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Tolleson, Arizona - 3 schools
An equity score of 38/100 ranks Union Elementary District (4277) #198 of 437 districts in Arizona (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $9,744 per pupil, Union Elementary District (4277) ranks #412 of 634 Arizona districts by per-pupil spending (Arizona districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
1,685
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$9,744
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Combined
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Union Elementary District (4277) operates 3 public schools serving 1,685 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Arizona. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 elementary, 1 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. 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 $9,744 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 634 Arizona districts by per-pupil spending. See how Arizona compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 21.4% local, 53.1% state, and 25.6% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 38/100, ranked #198 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 543.3:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 57.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 73.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% African American, 3.8% White across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Hurley Ranch Elementary, with a diversity index of 46.8/100.
Its largest campus is Hurley Ranch Elementary, enrolling 703 students (43% of the district's total enrollment).
Hurley Ranch Elementary accounts for 41.7% of all Union Elementary District (4277) student enrollment
That dominant concentration means Union Elementary District (4277)-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: elementary. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.
Union Elementary District (4277) school enrollment varies 2.2× across entities
Union Elementary District (4277) school enrollment ranges from 313 students (lowest) to 703 students (highest), a spread of 390 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Union Elementary District (4277) has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 55.0% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch
free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.
Union Elementary District (4277) student-counselor ratio is 543:1 — 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.
Union Elementary District (4277) chronic absenteeism rate is 57.3% — 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.
Comparisons are relative to Union Elementary District (4277)'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.
How many schools are in Union Elementary District (4277)?
Union Elementary District (4277) has 3 schools, including 2 elementary, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 1,685 students.
How much does Union Elementary District (4277) spend per student?
Union Elementary District (4277) spends $9,744 per student. The district has an equity score of 38/100, ranking #198 in Arizona.
What is the demographic composition of Union Elementary District (4277)?
Union Elementary District (4277) students are 73.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% African American, 3.8% White, 1.0% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Union Elementary District (4277)?
Union Elementary District (4277) has an equity score of 38/100, ranking #198 out of 437 districts in Arizona.