Enrollment
580
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Tucson, AZ
Catalina High School
Federal NCES profile for Catalina High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040880001261
👥 S:T ratio 76
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 42
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Catalina High School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 97% of Arizona schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Arizona schools.
- #12 of 131
- schools in Tucson · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 6.1:1
- small classes for Arizona
- 68.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Catalina High School has class sizes smaller than 97% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Catalina High School ranks #12 of 131 schools in Tucson, AZ.
School address
District: Tucson Unified District (4403) · Arizona
NCES ID 040880001261 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
95.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
6.1:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-64% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.8%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+42% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Catalina High School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Catalina High School
Catalina High School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Tucson, Arizona, enrolling 580 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 6.1:1, Catalina High School is leaner than roughly 97% of Arizona schools and 64% under the state's 17:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 68.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 580 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Among 342 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #19, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (46%) and African American (25%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 290 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 91.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Tucson's public schools, it stands alongside Craycroft Elementary School (586 students): Catalina High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (6.1:1 vs 21.7:1).
Tucson Unified District (4403) also operates Tucson Magnet High School (2,938 students) and Pueblo High School (1,821 students) alongside Catalina 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 Catalina High School compares
Catalina 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 | 6.1:1 | ▼ 64% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.8% | ▲ 42% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 580 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
6.1:1
Leaner classes than 98% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
580
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% 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
6.1:1
students per teacher
- 64% below state mean
Top 3% in Arizona - lower ratio than 97% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
91.6%
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
$11,545
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 290 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 66 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.4 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
Hispanic or Latino 45.9%
African American 25.3%
White 13.1%
Asian 5.2%
Two or More 4.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 45.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.2, Catalina 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 Tucson Unified District (4403), which includes Catalina High School.
$11,545
Per student
-12%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 41.8%
State 34.7%
Federal 23.6%
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 Catalina High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson Magnet High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pueblo High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cholla High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sahuaro High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Catalina Online Learning Experience | Larger | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Catalina High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,938
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,821
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,575
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,250
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,184
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 15/100
Similar other schools in Tucson
2 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 (~580 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Catalina High School's federal record.
- Compare Catalina High School against another school. Compare schools
- Tucson Unified District (4403)'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 Catalina High School
How many students attend Catalina High School?
Catalina High School has 580 students enrolled. It is a public school in Tucson, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Catalina High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Catalina High School is 6.1:1, which is 64% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 61% 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 Catalina High School?
68.8% of students at Catalina High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Catalina High School?
The largest demographic group at Catalina High School is Hispanic or Latino at 45.9% of enrollment, in Tucson, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Catalina High School?
Catalina High School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 Catalina High School rank among schools in Tucson?
By Resource Investment Index, Catalina High School ranks #12 of 131 schools in Tucson, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Tucson on the city page.
Is Catalina High School a good school?
Catalina High School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 97% of Arizona schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Tucson Unified District (4403)?
Besides Catalina High School, Tucson Unified District (4403) also operates Tucson Magnet High School (2,938 students), Pueblo High School (1,821 students), and Cholla High School (1,575 students). See the Tucson Unified District (4403) 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.