Ronald Reagan Elementary, Palm Desert CA

Original Research by School Decision on Ronald Reagan Elementary

Ronald Reagan Elementary sits in Palm Desert, a mixed-use desert resort city anchored by tourism, hospitality, and retail, with the upscale El Paseo shopping district and Civic Center Park forming its civic core. The city is in a significant growth phase, particularly in its northern section near university campuses, with housing projected to expand substantially over the next decade.

The school serves kindergarten through fifth grade with an enrollment typical for an elementary of that size. More than half the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student population is predominantly Hispanic, with smaller shares of white, multiracial, Asian, and Black students. Data on special populations such as English learners and students in special education was not available.

Ronald Reagan's state assessment results show proficiency rates that sit below half in most tested areas. In English language arts across grades three through five, proficiency hovers around half, with third grade slightly above and fourth and fifth grades in the mid-to-lower range. Mathematics proficiency is considerably lower, with fourth and fifth grades posting particularly weak results in the low thirties. Fifth grade science testing shows similar pressure. The school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among districts in Riverside County, though readers should note that county median is itself relatively modest, so this positioning reflects local rather than state or national context. Only one year of state assessment data is available, so trend information cannot yet be drawn.

The parent district, Desert Sands Unified, passed Measure A in March 2024, a bond measure to repair and modernize aging district schools, many over fifty years old. The measure funds HVAC upgrades, shade structures, and modernization of classrooms and science labs—an especially pressing need in the Coachella Valley's high-heat environment. Importantly, the bond does not raise the existing tax rate; rather it extends the current rate of taxation through a stated year. This is relevant to families evaluating housing costs and school-tax burden in the area.

Housing values in the Palm Desert zip code sit above the state benchmark and are substantially above the national benchmark. Rents have risen modestly year over year. The affordability picture shows monthly mortgage payments in the range of current market rates, with rent representing a notable share of household income. These markers suggest Palm Desert is a higher-cost market, though not at the extreme end of California.

A parent choosing Ronald Reagan should expect a school serving a primarily Hispanic, economically diverse student body with weaker academic proficiency in mathematics and science. The school's strengths and areas needing growth would be worth discussing directly with the school; assessment results alone do not capture classroom quality, teaching, or the support systems in place. For families relocating to the area or new to the school, a visit and conversation with staff about instructional approach and support services would be important steps before enrollment.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 350%

School 50% · District 35% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 431%

School 31% · District 35% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 531%

School 31% · District 30% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 351%

School 51% · District 38% · ▲ 13 pts above district

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 448%

School 48% · District 42% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

Grade 549%

School 49% · District 44% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Science

Grade 532%

School 32% · District 30% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

This schoolDesert Sands Unified, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income44%Higher-income64%20 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income41%Higher-income59%17 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income38%Higher-income69%31 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income43%Higher-income64%21 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income28%Higher-income37%10 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income24%Higher-income44%20 pp gap