Desert Ridge Academy, Indio CA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Desert Ridge Academy

Desert Ridge Academy is a public middle school serving grades six through eight in Indio, California. The school enrolls a student body that is predominantly Latino and economically disadvantaged, with a substantial share qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch and a student population drawn primarily from the surrounding neighborhoods of this growing desert city.

The school's academic performance, based on the most recent state testing data, shows a consistent pattern of below-grade proficiency across all tested subjects. In mathematics, proficiency rates decline noticeably as students advance through the grades, from the sixth grade to eighth, with eighth-grade math proficiency particularly low. English language arts performance is somewhat stronger than math, with sixth and seventh graders showing modest proficiency rates and eighth graders at a lower level. Science testing, available only for eighth grade, shows proficiency below these ELA rates. Across all tested areas and grade levels, the school's overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint when compared to other schools serving middle grades within Riverside County.

The trajectory of these results and the gap between them and state benchmarks suggest that families considering this school should view it as one where students face genuine academic challenges. A parent may want to look into further what supports the school offers for struggling learners, how the school approaches remediation or intervention, and what the school's specific plans are for raising proficiency in mathematics, where the struggle is most acute.

Indio itself is a suburban city in the Coachella Valley and the region's largest population center, with a character shaped by affordable housing, growing residential development, and strong seasonal tourism tied to major music festivals. The city has modest walkability concentrated in its historic downtown, where civic investment including a new library and city hall campus is underway. Day-to-day civic life centers on parks, community recreation facilities, and public transit provided by SunLine. The housing market here is more affordable than coastal Southern California, with home values and rents reflecting typical Inland Empire pricing. The local economy is built on healthcare, retail, construction, and hospitality, with casino and hospital employment anchoring the job base.

Desert Ridge Academy's parent district, Desert Sands Unified, covers this area and shares in the region's growth and infrastructure needs. In March 2024, district voters approved a bond measure to modernize aging school facilities, many decades old, funding HVAC upgrades, shade structures essential in the desert heat, and science and career-training improvements. The district extended its existing property tax rate to support this work, a long-term financial commitment that families considering the district should understand.

The school's enrollment is stable at about that size typical for a middle school in this region. Staffing, specialized programs, attendance data, and English learner enrollment are not detailed in available public information; families would benefit from contacting the school directly about what specialized support services it offers and how it serves students who may be learning English as a second language, a significant presence in Indio schools.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 625%

School 25% · District 26% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 719%

School 19% · District 25% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 811%

School 11% · District 20% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 637%

School 37% · District 37%

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 737%

School 37% · District 40% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Grade 831%

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

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Science

Grade 821%

School 21% · District 21%

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 830%

School 30% · District 50% · ▼ 20 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below 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 6Lower-income35%Higher-income44%9 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income32%Higher-income65%34 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income26%Higher-income47%21 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income23%Higher-income32%9 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income14%Higher-income46%32 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income10%Higher-income14%4 pp gap