Rancho Mirage Elementary, Rancho Mirage CA

Original Research by School Decision on Rancho Mirage Elementary

Rancho Mirage Elementary is a small public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in the upscale Coachella Valley desert community of Rancho Mirage, part of the Palm Springs Unified School District. The enrollment is modest, roughly equally distributed across grade levels, with a student body that is majority Hispanic and a substantial share qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school sits on Indian Trail Road in a city organized around gated communities, golf courses, and resort hospitality rather than a traditional town center.

The academic data from the most recent state testing shows proficiency rates well below the midpoint for Riverside County districts. In English language arts, the school's overall proficiency falls in the top quartile among the county's schools, though this reflects relative standing rather than strong absolute performance. The picture is more challenging in mathematics, where proficiency is notably lower, particularly in fourth grade. Science proficiency at the fifth-grade level is similarly modest. The state assessment results indicate that fewer than half of students in most grades are meeting grade-level standards in math and English language arts, with the exception of third-grade English language arts where proficiency is closer to mid-range. Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate or college-readiness data.

The school's context is shaped by substantial economic need. Most students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting families with limited resources. Rancho Mirage itself is a city of high-end residential enclaves, resorts, and country clubs anchored by employers like Eisenhower Medical Center and the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, but the school's enrollment draws primarily from families whose economic circumstances differ sharply from the city's upscale identity.

Data on special education enrollment and English learner enrollment was not available. The school website was not provided, so detail on specific academic programs, intervention structures, or community partnerships could not be reviewed.

The Palm Springs Unified School District approved Measure S in November 2024, a facilities bond that will fund modernization of aging classrooms and schools across the district, including schools around the 40-year-old mark. This will shape the long-term physical environment for schools in the district, though Rancho Mirage Elementary's specific inclusion in the modernization timeline is unclear from available information.

For families considering this school, the key facts are the low absolute proficiency rates in tested subjects, the high economic need of the student body, and the small size of the school. Parents may want to look into further detail with the school about instructional supports for students below grade level, English learner services, and any supplemental programs or partnerships aimed at closing achievement gaps.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 349%

School 49% · District 32% · ▲ 17 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 422%

School 22% · District 25% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 16 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 526%

School 26% · District 21% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 342%

School 42% · District 34% · ▲ 8 pts above district

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

Grade 431%

School 31% · District 29% · ▲ 1 pts above district

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

Grade 549%

School 49% · District 36% · ▲ 13 pts above district

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

Science

Grade 542%

School 42% · District 21% · ▲ 21 pts above district

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income36%Higher-income67%31 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income44%Higher-income67%22 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income23%Higher-income18%4 pp gap