The program began in 1977, and its name, which means "desired things" in Latin, comes from an eponymous prose poem by Max Ehrmann.

[6] Students are referred to the Desiderata Program by their home school campuses.

[7] The program caters to students with behavioral and emotional disabilities, including those with anxiety, depression, and phobias who learn better in smaller environments.

[4] Enrollment figures are not available, but a 2015 article by Arizona Republic noted the program had about 140 students at the time.

[4] The program began operations at its new 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) facility, located near 35th Avenue and Thomas Road, in 2006.