SchoolRow
#1638

James Earl Carter Elementary

Palm Desert, CA · Desert Sands Unified · Grades K-5

1,638th of 5,659 California elementary schools statewide · better than 71% Declining

517
Students
2023–24 enrollment
22.5:1
Student / teacher ratio
63%
Free / reduced-price lunch
low-income indicator
24.4%
Chronically absent
CA average 20%

James Earl Carter Elementary ranking

SchoolRow ranks James Earl Carter Elementary 1,638th of 5,659 California elementary schools for 2024–25, based on CAASPP 2024–25 English and Math results — better than 71% of elementary schools statewide. Its statewide percentile went from 83th in 2015 to 71th in 2025 — declining.

Statewide percentile by year
25%50%75%71%201520202025no testing 2020–21

James Earl Carter Elementary test scores

Percent meeting or exceeding the state standard, CAASPP 2024–25 · 250 students tested

English Language Arts
This school
56%
CA average
49%
Math
This school
52%
CA average
37%
Science
This school
49%
CA average
33%
English Language Arts over time this school CA average
25%50%75%56%49%201520202025no testing 2020–21
Math over time this school CA average
25%50%75%52%37%201520202025no testing 2020–21

James Earl Carter Elementary students

Racial and ethnic breakdown of 517 students (202324, NCES) — and how it has shifted since 2013

Hispanic48%White30%9%Two+10%
Hover the pie for details
Hispanic 48%White 30%Asian 9%Two or more races 10%43%42%10%20132023
GroupTrend20132023Change
Hispanic43.1%48.2% 5.1 pts
White41.5%30.2% 11.3 pts
Two or more races3.5%10.1% 6.6 pts
Asian9.8%8.9% 0.9 pts
Black1.8%1.9% 0.1 pts
Pacific Islander0.3%0.6% 0.3 pts

Homes near James Earl Carter Elementary

Typical home value $584K in zip 92260 as of 2026-05 · trend since 2000

$165K$331K$496K$661K$597K200020052010201520202025

Data Provided by Zillow Group

See recently sold homes in 92260 on Zillow →

Elementary schools near James Earl Carter Elementary

Closest same-level schools, with 2024–25 state rank

View on the map →

Frequently asked questions

What school district is James Earl Carter Elementary in?

James Earl Carter Elementary is part of the Desert Sands Unified district in Palm Desert, California.

Is James Earl Carter Elementary a good school?

SchoolRow ranks James Earl Carter Elementary 1,638th of 5,659 California elementary schools (better than 71% statewide) based on 2024–25 test results (CAASPP 2024–25).

What is the racial makeup of James Earl Carter Elementary?

Hispanic 48%, White 30%, Two or more races 10%, Asian 9% (517 students, 2023–24).

How much do homes near James Earl Carter Elementary cost?

The typical home value in zip code 92260 is $584K as of 2026-05 (Zillow ZHVI).

Sources: state education department data (CAASPP 2024–25, low-income, chronic absenteeism), National Center for Education Statistics via the Urban Institute (enrollment, demographics, staffing), Zillow Group (home values). Rankings are computed by SchoolRow from state English and Math results within grade level; they measure test performance, not everything that makes a school good.