Enrollment
1,362
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Scottsdale, AZ
Cactus Shadows High School
Federal NCES profile for Cactus Shadows High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040000101204
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 46
📋 Attendance 6
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cactus Shadows High School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #3 of 4
- schools in Scottsdale · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.9:1
- students per teacher
- 5.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Cactus Shadows High School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cactus Shadows High School ranks #3 of 4 schools in Scottsdale, AZ.
School address
District: Cave Creek Unified District (4244) · Arizona
NCES ID 040000101204 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
76.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.9:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
5.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-90% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cactus Shadows High School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cactus Shadows High School
Cactus Shadows High School is a lower-poverty, large combined-grade school in Scottsdale, Arizona, enrolling 1,362 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 5.0% free-meal eligibility runs 90% below the Arizona average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Arizona, bigger than 94% of state schools at 1,362 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 73 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #44.
Its student body is predominantly White (80% of enrollment) (diversity index 34/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 272 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Cave Creek Unified District (4244) spends $8,436 per pupil, 36% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Scottsdale's public schools, it stands alongside Great Hearts Academies - Scottsdale Prep (898 students): Cactus Shadows High School is larger than that campus by headcount.
Cave Creek Unified District (4244) also operates Sonoran Trails Middle School (615 students) and Black Mountain Elementary School (496 students) alongside Cactus Shadows 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 Shadows High School compares
Cactus Shadows 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 | 17.9:1 | ▲ 5% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 5.0% | ▼ 90% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,362 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.9:1
Leaner classes than 25% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,362
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
5.0%
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
17.9:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 62% in Arizona - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
37.6%
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
$8,436
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
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 272 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
45
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.6 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 80.0%
Hispanic or Latino 12.3%
Two or More 3.5%
Asian 2.4%
African American 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 80.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.3, Cactus Shadows High School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 51
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cave Creek Unified District (4244), which includes Cactus Shadows High School.
$8,436
Per student
-36%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-49%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 65.6%
State 24.9%
Federal 9.4%
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 Shadows High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonoran Trails Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Black Mountain Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Horseshoe Trails Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lone Mountain Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Desert Willow Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cactus Shadows High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 615
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 496
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 424
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 376
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 338
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar other schools in Scottsdale
3 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 (~1,362 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cactus Shadows High School's federal record.
- Compare Cactus Shadows High School against another school. Compare schools
- Cave Creek Unified District (4244)'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 Shadows High School
How many students attend Cactus Shadows High School?
Cactus Shadows High School has 1,362 students enrolled. It is a public school in Scottsdale, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cactus Shadows High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cactus Shadows High School is 17.9:1, which is 5% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 14% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cactus Shadows High School?
5.0% of students at Cactus Shadows High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cactus Shadows High School?
The largest demographic group at Cactus Shadows High School is White at 80.0% of enrollment, in Scottsdale, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cactus Shadows High School?
Cactus Shadows High School has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower 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 Shadows High School rank among schools in Scottsdale?
By Resource Investment Index, Cactus Shadows High School ranks #3 of 4 schools in Scottsdale, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Scottsdale on the city page.
Is Cactus Shadows High School a good school?
Cactus Shadows High School earns 27/100 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 Cave Creek Unified District (4244)?
Besides Cactus Shadows High School, Cave Creek Unified District (4244) also operates Sonoran Trails Middle School (615 students), Black Mountain Elementary School (496 students), and Horseshoe Trails Elementary School (424 students). See the Cave Creek Unified District (4244) 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.