Enrollment
699
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Buckeye, AZ
Bales Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Bales Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040138003123
👥 S:T ratio 13
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bales Elementary School earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Arizona schools.
- #8 of 12
- schools in Buckeye · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.8:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 53.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Bales Elementary School has class sizes larger than 85% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bales Elementary School ranks #8 of 12 schools in Buckeye, AZ.
School address
District: Buckeye Elementary District (4269) · Arizona
NCES ID 040138003123 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.8:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+28% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bales Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bales Elementary School
Bales Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Buckeye, Arizona, enrolling 699 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 21.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 53.0% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 699 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Among 320 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #238, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (73%) and White (17%) (diversity index 44/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 699 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 61.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Buckeye Elementary District (4269) spends $9,490 per pupil, 28% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Buckeye's public schools, it stands alongside Verrado Heritage Elementary School (1,014 students): Bales Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.8:1 vs 24.1:1).
Buckeye Elementary District (4269) also operates Buckeye Elementary School (1,150 students) and Steven R. Jasinski Elementary School (855 students) alongside Bales Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Bales Elementary School compares
Bales Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.8:1 | ▲ 28% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.0% | ▲ 10% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 699 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.8:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
699
Bigger than 80% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% above the Arizona average of 48.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.8:1
students per teacher
- 28% above state mean
Top 85% in Arizona - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
61.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$9,490
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arizona avg of $13,145
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 699 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
61
in-school suspensions + 47 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 72.5%
White 16.7%
African American 7.7%
Two or More 2.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 72.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.0, Bales Elementary School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Buckeye Elementary District (4269), which includes Bales Elementary School.
$9,490
Per student
-28%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-43%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.0%
State 51.2%
Federal 19.8%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Bales Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buckeye Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Steven R. Jasinski Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| John S Mccain Iii Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Inca Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Marionneaux Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bales Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,150
- Students per teacher
- 28:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 855
- Students per teacher
- 26.7:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 777
- Students per teacher
- 25.9:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 735
- Students per teacher
- 30.6:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 697
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar other schools in Buckeye
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Verrado Heritage Elementary School
Standard public school
1,014 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Blue Horizons Elementary School
Standard public school
976 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
Marionneaux Elementary School
Standard public school
697 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Desert Sunset Elementary School
Standard public school
648 students 21.6:1 students per teacher
Sequoia Pathfinder Academy at Verrado Way and I-10
Standard public school
602 students
Festival Foothills Elementary School
Standard public school
262 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Arizona, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~699 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bales Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Bales Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Buckeye Elementary District (4269)'s spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Bales Elementary School
How many students attend Bales Elementary School?
Bales Elementary School has 699 students enrolled. It is a public school in Buckeye, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bales Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Bales Elementary School is 21.8:1, which is 28% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 39% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bales Elementary School?
53.0% of students at Bales Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bales Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Bales Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 72.5% of enrollment, in Buckeye, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bales Elementary School?
Bales Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Bales Elementary School rank among schools in Buckeye?
By Resource Investment Index, Bales Elementary School ranks #8 of 12 schools in Buckeye, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Buckeye on the city page.
Is Bales Elementary School a good school?
Bales Elementary School earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Arizona schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Buckeye Elementary District (4269)?
Besides Bales Elementary School, Buckeye Elementary District (4269) also operates Buckeye Elementary School (1,150 students), Steven R. Jasinski Elementary School (855 students), and John S Mccain Iii Elementary School (777 students). See the Buckeye Elementary District (4269) district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.