary schools	59.6%	159	58.8	58.8	39.1	43.4	57.8	47.6	44.8	36.0	43.1	41.7	91.5	93.9	95.1	95.1	95.1	92.7	95.1	92.7	92.7	92.7	$18,288	$785	$17,503
Lewis & Clark Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	415 Jadwin	Richland	99352	Benton County	Richland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 967-6275	471	30	15.9	53.5%	250 (53.1%)	7 (1.5%)	142 (30.1%)	36 (7.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (7.4%)	77.6	236^th of 1160 public elementary schools	79.7%		74	281^st of 1168 public elementary schools	75.9%	45	71.3	71.3	66.3	55.4	72.3	64.8	69.9	57.1	55.9	61.0	93.2	93.2	94.5	94.5	94.5	93.2	98.6	94.5	93.2	93.2	$19,345	$773	$18,571
Jefferson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1550 George Washington Way	Richland	99352	Benton County	Richland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 967-6250	418	28	14.7	61.2%	236 (56.5%)	10 (2.4%)	131 (31.3%)	7 (1.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (7.9%)	51	550^th of 1160 public elementary schools	52.6%		48.2	586^th of 1168 public elementary schools	49.8%	36	54.2	54.2	53.5	45.3	58.3	53.1	56.3	32.1	47.2	46.4	89.1	92.2	93.8	92.2	92.2	92.2	96.9	92.2	92.2	92.2	$20,807	$1,255	$19,552
Sacajawea Elementary	Public	K-5	535 Fuller St.	Richland	99352	Benton County	Richland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 967-6325	474	27	17.5	49.6%	293 (61.8%)	10 (2.1%)	132 (27.8%)	12 (2.5%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	24 (5.1%)	37	715^th of 1160 public elementary schools	38.4%		45.9	611^th of 1168 public elementary schools	47.7%	104	57.1	57.1	33.3	30.4	64.9	43.0	32.4	30.0	45.5	36.0	87.7	95.1	93.8	93.8	93.8	92.6	96.3	91.4	92.6	92.6	$19,236	$507	$18,729
Orchard Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1600 Gala Way	Richland	99352	Benton County	Richland School District	No	No	No	No	(509) 967-6175	594	31	19.4	24.4%	395 (66.5%)	5 (0.8%)	88 (14.8%)	62 (10.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	43 (7.2%)	85.7	152^nd of 1160 public elementary schools	86.9%		87.3	138^th of 1168 public elementary schools	88.2%	14	78.2	78.2	76.8	61.5	80.9	73.0	75.8	59.6	61.8	65.4	96.9	98.0	98.0	98.0	98.0	98.0	96.9	96.9	98.0	98.0	$17,018	$330	$16,688

Frequently Asked Questions about Desert Sky Elementary

Is Desert Sky Elementary a good school?

Desert Sky Elementary ranks 169^th of 1160 Washington elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Desert Sky Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 441 students attended Desert Sky Elementary.

What district is Desert Sky Elementary in?

Richland School District

What is the racial makeup of Desert Sky Elementary?

Students at Desert Sky Elementary are 77% White, 13% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Desert Sky Elementary attend?

Students who attend Desert Sky Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Leona Libby Middle School
High : Richland High School

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Washington State Department of Health and the Washington Office of Superindentent of Public Instruction.

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.