CaliforniaSchoolsDesert Sands Charter

Desert Sands Charter

PublicRegularCharter
Lancaster, California · Desert Sands Charter District
Students690enrolled
FRL84%Free/Reduced Lunch
Ratio19.2:1students:teacher
LevelHigh8–12
SCHOOL SNAPSHOT
Students690
Grade Span8–12
Student:Teacher19.2:1
Free/Reduced Lunch84%
Title INo
SectorCharter

Finance

School finance is reported at the district (LEA) level. The figures below cover the full Desert Sands Charter District.

District finance data ingestion in progress.
The NCES F-33 survey reports annual district-level revenue (federal/state/local) and expenditures (instruction, support services, capital) for every US public school district. Per-pupil spending is derived from total expenditure ÷ enrollment and is a standard comparison metric across districts.

US public school funding 101

  • Local revenue (property taxes) is typically the largest source in most states, though this varies widely.
  • State revenue equalization formulas aim to reduce disparities between wealthy and poor districts.
  • Federal revenue is usually 6-10% of budget — Title I (poverty), IDEA (special education), ESSER (COVID relief).
  • Per-pupil spending varies from under $10,000 to over $30,000 across states; California averages around $15,000, New York around $28,000.