Enrollment
875
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Phoenix, AZ
Charles W. Harris School
Federal NCES profile for Charles W. Harris School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 20/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040168000091
👥 S:T ratio 10
🌟 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
Charles W. Harris School earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Arizona schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Arizona schools.
- #143 of 179
- schools in Phoenix · Resource Index
- 20
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.4:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 69.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Charles W. Harris School has class sizes larger than 88% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Charles W. Harris School ranks #143 of 179 schools in Phoenix, AZ.
School address
District: Cartwright Elementary District (4282) · Arizona
NCES ID 040168000091 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.4:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+32% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Charles W. Harris School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Charles W. Harris School
Charles W. Harris School is a higher-need, large combined-grade school in Phoenix, Arizona, enrolling 875 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.4:1 is larger than about 88% of Arizona schools and 32% above the 17:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 69.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 875 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.
Among 174 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #129, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (95% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 10/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 875 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 51.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 41.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Phoenix's public schools, it stands alongside Pan-American Charter School (1,221 students): Charles W. Harris School is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Cartwright Elementary District (4282) also operates Frank Borman School (960 students) and Peralta School (817 students) alongside Charles W. Harris 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 Charles W. Harris School compares
Charles W. Harris 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 | 22.4:1 | ▲ 32% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.9% | ▲ 45% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 875 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.4:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
875
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% 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
22.4:1
students per teacher
- 32% above state mean
Top 88% in Arizona - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
51.3%
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
$11,851
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 875 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 59 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.9 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 94.6%
African American 2.3%
White 2.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 94.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 10.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 10.4, Charles W. Harris School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cartwright Elementary District (4282), which includes Charles W. Harris School.
$11,851
Per student
-10%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.7%
State 42.2%
Federal 41.1%
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 Charles W. Harris School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Borman School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Peralta School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Manuel Pena Jr. School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sunset School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Tomahawk School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Charles W. Harris School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 960
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 817
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 806
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 739
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 718
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar other schools in Phoenix
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Pan-American Charter School
Standard public school
1,221 students
Great Hearts Academies - Anthem Prep
Standard public school
1,031 students
Westwind Elementary School
Standard public school
932 students 19.4:1 students per teacher
Stetson Hills School
Standard public school
887 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Union Park School
Standard public school
873 students 19:1 students per teacher
Fireside Elementary School
Standard public school
693 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
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 (~875 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Charles W. Harris School's federal record.
- Compare Charles W. Harris School against another school. Compare schools
- Cartwright Elementary District (4282)'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 Charles W. Harris School
How many students attend Charles W. Harris School?
Charles W. Harris School has 875 students enrolled. It is a public school in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Charles W. Harris School?
The student-teacher ratio at Charles W. Harris School is 22.4:1, which is 32% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 43% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Charles W. Harris School?
69.9% of students at Charles W. Harris School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Charles W. Harris School?
The largest demographic group at Charles W. Harris School is Hispanic or Latino at 94.6% of enrollment, in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Charles W. Harris School?
Charles W. Harris School has a Resource Investment Index of 20/100 (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 Charles W. Harris School rank among schools in Phoenix?
By Resource Investment Index, Charles W. Harris School ranks #143 of 179 schools in Phoenix, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Phoenix on the city page.
Is Charles W. Harris School a good school?
Charles W. Harris School earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Arizona schools. It is also less 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 Cartwright Elementary District (4282)?
Besides Charles W. Harris School, Cartwright Elementary District (4282) also operates Frank Borman School (960 students), Peralta School (817 students), and Manuel Pena Jr. School (806 students). See the Cartwright Elementary District (4282) 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.