CaliforniaSchoolsPalm Desert High

Palm Desert High

PublicRegular
Palm Desert, California · Desert Sands Unified
Teachers78.0FTE
Ratio26.1:1students per teacher
Students2,039enrolled
SCHOOL SNAPSHOT
Students2,039
Grade Span9–12
Student:Teacher26.1:1
Free/Reduced Lunch59%
Title INo
SectorPublic
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Student : Teacher
26.3:1
0.8%vs prior yrUS avg 15.4:1
Teacher FTE
79
1.3%vs prior yr
Enrollment
2,079
2.0%vs prior yr
Years of Data
5
2020–2024
Counselors
1:426
38.9%vs prior yrASCA max 1:250
Nurses
NASN max 1:750
Psychologists
1:2,129
1.9%vs prior yrNASP max 1:500
Social Workers
SSWAA max 1:250
Trends & 5-year history below

Pupil : Teacher Ratio — 5-Year Trend

14.4:117.4:120.4:123.4:126.4:129.4:12020202120222023202428.4:126.9:124.4:126.1:126.3:1Palm Desert HighUS public-school avg

Enrollment & Teacher FTE

2,0322,0532,0742,0942,1152,136747678818385202020212022202320242,1292,1222,0502,0392,0797579847879EnrollmentTeacher FTE

Year-by-year workforce

Metric20202021202220232024Nat Avg
Enrollment2,1292,1222,0502,0392,079
Teacher FTE7579847879
Pupil : Teacher ratio28.4:126.9:124.4:126.1:126.3:115.4:1

What These Numbers Mean

Teacher FTE

Full-Time Equivalent counts part-time teachers proportionally. One full-time teacher = 1.0 FTE; two half-time teachers also = 1.0 FTE. This is the standard federal reporting unit.

Pupil : Teacher ratio

NCES-reported ratio divides total enrollment by teacher FTE. It is NOT the same as average class size — schools with specialists, coaches, and resource teachers will show lower ratios than typical class sizes.

How to read the trend

A falling pupil:teacher ratio (line going down) means more staffing per student — generally a positive signal. A rising line can indicate budget pressure or fast enrollment growth outpacing hiring. Always compare to the US average (dashed grey).

Historical data spans 20202024 from NCES CCD.

Student Support & Wellbeing

Non-teaching staff who support student mental health, physical health, and behavioural needs. Lower pupil-to-staff ratios mean more one-on-one access.

Counselors & Social Workers — staff to pupils (recommended 1:250)

1:01:7921:1,5841:2,3761:3,1681:3,9602015201720201:5231:6971:4261:3,667Counselor : PupilsSocial Worker : PupilsRecommended 1:250

Nurses & Psychologists — staff to pupils

1:01:1,8061:3,6121:5,4171:7,2231:9,0292015201720201:8,3601:2,0901:2,0901:2,129Nurse : PupilsNASN 1:750Psychologist : PupilsNASP 1:500

Support staffing & ratios — year by year

Metric201520172020Nat Avg
Counselors (FTE)435
Nurses (FTE)0.3
Psychologists (FTE)111
Social Workers (FTE)0.6
Counselor : Pupils1:5231:6971:4261:250
Nurse : Pupils1:8,3601:750
Psychologist : Pupils1:2,0901:2,0901:2,1291:500
Social Worker : Pupils1:3,6671:250

Why these ratios matter

Counselors (ASCA 250:1)

School counselors support academic planning, college & career readiness, and social-emotional wellbeing. The American School Counselor Association recommends no more than 250 students per counselor.

Nurses (NASN 750:1)

School nurses manage chronic conditions, medications, immunisations, and emergencies. The National Association of School Nurses recommends at least 1 full-time nurse per 750 students (more for high-need populations).

Psychologists (NASP 500:1)

School psychologists assess learning & behavioural needs, run mental-health interventions, and coordinate special-education services. NASP recommends 500:1 or lower.

Social workers (SSWAA 250:1)

School social workers bridge home-school relationships, address attendance & trauma, and connect families to community resources. SSWAA recommends 250:1.

Source: US Dept of Education CRDC (20152020) — Civil Rights Data Collection.