Nellie N. Coffman Middle, Cathedral City CA

Original Research by School Decision on Nellie N. Coffman Middle

Nellie N. Coffman Middle serves grades six through eight in Cathedral City, a working-class desert community in Riverside County's Coachella Valley. The school enrolls a small to moderate number of students, nearly all of whom qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with small populations of other racial and ethnic groups represented. Specific data on English learners and students with IEPs was not available.

On California's state assessments administered in 2024-25, Coffman's proficiency results reflect substantial academic challenges. In English language arts, the school showed a proficiency rate just above the state midpoint across all grades tested, with eighth graders performing higher than sixth and seventh graders. In mathematics, proficiency was considerably lower, around one in six students across the school overall, with seventh graders showing the weakest performance. Science proficiency in grade eight was similarly modest. Overall, the school's proficiency index places it below the midpoint relative to other districts in Riverside County.

The data available does not capture attendance, chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing levels, or detailed program offerings at this school. For parents seeking these details or looking to understand the school's specific supports for students struggling academically, a direct conversation with school leadership would be important.

Cathedral City itself is a growing, mixed-use city with commercial corridors, light industry, an automotive center, and a downtown arts district. It has a recognizable civic core with a library, community amphitheater, and theaters, though schools sit on separated campuses rather than downtown. The city is experiencing active residential and commercial development, including new gated communities and multifamily housing. Housing prices are moderate relative to statewide benchmarks, and many residents work in healthcare, automotive sales, retail, the school district, or nearby Amazon facilities.

The school is part of Palm Springs Unified School District. In November 2024, voters approved Measure S, a facilities bond that will fund modernization of aging classrooms and buildings across the district over time, including completion of modernization at Cathedral City High School. The measure extends the existing property-tax rate for schools rather than raising it, setting a long-term tax picture for homeowners in the district.

For families considering this school, the state testing results suggest a need to understand what academic supports and interventions the school offers to students working below grade level, especially in mathematics. Parents may want to discuss with the school what pathways exist for catching up and what the school's plans are for addressing proficiency gaps as students progress through middle school.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 618%

School 18% · District 22% · ▼ 4 pts below district

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

Grade 710%

School 10% · District 22% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

Grade 819%

School 19% · District 19%

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 632%

School 32% · District 32%

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

Grade 729%

School 29% · District 37% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

Grade 841%

School 41% · District 36% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Science

Grade 820%

School 20% · District 19% · ▲ 1 pts above district

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

Social studies

Grade 836%

School 36% · District 44% · ▼ 8 pts below district

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

This schoolPalm Springs 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.