Enrollment
758
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Laveen, AZ
Cheatham Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Cheatham Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040429002398
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 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
Cheatham Elementary School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #4 of 7
- schools in Laveen · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.1:1
- students per teacher
- 66.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Cheatham Elementary School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cheatham Elementary School ranks #4 of 7 schools in Laveen, AZ.
School address
District: Laveen Elementary District (4276) · Arizona
NCES ID 040429002398 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
47.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cheatham Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cheatham Elementary School
Cheatham Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Laveen, Arizona, enrolling 758 students.
At 16.1:1, 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 runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 66.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 758 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 249 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #128.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (54%) and African American (29%) (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 758 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 77.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Laveen Elementary District (4276) spends $9,365 per pupil, 29% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 16.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 209 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 758 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Laveen's public schools, it stands alongside Estrella Foothills Global Academy (984 students): Cheatham Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.1:1 vs 24:1).
Laveen Elementary District (4276) also operates Desert Meadows Elementary School (1,020 students) and Rogers Ranch School (997 students) alongside Cheatham Elementary 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 Cheatham Elementary School compares
Cheatham Elementary 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 | 16.1:1 | ▼ 5% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.9% | ▲ 39% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 758 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
758
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% 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
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 46% in Arizona - lower ratio than 54% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
77.0%
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
$9,365
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 758 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
124
in-school suspensions + 85 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 16.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 27.6 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
Hispanic or Latino 54.0%
African American 29.2%
White 6.9%
Two or More 4.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.9%
Asian 2.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 54.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.5, Cheatham Elementary School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Laveen Elementary District (4276), which includes Cheatham Elementary School.
$9,365
Per student
-29%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-44%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.7%
State 53.8%
Federal 16.5%
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 Cheatham Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desert Meadows Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rogers Ranch School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Paseo Pointe School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Estrella Foothills Global Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Laveen Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cheatham Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,020
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 997
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 988
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 984
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 894
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar other schools in Laveen
1 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 (~758 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cheatham Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Cheatham Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Laveen Elementary District (4276)'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 Cheatham Elementary School
How many students attend Cheatham Elementary School?
Cheatham Elementary School has 758 students enrolled. It is a public school in Laveen, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cheatham Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cheatham Elementary School is 16.1:1, which is 5% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 3% 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 Cheatham Elementary School?
66.9% of students at Cheatham Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cheatham Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Cheatham Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 54.0% of enrollment, in Laveen, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cheatham Elementary School?
Cheatham Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (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 Cheatham Elementary School rank among schools in Laveen?
By Resource Investment Index, Cheatham Elementary School ranks #4 of 7 schools in Laveen, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Laveen on the city page.
Is Cheatham Elementary School a good school?
Cheatham Elementary School earns 26/100 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 Laveen Elementary District (4276)?
Besides Cheatham Elementary School, Laveen Elementary District (4276) also operates Desert Meadows Elementary School (1,020 students), Rogers Ranch School (997 students), and Paseo Pointe School (988 students). See the Laveen Elementary District (4276) 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.