Enrollment
489
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Chinle, AZ
Chinle Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Chinle Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 17/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040194000135
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 2
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Chinle Elementary School earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Arizona schools.
- #4 of 4
- schools in Chinle · Resource Index
- 17
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.8:1
- students per teacher
- 68.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Chinle Elementary School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Chinle Elementary School ranks #4 of 4 schools in Chinle, AZ.
School address
District: Chinle Unified District (4158) · Arizona
NCES ID 040194000135 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+41% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Chinle Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Chinle Elementary School
Chinle Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Chinle, Arizona, enrolling 489 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 runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 68.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 489 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arizona median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Among 340 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #301, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly American Indian / Alaska Native (99% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 3/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 489 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 53.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Chinle Unified District (4158) spends $17,103 per pupil, 30% above the Arizona average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 60.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Chinle's public schools, it stands alongside Mesa View Elementary (288 students): Chinle Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.8:1 vs 11.1:1).
Chinle Unified District (4158) also operates Chinle High School (956 students) and Chinle Junior High School (373 students) alongside Chinle 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 Chinle Elementary School compares
Chinle 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 | 15.8:1 | ▼ 7% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.0% | ▲ 41% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 489 | top 40% | - | - |
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.
489
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% 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
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
53.2%
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
$17,103
per pupil, district-wide
- above Arizona avg of $13,145
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 489 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 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
American Indian / Alaska Native 98.6%
White 0.6%
African American 0.4%
Hispanic or Latino 0.2%
Two or More 0.2%
Largest group: American Indian / Alaska Native at 98.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 2.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 2.8, Chinle Elementary School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chinle Unified District (4158), which includes Chinle Elementary School.
$17,103
Per student
+30%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
+3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 8.4%
State 31.0%
Federal 60.7%
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 Chinle Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinle High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chinle Junior High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Tsaile Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mesa View Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Canyon De Chelly Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Chinle Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 956
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 373
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 313
- Students per teacher
- 11.2:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 288
- Students per teacher
- 11.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 252
- Students per teacher
- 11:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar other schools in Chinle
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 (~489 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Chinle Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Chinle Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Chinle Unified District (4158)'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 Chinle Elementary School
How many students attend Chinle Elementary School?
Chinle Elementary School has 489 students enrolled. It is a public school in Chinle, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Chinle Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Chinle Elementary 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 Chinle Elementary School?
68.0% of students at Chinle Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Chinle Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Chinle Elementary School is American Indian / Alaska Native at 98.6% of enrollment, in Chinle, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Chinle Elementary School?
Chinle Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 17/100 (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 Chinle Elementary School rank among schools in Chinle?
By Resource Investment Index, Chinle Elementary School ranks #4 of 4 schools in Chinle, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Chinle on the city page.
Is Chinle Elementary School a good school?
Chinle Elementary School earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. 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 Chinle Unified District (4158)?
Besides Chinle Elementary School, Chinle Unified District (4158) also operates Chinle High School (956 students), Chinle Junior High School (373 students), and Tsaile Elementary School (313 students). See the Chinle Unified District (4158) 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.