Enrollment
737
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Casa Grande, AZ
Cactus Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Cactus Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 040171002213
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 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
Cactus Middle School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of Arizona schools.
- #11 of 19
- public schools in Casa Grande · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.4:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 48.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Cactus Middle School has class sizes larger than 72% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cactus Middle School ranks #11 of 19 public schools in Casa Grande, AZ.
School address
District: Casa Grande Elementary District (4446) · Arizona
NCES ID 040171002213 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.4:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+1% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cactus Middle School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cactus Middle School
Cactus Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Casa Grande, Arizona, enrolling 737 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 48.9% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 737 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 300 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #198.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (68%) and White (19%) (diversity index 50/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 737 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 72.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Casa Grande Elementary District (4446) spends $10,041 per pupil, 24% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 22.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 368 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 737 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 5 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Casa Grande's middle schools, it stands alongside Villago Middle School (723 students): Cactus Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.4:1 vs 18.5:1).
Casa Grande Elementary District (4446) also operates Villago Middle School (723 students) and Mccartney Ranch Elementary School (668 students) alongside Cactus Middle 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 Middle School compares
Cactus Middle 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 | 19.4:1 | ▲ 14% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.9% | ▲ 1% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 737 | top 19% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.4:1
Leaner classes than 18% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
737
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 1% above the Arizona average of 48.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19.4:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 72% in Arizona - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
72.5%
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
$10,041
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 737 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
153
in-school suspensions + 215 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 20.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 49.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 5 expulsions.
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 68.0%
White 19.3%
African American 5.4%
Two or More 3.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.6%
Asian 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 68.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.5, Cactus Middle School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Casa Grande Elementary District (4446), which includes Cactus Middle School.
$10,041
Per student
-24%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-39%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.9%
State 49.5%
Federal 22.6%
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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Villago Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mccartney Ranch Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Casa Grande Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Palo Verde School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cottonwood Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cactus Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 723
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 668
- Students per teacher
- 24.7:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 648
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 548
- Students per teacher
- 26.1:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 515
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
Similar middle schools in Casa Grande
2 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 (~737 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cactus Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Cactus Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Casa Grande Elementary District (4446)'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 Middle School
How many students attend Cactus Middle School?
Cactus Middle School has 737 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Casa Grande, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cactus Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cactus Middle School is 19.4:1, which is 14% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 24% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cactus Middle School?
48.9% of students at Cactus Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cactus Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Cactus Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 68.0% of enrollment, in Casa Grande, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cactus Middle School?
Cactus Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (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 Cactus Middle School rank among public schools in Casa Grande?
By Resource Investment Index, Cactus Middle School ranks #11 of 19 public schools in Casa Grande, 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 Casa Grande on the city page.
Is Cactus Middle School a good school?
Cactus Middle School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% 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 Casa Grande Elementary District (4446)?
Besides Cactus Middle School, Casa Grande Elementary District (4446) also operates Villago Middle School (723 students), Mccartney Ranch Elementary School (668 students), and Casa Grande Middle School (648 students). See the Casa Grande Elementary District (4446) 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.