Glendale Elementary District (4271)

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Glendale, Arizona - 14 schools

An equity score of 45/100 ranks Glendale Elementary District (4271) #145 of 437 districts in Arizona (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $10,795 per pupil, Glendale Elementary District (4271) ranks #382 of 633 Arizona districts by per-pupil spending (Arizona districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

9,450
Total Enrollment
14
Schools
$10,795
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Glendale Elementary District (4271) operates 14 public schools serving 9,450 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Arizona. The school portfolio breaks down into 7 elementary, 7 combined schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Maricopa County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $10,795 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 633 Arizona districts by per-pupil spending. See how Arizona compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 18.2% local, 46.6% state, and 35.2% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 45/100, ranked #145 of 437 in Arizona against a state average of 38, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 619.5:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 63.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 74.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% African American, 8.6% White across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Glendale American School, with a diversity index of 60.9/100.

Its largest campus is Horizon School, enrolling 856 students (10% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Glendale Elementary Online (G.E.O.) Learning, at 25 students, a 34x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Glendale Elementary District (4271) school enrollment varies 34× across entities

Glendale Elementary District (4271) school enrollment ranges from 25 students (lowest) to 856 students (highest), a spread of 831 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity, the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Glendale Elementary District (4271) reports 71.5% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share sits between 62.5% and 75%, above a simple majority but below the highest descriptive band used here. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Glendale Elementary District (4271) student-counselor ratio is 620:1 — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Glendale Elementary District (4271) chronic absenteeism rate is 63.2% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

35.2%
Federal
46.6%
State
18.2%
Local

Funding Equity

45
Equity Score
145 / 437
State Rank
38
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 14 schools in Glendale Elementary District (4271).

White 8.6%
Hispanic or Latino 74.5%
African American 9.4%
Asian 3.1%
Multiracial 2.2%
Other 2.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 41.5/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Glendale Elementary District (4271)'s schools, below the Arizona average of 47.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Glendale American School 60.9
  2. 2 Horizon School 58.9
  3. 3 Challenger Middle School 53.2
  4. 4 Sunset Vista 49.1
  5. 5 Glendale Landmark School 47.2

Programs & Resources

619.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
63.2%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Glendale Elementary District (4271)

School Enrollment
Horizon School
856
Challenger Middle School
839
William C Jack School
811
Bicentennial South School
729
Harold W Smith School
719
Desert Spirit
682
Glendale American School
678
Sunset Vista
676
Glendale Landmark School
651
Discovery School
601
Don Mensendick School
558
Glenn F Burton School
550
Desert Garden Elementary School
205
Glendale Elementary Online (G.E.O.) Learning
25

How Glendale Elementary District (4271) Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Arizona districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Agua Fria Union High School District (4289) Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Yuma Elementary District (4499) Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Florence Unified School District (4437) Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Flagstaff Unified District (4192) Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Alhambra Elementary District (4280) Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Glendale Elementary District (4271)'s own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Arizona

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Glendale Elementary District (4271)

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Mesa Unified District (4235) →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Glendale Elementary District (4271)?

Glendale Elementary District (4271) has 14 schools, including 7 elementary, 7 combined. Total enrollment is 9,450 students.

How much does Glendale Elementary District (4271) spend per student?

Glendale Elementary District (4271) spends $10,795 per student. The district has an equity score of 45/100, ranking #145 in Arizona.

What is the demographic composition of Glendale Elementary District (4271)?

Glendale Elementary District (4271) students are 74.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% African American, 8.6% White, 3.1% Asian, averaged across 14 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Glendale Elementary District (4271)?

Glendale Elementary District (4271) has an equity score of 45/100, ranking #145 out of 437 districts in Arizona.