Enrollment
496
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Scottsdale, AZ
Black Mountain Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Black Mountain Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 040000100120
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Black Mountain Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #6 of 8
- elementary schools in Scottsdale · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15:1
- students per teacher
- 6.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Black Mountain Elementary School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Black Mountain Elementary School ranks #6 of 8 elementary schools in Scottsdale, AZ.
School address
District: Cave Creek Unified District (4244) · Arizona
NCES ID 040000100120 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
6.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-86% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Black Mountain Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Black Mountain Elementary School
Black Mountain Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Scottsdale, Arizona, enrolling 496 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15:1 puts it in the smaller third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 6.9% free-meal eligibility runs 86% below the Arizona average.
With 496 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arizona median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Among 136 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #121, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (77%) and Hispanic or Latino (13%) (diversity index 39/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 47.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Cave Creek Unified District (4244) spends $8,436 per pupil, 36% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Scottsdale's elementary schools, it stands alongside Great Hearts Academies - Archway Scottsdale (1,079 students): Black Mountain Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Cave Creek Unified District (4244) also operates Cactus Shadows High School (1,362 students) and Sonoran Trails Middle School (615 students) alongside Black Mountain 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 Black Mountain Elementary School compares
Black Mountain 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 | 15:1 | ▼ 12% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 6.9% | ▼ 86% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 496 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15:1
Leaner classes than 47% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
496
Bigger than 61% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
6.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 86% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 36% in Arizona - lower ratio than 64% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
47.8%
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
$8,436
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
White 77.0%
Hispanic or Latino 13.3%
Two or More 6.7%
African American 1.4%
Asian 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 77.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 38.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 38.5, Black Mountain Elementary School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cave Creek Unified District (4244), which includes Black Mountain Elementary School.
$8,436
Per student
-36%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-49%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 65.6%
State 24.9%
Federal 9.4%
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 Black Mountain Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cactus Shadows High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sonoran Trails Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Horseshoe Trails Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lone Mountain Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Desert Willow Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Black Mountain Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,362
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 615
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 424
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 376
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 338
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar elementary schools in Scottsdale
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~496 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Black Mountain Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Black Mountain Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Cave Creek Unified District (4244)'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 Black Mountain Elementary School
How many students attend Black Mountain Elementary School?
Black Mountain Elementary School has 496 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Scottsdale, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Black Mountain Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Black Mountain Elementary School is 15:1, which is 12% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Black Mountain Elementary School?
6.9% of students at Black Mountain Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Black Mountain Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Black Mountain Elementary School is White at 77.0% of enrollment, in Scottsdale, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Black Mountain Elementary School?
Black Mountain Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Black Mountain Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Scottsdale?
By Resource Investment Index, Black Mountain Elementary School ranks #6 of 8 elementary schools in Scottsdale, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Scottsdale on the city page.
Is Black Mountain Elementary School a good school?
Black Mountain Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. 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 Cave Creek Unified District (4244)?
Besides Black Mountain Elementary School, Cave Creek Unified District (4244) also operates Cactus Shadows High School (1,362 students), Sonoran Trails Middle School (615 students), and Horseshoe Trails Elementary School (424 students). See the Cave Creek Unified District (4244) 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.