Enrollment
839
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Glendale, AZ
Challenger Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Challenger Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 040342001402
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Challenger Middle School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #5 of 17
- elementary schools in Glendale · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.8:1
- students per teacher
- 86.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Challenger Middle School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Challenger Middle School ranks #5 of 17 elementary schools in Glendale, AZ.
School address
District: Glendale Elementary District (4271) · Arizona
NCES ID 040342001402 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
53.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
86.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+80% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Challenger Middle School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Challenger Middle School
Challenger Middle School is a high-poverty, large elementary school in Glendale, Arizona, enrolling 839 students.
At 15.8:1, 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 is high: 86.9% of students qualify for free meals, 80% above the Arizona average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 839 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 79 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #9, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (66%) and African American (14%) (diversity index 53/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 53.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Glendale Elementary District (4271) spends $9,522 per pupil, 28% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 35.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 210 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 839 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Glendale's elementary schools, it stands alongside Legacy Traditional School ? Glendale (1,280 students): Challenger Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Glendale Elementary District (4271) also operates Horizon School (856 students) and William C Jack School (811 students) alongside Challenger 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 Challenger Middle School compares
Challenger 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 | 15.8:1 | ▼ 7% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 86.9% | ▲ 80% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 839 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.8:1
Leaner classes than 40% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
839
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
86.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 80% above the Arizona average of 48.3%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.8:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 43% in Arizona - lower ratio than 57% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
53.3%
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
$9,522
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
90
in-school suspensions + 120 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.0 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 66.0%
African American 13.9%
White 9.1%
Asian 6.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.0%
Two or More 2.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 66.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.2, Challenger 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 Glendale Elementary District (4271), which includes Challenger Middle School.
$9,522
Per student
-28%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-43%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.2%
State 46.6%
Federal 35.2%
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 Challenger Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horizon School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| William C Jack School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bicentennial South School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Harold W Smith School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Desert Spirit | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Challenger Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 856
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 811
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 729
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 719
- Students per teacher
- 27.7:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 682
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar elementary schools in Glendale
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~839 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Challenger Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Challenger Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Glendale Elementary District (4271)'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 Challenger Middle School
How many students attend Challenger Middle School?
Challenger Middle School has 839 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Glendale, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Challenger Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Challenger Middle School is 15.8:1, which is 7% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 1% higher 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 Challenger Middle School?
86.9% of students at Challenger Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Challenger Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Challenger Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 66.0% of enrollment, in Glendale, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Challenger Middle School?
Challenger Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical 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 Challenger Middle School rank among elementary schools in Glendale?
By Resource Investment Index, Challenger Middle School ranks #5 of 17 elementary 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 elementary schools in Glendale on the city page.
Is Challenger Middle School a good school?
Challenger Middle School earns 36/100 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 Glendale Elementary District (4271)?
Besides Challenger Middle School, Glendale Elementary District (4271) also operates Horizon School (856 students), William C Jack School (811 students), and Bicentennial South School (729 students). See the Glendale Elementary District (4271) 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.