Enrollment
1,036
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Glendale, AZ
Cactus High School
Federal NCES profile for Cactus High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040625000508
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cactus High School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #26 of 46
- schools in Glendale · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.3:1
- students per teacher
- 35.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Cactus High School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cactus High School ranks #26 of 46 schools in Glendale, AZ.
School address
District: Peoria Unified School District (4237) · Arizona
NCES ID 040625000508 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
60.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.3:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cactus High School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cactus High School
Cactus High School is a large combined-grade school in Glendale, Arizona, enrolling 1,036 students.
At 17.3:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Arizona median, within a few percentage points of the 17:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 35.9% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Arizona, bigger than 92% of state schools at 1,036 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 151 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #50.
Its student body is led by White (45%) and Hispanic or Latino (41%) (diversity index 63/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 345 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 49.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Peoria Unified School District (4237) spends $9,168 per pupil, 30% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 15.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Glendale's public schools, it stands alongside Sandra Day O'connor High School (2,658 students): Cactus High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.3:1 vs 25.6:1).
Peoria Unified School District (4237) also operates Liberty High School (2,510 students) and Centennial High School (2,026 students) alongside Cactus High 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 Cactus High School compares
Cactus High 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 | 17.3:1 | ▲ 2% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.9% | ▼ 26% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,036 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.3:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,036
Bigger than 92% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% 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
17.3:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 57% in Arizona - lower ratio than 43% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
49.5%
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
$9,168
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 345 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
42
in-school suspensions + 132 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.8 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 44.5%
Hispanic or Latino 40.6%
African American 6.6%
Two or More 5.0%
Asian 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
Largest group: White at 44.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.0, Cactus High School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 10
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Peoria Unified School District (4237), which includes Cactus High School.
$9,168
Per student
-30%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-45%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.4%
State 49.0%
Federal 15.6%
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 High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Centennial High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sunrise Mountain High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ironwood High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Raymond S. Kellis | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cactus High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,510
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,026
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,896
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,804
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,691
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar other schools in Glendale
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~1,036 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cactus High School's federal record.
- Compare Cactus High School against another school. Compare schools
- Peoria Unified School District (4237)'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 High School
How many students attend Cactus High School?
Cactus High School has 1,036 students enrolled. It is a public school in Glendale, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cactus High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cactus High School is 17.3:1, which is 2% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 10% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cactus High School?
35.9% of students at Cactus High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cactus High School?
The largest demographic group at Cactus High School is White at 44.5% of enrollment, in Glendale, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cactus High School?
Cactus High School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Cactus High School rank among schools in Glendale?
By Resource Investment Index, Cactus High School ranks #26 of 46 schools in Glendale, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Glendale on the city page.
Is Cactus High School a good school?
Cactus High School earns 33/100 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 Peoria Unified School District (4237)?
Besides Cactus High School, Peoria Unified School District (4237) also operates Liberty High School (2,510 students), Centennial High School (2,026 students), and Sunrise Mountain High School (1,896 students). See the Peoria Unified School District (4237) 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.