Enrollment
770
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Gilbert, AZ
Bridges Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Bridges Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 040378003490
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bridges Elementary School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #5 of 11
- elementary schools in Gilbert · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.8:1
- students per teacher
- 4.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Bridges Elementary School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bridges Elementary School ranks #5 of 11 elementary schools in Gilbert, AZ.
School address
District: Higley Unified School District (4248) · Arizona
NCES ID 040378003490 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.8:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
4.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-90% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bridges Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bridges Elementary School
Bridges Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Gilbert, Arizona, enrolling 770 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 4.9% free-meal eligibility runs 90% below the Arizona average.
Enrollment of 770 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 158 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #21.
Its student body is led by White (67%) and Hispanic or Latino (18%) (diversity index 52/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Higley Unified School District (4248) spends $8,545 per pupil, 35% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Gilbert's elementary schools, it stands alongside Benjamin Franklin Charter School - Power (565 students): Bridges Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount.
Higley Unified School District (4248) also operates Williams Field High School (2,150 students) and Higley High School (2,005 students) alongside Bridges 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 Bridges Elementary School compares
Bridges 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 | 18.8:1 | ▲ 11% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 4.9% | ▼ 90% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 770 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.8:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
770
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
4.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 90% 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
18.8:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 68% in Arizona - lower ratio than 32% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
26.6%
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
$8,545
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
6
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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 66.6%
Hispanic or Latino 18.4%
Two or More 7.1%
Asian 4.9%
African American 2.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Largest group: White at 66.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.5, Bridges 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 Higley Unified School District (4248), which includes Bridges Elementary School.
$8,545
Per student
-35%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-49%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.1%
State 48.7%
Federal 11.2%
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 Bridges Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Williams Field High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Higley High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sossaman Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| San Tan Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cooley Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bridges Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,150
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 2,005
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,094
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 854
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 795
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar elementary schools in Gilbert
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 (~770 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bridges Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Bridges Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Higley Unified School District (4248)'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 Bridges Elementary School
How many students attend Bridges Elementary School?
Bridges Elementary School has 770 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Gilbert, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bridges Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Bridges Elementary School is 18.8:1, which is 11% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 20% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bridges Elementary School?
4.9% of students at Bridges Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bridges Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Bridges Elementary School is White at 66.6% of enrollment, in Gilbert, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bridges Elementary School?
Bridges Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (typical 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 Bridges Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Gilbert?
By Resource Investment Index, Bridges Elementary School ranks #5 of 11 elementary schools in Gilbert, 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 Gilbert on the city page.
Is Bridges Elementary School a good school?
Bridges Elementary School earns 43/100 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 Higley Unified School District (4248)?
Besides Bridges Elementary School, Higley Unified School District (4248) also operates Williams Field High School (2,150 students), Higley High School (2,005 students), and Sossaman Middle School (1,094 students). See the Higley Unified School District (4248) 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.