Desert Foothills Middle School

Desert Foothills Middle School, a moderately sized intermediate school in PHOENIX, Arizona, run under Washington Elementary School District (4260), educates 621 students, covering grades 7 through 8. By comparison, Arizona's public schools average about 494 students each, so Desert Foothills Middle School sits 26% larger than that benchmark.

Washington Elementary School District (4260) runs 33 schools in total, collectively educating 18,816 students. Desert Foothills Middle School is one of those campuses.

Demographically, Desert Foothills Middle School records that the most-represented group is Hispanic (50%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups. The remainder reads as 33% White, 8% Black, 4% multiracial, 3% Asian. That is considerably more Hispanic than the county at large, where the share is closer to 31%.

Looking at school resources, On paper, Desert Foothills Middle School has 41 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 15.2:1. The state averages around 17.8:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical.

Across the wider county, ACS estimates for Maricopa County put median household earnings sit near $89,300, about 37% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 8%. Across Maricopa County's 1352 public schools (combined enrollment of about 725,139 students), Desert Foothills Middle School is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Acacia Elementary School, roughly 0.4 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools.

The campus sits in a downtown setting.

Over the past 7-year window. Desert Foothills Middle School's enrollment has contracted 8% since 2018, when it stood at 672 (now 621). Over the same period, the White share decreased from 42% to 33%. Class-load math has fell: from 16.5:1 in 2018 to 15.2:1 in 2025.

On the community side, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.