Enrollment
527
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Apache Junction, AZ
Cactus Canyon Junior High
Federal NCES profile for Cactus Canyon Junior High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 040079000040
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cactus Canyon Junior High earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #6 of 10
- public schools in Apache Junction · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 14.6:1
- students per teacher
- 40.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Cactus Canyon Junior High has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cactus Canyon Junior High ranks #6 of 10 public schools in Apache Junction, AZ.
School address
District: Apache Junction Unified District (4443) · Arizona
NCES ID 040079000040 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.6:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
40.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-15% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cactus Canyon Junior High compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cactus Canyon Junior High
Cactus Canyon Junior High is a mid-sized middle school in Apache Junction, Arizona, enrolling 527 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 40.9% of students eligible for free meals.
With 527 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.
Against 321 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #214.
Its student body is led by White (47%) and Hispanic or Latino (43%) (diversity index 60/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 73.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Apache Junction Unified District (4443) spends $9,806 per pupil, 25% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 215 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 527 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Apache Junction's middle schools, it stands alongside Imagine Superstition Middle (158 students): Cactus Canyon Junior High is larger than that campus by headcount.
Apache Junction Unified District (4443) also operates Apache Junction High School (796 students) and Desert Vista Elementary School (435 students) alongside Cactus Canyon Junior High.
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 Cactus Canyon Junior High compares
Cactus Canyon Junior High on the metrics families compare, against Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.6:1 | ▼ 14% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.9% | ▼ 15% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 527 | top 36% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.6:1
Leaner classes than 51% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
527
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
40.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 15% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.6:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 32% in Arizona - lower ratio than 68% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
73.2%
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
$9,806
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
83
in-school suspensions + 132 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 15.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 40.8 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 46.7%
Hispanic or Latino 42.7%
Two or More 4.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.0%
African American 2.3%
Asian 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 46.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.6, Cactus Canyon Junior High is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Apache Junction Unified District (4443), which includes Cactus Canyon Junior High.
$9,806
Per student
-25%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-41%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 55.9%
State 34.6%
Federal 9.5%
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 Cactus Canyon Junior High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apache Junction High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Desert Vista Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Four Peaks Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Peralta Trail Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cactus Canyon Junior High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 796
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 435
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 400
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 282
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
Similar middle schools in Apache Junction
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~527 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cactus Canyon Junior High's federal record.
- Compare Cactus Canyon Junior High against another school. Compare schools
- Apache Junction Unified District (4443)'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 Cactus Canyon Junior High
How many students attend Cactus Canyon Junior High?
Cactus Canyon Junior High has 527 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Apache Junction, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cactus Canyon Junior High?
The student-teacher ratio at Cactus Canyon Junior High is 14.6:1, which is 14% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 7% 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 Cactus Canyon Junior High?
40.9% of students at Cactus Canyon Junior High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cactus Canyon Junior High?
The largest demographic group at Cactus Canyon Junior High is White at 46.7% of enrollment, in Apache Junction, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cactus Canyon Junior High?
Cactus Canyon Junior High has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (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 Cactus Canyon Junior High rank among public schools in Apache Junction?
By Resource Investment Index, Cactus Canyon Junior High ranks #6 of 10 public schools in Apache Junction, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Apache Junction on the city page.
Is Cactus Canyon Junior High a good school?
Cactus Canyon Junior High earns 24/100 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 Apache Junction Unified District (4443)?
Besides Cactus Canyon Junior High, Apache Junction Unified District (4443) also operates Apache Junction High School (796 students), Desert Vista Elementary School (435 students), and Four Peaks Elementary School (400 students). See the Apache Junction Unified District (4443) district page for the complete list.
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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.