Enrollment
524
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Mesa, AZ
Bush Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Bush Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040497000553
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 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
Bush Elementary earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 74% of Arizona schools.
- #60 of 70
- schools in Mesa · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.8:1
- small classes for Arizona
- 27.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Bush Elementary has class sizes smaller than 74% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bush Elementary ranks #60 of 70 schools in Mesa, AZ.
School address
District: Mesa Unified District (4235) · Arizona
NCES ID 040497000553 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
27.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-44% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bush Elementary compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bush Elementary
Bush Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Mesa, Arizona, enrolling 524 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 27.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 524 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arizona median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 258 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #162.
Its student body is led by White (67%) and Hispanic or Latino (23%) (diversity index 49/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1048 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 40.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Mesa's public schools, it stands alongside Eastmark High School (1,889 students): Bush Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.8:1 vs 23.6:1).
Mesa Unified District (4235) also operates Mountain View High School (3,421 students) and Red Mountain High School (3,379 students) alongside Bush Elementary.
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 Bush Elementary compares
Bush Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.8:1 | ▼ 19% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 27.0% | ▼ 44% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 524 | top 36% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.8:1
Leaner classes than 59% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
524
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
27.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 44% 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
13.8:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 26% in Arizona - lower ratio than 74% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
40.6%
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
$11,160
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 23 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.5 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
White 67.4%
Hispanic or Latino 23.3%
Two or More 5.2%
African American 1.7%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 67.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.8, Bush Elementary is about as mixed as the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mesa Unified District (4235), which includes Bush Elementary.
$11,160
Per student
-15%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.4%
State 44.5%
Federal 18.1%
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 Bush Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain View High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Red Mountain High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mesa High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Westwood High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dobson High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bush Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,421
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 3,379
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 3,233
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 3,135
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,284
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar other schools in Mesa
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Eastmark High School
Standard public school
1,889 students 23.6:1 students per teacher
Sequoia Choice School Arizona Distance Learning School
Standard public school
1,711 students
Silver Valley Elementary
Standard public school
1,384 students 22.7:1 students per teacher
Astravo Online Academy
Standard public school
849 students
Eagleridge Enrichment Program
Standard public school
694 students 63.1:1 students per teacher
American Leadership Academy Virtual
Standard public school
660 students
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 (~524 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bush Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Bush Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Mesa Unified District (4235)'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 Bush Elementary
How many students attend Bush Elementary?
Bush Elementary has 524 students enrolled. It is a public school in Mesa, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bush Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Bush Elementary is 13.8:1, which is 19% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 12% 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 Bush Elementary?
27.0% of students at Bush Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bush Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Bush Elementary is White at 67.4% of enrollment, in Mesa, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bush Elementary?
Bush Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (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 Bush Elementary rank among schools in Mesa?
By Resource Investment Index, Bush Elementary ranks #60 of 70 schools in Mesa, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Mesa on the city page.
Is Bush Elementary a good school?
Bush Elementary earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 74% 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 Mesa Unified District (4235)?
Besides Bush Elementary, Mesa Unified District (4235) also operates Mountain View High School (3,421 students), Red Mountain High School (3,379 students), and Mesa High School (3,233 students). See the Mesa Unified District (4235) 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.