Enrollment
976
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Buckeye, AZ
Blue Horizons Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Blue Horizons Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040432003733
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 28
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Blue Horizons Elementary School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of Arizona schools.
- #2 of 6
- schools in Buckeye · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 26.4:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 39.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Blue Horizons Elementary School has class sizes larger than 96% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Blue Horizons Elementary School ranks #2 of 6 schools in Buckeye, AZ.
School address
District: Liberty Elementary District (4266) · Arizona
NCES ID 040432003733 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
26.4:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+55% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Blue Horizons Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Blue Horizons Elementary School
Blue Horizons Elementary School is a large combined-grade school in Buckeye, Arizona, enrolling 976 students.
Class loads run heavy: 26.4:1 is larger than about 96% of Arizona schools and 55% above the 17:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 39.9% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Arizona, bigger than 91% of state schools at 976 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 170 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #96.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (67%) and White (19%) (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 976 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Liberty Elementary District (4266) spends $8,165 per pupil, 38% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Buckeye's public schools, it stands alongside Verrado Heritage Elementary School (1,014 students): Blue Horizons Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (26.4:1 vs 24.1:1).
Liberty Elementary District (4266) also operates Westar Elementary School (815 students) and Las Brisas Academy (663 students) alongside Blue Horizons 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 Blue Horizons Elementary School compares
Blue Horizons 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 | 26.4:1 | ▲ 55% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.9% | ▼ 17% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 976 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
26.4:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
976
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
26.4:1
students per teacher
- 55% above state mean
Top 96% in Arizona - lower ratio than 4% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
28.6%
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
$8,165
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 976 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
23
in-school suspensions + 16 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 66.5%
White 19.1%
African American 8.0%
Two or More 4.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 66.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.3, Blue Horizons Elementary School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Liberty Elementary District (4266), which includes Blue Horizons Elementary School.
$8,165
Per student
-38%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-51%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.1%
State 61.6%
Federal 10.3%
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 Blue Horizons Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westar Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Las Brisas Academy | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rainbow Valley Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Freedom Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Estrella Mountain Elementary School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Blue Horizons Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 815
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 663
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 583
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 574
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 525
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
Similar other schools in Buckeye
5 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
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 (~976 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Blue Horizons Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Blue Horizons Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Liberty Elementary District (4266)'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 Blue Horizons Elementary School
How many students attend Blue Horizons Elementary School?
Blue Horizons Elementary School has 976 students enrolled. It is a public school in Buckeye, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Blue Horizons Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Blue Horizons Elementary School is 26.4:1, which is 55% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 68% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Blue Horizons Elementary School?
39.9% of students at Blue Horizons Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Blue Horizons Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Blue Horizons Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 66.5% of enrollment, in Buckeye, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Blue Horizons Elementary School?
Blue Horizons Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (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 Blue Horizons Elementary School rank among schools in Buckeye?
By Resource Investment Index, Blue Horizons Elementary School ranks #2 of 6 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 Blue Horizons Elementary School a good school?
Blue Horizons Elementary School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% 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 Liberty Elementary District (4266)?
Besides Blue Horizons Elementary School, Liberty Elementary District (4266) also operates Westar Elementary School (815 students), Las Brisas Academy (663 students), and Rainbow Valley Elementary School (583 students). See the Liberty Elementary District (4266) 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.