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Public School Review - Established 2003

James Earl Carter Elementary School

74-251 Hovley Ln. East
Palm Desert, CA 92260
(School attendance zone shown in map)
View full size Get directions
: 
9/
10
Top 20%
Tel: (760) 862-4370
sites.google.com
SAVE SCHOOL
Serving 487 students in grades Kindergarten-5, James Earl Carter Elementary School ranks in the top 20% of all schools in California for overall test scores (math proficiency is top 20%, and reading proficiency is top 20%).
The percentage of students achieving proficiency in math is 57% (which is higher than the California state average of 34%). The percentage of students achieving proficiency in reading/language arts is 62% (which is higher than the California state average of 47%).
The student-teacher ratio of 22:1 is higher than the California state level of 21:1.
Minority enrollment is 74% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is lower than the California state average of 80% (majority Hispanic).

Quick Facts (2026)

  • Grades: Kindergarten-5
  • Enrollment: 487 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 22:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 74%
  • : Top 20% in CA
  • : 57% (Top 20%)
  • : 62% (Top 30%)
  • : 40-44% (Top 30%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), CA Dept. of Education

Top Rankings

James Earl Carter Elementary School ranks among the top 20% of public schools in California for:

Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 20%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 20%)
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 20%)

School Overview

James Earl Carter Elementary School's student population of 487 students has declined by 11% over five school years.
The teacher population of 22 teachers has declined by 18% over five school years.
Grades Offered
Grades Kindergarten-5

Distribution of Students By Grade Trends

GradeJames Earl Carter Elementary School
Kind81
175
269
387
484
591
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Total Students
487 students

Total Students Trends Over Years (1998-2025)

YearJames Earl Carter Elementary School
2025487
2024517
2023516
2022528
2021551
2020585
2019618
2018683
2017683
2016680
2015675
2014684
2013668
2012648
2011631
2010641
2009626
2008568
2007636
2006746
2005764
2004728
2003613
2002596
2001693
2000666
1999609
1998547
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Total Classroom Teachers
22 teachers

Total Classroom Teachers Trends Over Years (1999-2025)

YearJames Earl Carter Elementary School
202522
202423
202323
202225
202127
201927
201828
201728
201628
201528
201426
201326
201227
201027
200928
200832
200731
200635
200536
200432
200330
200230
200134
200031
199930
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School Rankings

James Earl Carter Elementary School ranks within the top 20% of all 9,523 schools in California (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data).
The diversity score of James Earl Carter Elementary School is 0.65, which is more than the diversity score at state average of 0.63. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
Definition of Terms
This School
State Level (CA)
#1586 out of 9523 schools
(Top 20%)

Overall School Rank Trends Over Years (2011-2023)

YearJames Earl Carter Elementary School
2023#1586
2022#1711
2019#1689
2018#1500
2017#1556
2016#1618
2015#1361
2014#312
2013#1305
2012#953
2011#1016
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57%
34%

Math Proficiency Comparison Over Years (2011-2023)

YearJames Earl Carter Elementary SchoolCaliforniaDesert Sands Unified School District
202357%34%26%
202253%33%25%
201955%40%35%
201858%39%34%
201759%38%35%
201658%37%33%
201555%34%29%
201469%63%68%
201378%59%64%
201283%59%64%
201181%58%60%
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62%
47%

Reading and Language Arts Proficiency Comparison Over Years (2010-2022)

YearJames Earl Carter Elementary SchoolCaliforniaDesert Sands Unified School District
202262%47%40%
201970%51%49%
201868%50%34%
201765%48%49%
201663%48%49%
201564%44%45%
201480%58%63%
201375%57%60%
201277%58%61%
201177%56%58%
201080%54%55%
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40-44%
29%
Student-Teacher Ratio
22:1
21:1

Student-Teacher Ratio Comparison Over Years (1999-2025)

YearJames Earl Carter Elementary SchoolCaliforniaDesert Sands Unified School District
202522:121:1
202422:122:124:1
202322:122:124:1
202221:122:124:1
202120:122:125:1
201923:123:125:1
201824:123:125:1
201724:123:125:1
201624:124:125:1
201524:124:127:1
201426:124:127:1
201326:124:126:1
201224:124:126:1
201024:122:124:1
200922:121:122:1
200818:118:120:1
200721:122:123:1
200621:122:121:1
200521:122:122:1
200423:122:122:1
200320:121:122:1
200220:121:122:1
200120:121:122:1
200021:122:123:1
199920:122:124:1
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American Indian
n/a
1%

American Indian Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (1997-2008)

YearJames Earl Carter Elementary SchoolCaliforniaDesert Sands Unified School District
20081%1%
20073%2%1%
20063%1%2%
20053%2%2%
20043%2%2%
20021%2%
19991%1%
19981%1%1%
19971%1%1%
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Asian
10%
12%

Asian Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (1997-2024)

YearJames Earl Carter Elementary SchoolCaliforniaDesert Sands Unified School District
20249%12%4%
20238%12%4%
20228%12%3%
20218%12%4%
20209%12%4%
201910%12%4%
201812%11%4%
201712%11%4%
201611%11%3%
201510%11%5%
201410%11%3%
201310%11%3%
20128%11%4%
201110%11%4%
20109%11%3%
20099%11%3%
20089%12%3%
20078%12%3%
20069%12%3%
20057%12%3%
20047%12%2%
20036%11%3%
20024%11%2%
20014%11%3%
20003%11%3%
19993%11%3%
19983%11%2%
19972%11%2%
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Hispanic
52%
56%

Hispanic Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (1997-2024)

YearJames Earl Carter Elementary SchoolCaliforniaDesert Sands Unified School District
202448%56%76%
202349%55%76%
202247%56%75%
202148%56%74%
202046%55%73%
201948%55%73%
201845%54%74%
201745%54%74%
201646%54%74%
201546%54%65%
201443%53%72%
201343%53%71%
201244%52%70%
201142%51%69%
201040%50%68%
200936%49%66%
200838%50%67%
200736%49%65%
200629%48%64%
200527%47%63%
200420%46%63%
200322%45%64%
200222%44%64%
200124%43%63%
200024%42%62%
199921%41%61%
199822%40%60%
199711%40%59%
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Black
2%
5%

Black Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (1997-2024)

YearJames Earl Carter Elementary SchoolCaliforniaDesert Sands Unified School District
20242%5%1%
20232%5%1%
20222%5%2%
20212%5%2%
20202%5%2%
20191%5%2%
20181%6%1%
20171%6%1%
20161%6%2%
20151%6%3%
20142%6%2%
20132%6%2%
20122%6%2%
20111%7%2%
20102%7%2%
20092%7%2%
20082%8%2%
20073%8%3%
20064%8%3%
20053%8%3%
20043%8%3%
20032%8%2%
20021%8%2%
20012%8%2%
20003%9%2%
19993%9%2%
19983%9%3%
19974%9%2%
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White
26%
20%

White Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (1997-2024)

YearJames Earl Carter Elementary SchoolCaliforniaDesert Sands Unified School District
202430%20%15%
202331%21%15%
202232%21%16%
202134%22%16%
202035%23%18%
201935%23%18%
201837%24%19%
201737%24%19%
201638%24%20%
201538%24%23%
201442%25%22%
201341%25%23%
201241%26%23%
201142%27%24%
201045%27%26%
200946%28%26%
200850%29%28%
200750%29%28%
200653%31%28%
200555%31%29%
200461%32%30%
200370%34%31%
200272%35%32%
200170%36%32%
200070%37%33%
199972%38%34%
199871%39%34%
199782%39%36%
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Hawaiian
1%
n/a

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (2009-2010)

YearJames Earl Carter Elementary SchoolCaliforniaDesert Sands Unified School District
20101%1%
20091%1%
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Two or more races
9%
6%

Two or More Races Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (2010-2024)

YearJames Earl Carter Elementary SchoolCaliforniaDesert Sands Unified School District
202410%6%4%
202310%6%4%
202211%5%4%
20218%5%4%
20207%4%3%
20196%4%3%
20185%4%2%
20175%4%2%
20164%4%1%
20155%3%4%
20143%3%1%
20134%3%1%
20125%3%1%
20115%2%1%
20103%3%1%
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All Ethnic Groups
0.65
0.63

Diversity Score Comparison Over Years (1998-2025)

YearJames Earl Carter Elementary SchoolCaliforniaDesert Sands Unified School District
20250.650.63
20240.670.630.40
20230.650.640.40
20220.660.630.41
20210.650.620.41
20200.660.630.42
20190.640.630.42
20180.650.640.42
20170.650.640.42
20160.640.640.42
20150.640.640.46
20140.640.650.44
20130.640.650.45
20120.640.650.46
20110.640.670.46
20100.640.670.48
20090.650.710.50
20080.600.650.48
20070.640.670.49
20060.650.660.50
20050.640.670.50
20040.600.670.50
20030.480.670.50
20020.440.670.50
20010.460.670.50
20000.460.670.51
19990.440.670.51
19980.450.670.52
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Eligible for Free Lunch
48%
54%

Free Lunch Eligibility Comparison Over Years (1997-2025)

YearJames Earl Carter Elementary SchoolCaliforniaDesert Sands Unified School District
202548%54%
202444%54%63%
202342%51%62%
202244%51%64%
202147%53%61%
202045%52%58%
201946%52%58%
201842%49%56%
201742%49%56%
201641%50%56%
201542%50%57%
201431%49%50%
201342%48%57%
201134%46%50%
201035%46%46%
200928%43%44%
200830%41%42%
200721%40%36%
200622%40%36%
200523%40%40%
200415%40%39%
200316%39%41%
200211%39%45%
200116%39%42%
200021%40%42%
199922%40%45%
199816%47%46%
199726%47%56%
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Eligible for Reduced Lunch
15%
8%

Reduced-Price Lunch Eligibility Comparison Over Years (2000-2025)

YearJames Earl Carter Elementary SchoolCaliforniaDesert Sands Unified School District
202515%8%
202412%8%13%
202311%8%13%
202216%7%14%
202110%6%9%
202014%7%9%
201910%7%9%
20188%9%10%
20178%9%10%
20168%9%9%
20159%9%10%
20149%9%10%
201312%7%11%
20119%8%10%
20107%9%11%
20098%10%11%
200810%10%13%
200710%10%10%
20066%9%10%
20057%9%10%
20046%9%11%
20036%9%12%
20024%8%5%
20015%8%11%
20008%7%9%
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School Statewide Testing
View Education Department Test Scores
School District Name
Desert Sands Unified School District
Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), CA Dept. of Education

Frequently Asked Questions

What is James Earl Carter Elementary School's ranking?
James Earl Carter Elementary School is ranked #1586 out of 9,523 schools, which ranks it among the top 20% of public schools in California.
What schools are James Earl Carter Elementary School often compared to?
James Earl Carter Elementary Schoolis often viewed alongside schools like Abraham Lincoln Elementary School, James Monroe Elementary School, Gerald R. Ford Elementary School by visitors of our site.
What percent of students have achieved state testing proficiency in math and reading?
57% of students have achieved math proficiency (compared to the 34% CA state average), while 62% of students have achieved reading proficiency (compared to the 47% CA state average).
How many students attend James Earl Carter Elementary School?
487 students attend James Earl Carter Elementary School.
What is the racial composition of the student body?
52% of James Earl Carter Elementary School students are Hispanic, 26% of students are White, 10% of students are Asian, 9% of students are Two or more races, 2% of students are Black, and 1% of students are Hawaiian.
What is the student-teacher ratio of James Earl Carter Elementary School?
James Earl Carter Elementary School has a student ration of 22:1, which is higher than the California state average of 21:1.
What grades does James Earl Carter Elementary School offer ?
James Earl Carter Elementary School offers enrollment in grades Kindergarten-5
What school district is James Earl Carter Elementary School part of?
James Earl Carter Elementary School is part of Desert Sands Unified School District.

School Calendar

View the James Earl Carter Elementary School yearly calendar below. Note key dates such as:

Event
Date
First Day of Summer High School
June 09, 2026 (Tuesday)
First Day of School 🌞
August 19, 2026 (Wednesday)
No School (Thanksgiving Break)
November 23, 2026 (Monday)
No School (Spring Break)
April 05, 2027 (Monday)
Last Day of School
June 04, 2027 (Friday)

School Reviews

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • Grades: Kindergarten-5
  • Enrollment: 487 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 22:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 74%
  • : Top 20%
  • : 57% (Top 20%)
  • : 62% (Top 30%)
  • : 40-44% (Top 30%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), CA Dept. of Education

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