Enrollment
462
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Phoenix, AZ
Choice Learning Academy
Federal NCES profile for Choice Learning Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 16/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 040060000015
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 8
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Choice Learning Academy earns 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #22 of 24
- middle schools in Phoenix · Resource Index
- 16
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.5:1
- students per teacher
- 90.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Choice Learning Academy has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Choice Learning Academy ranks #22 of 24 middle schools in Phoenix, AZ.
School address
District: Alhambra Elementary District (4280) · Arizona
NCES ID 040060000015 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.5:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
90.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+88% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Choice Learning Academy compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Choice Learning Academy
Choice Learning Academy is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Phoenix, Arizona, enrolling 462 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 90.9% of students qualify for free meals, 88% above the Arizona average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 462 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arizona median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 91% of the 2,064 Arizona schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 118 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #105, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (69%) and African American (17%) (diversity index 49/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 462 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 76.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 36.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 249 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 462 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Phoenix's middle schools, it stands alongside Sonoran Trails Middle School (615 students): Choice Learning Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.5:1 vs 17.6:1).
Alhambra Elementary District (4280) also operates Granada Elementary School-West Campus (905 students) and Barcelona Elementary School (847 students) alongside Choice Learning Academy.
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 Choice Learning Academy compares
Choice Learning Academy on the metrics families compare, against Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.5:1 | ▲ 9% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 90.9% | ▲ 88% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 462 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.5:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
462
Bigger than 57% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
90.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 88% 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
18.5:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 66% in Arizona - lower ratio than 34% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
76.8%
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
$11,648
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 462 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
134
in-school suspensions + 115 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 29.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 53.9 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 69.3%
African American 16.7%
White 5.0%
Asian 3.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.0%
Two or More 1.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 69.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.7, Choice Learning Academy is about as mixed as the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Alhambra Elementary District (4280), which includes Choice Learning Academy.
$11,648
Per student
-11%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.7%
State 42.7%
Federal 36.6%
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 Choice Learning Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Granada Elementary School-West Campus | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Barcelona Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Catalina Ventura School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Alhambra Traditional School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sevilla Elementary School-East Campus | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Choice Learning Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 905
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 847
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 842
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 733
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 717
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
Similar middle schools in Phoenix
3 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~462 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Choice Learning Academy's federal record.
- Compare Choice Learning Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Alhambra Elementary District (4280)'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 Choice Learning Academy
How many students attend Choice Learning Academy?
Choice Learning Academy has 462 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Choice Learning Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Choice Learning Academy is 18.5:1, which is 9% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 18% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Choice Learning Academy?
90.9% of students at Choice Learning Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Choice Learning Academy?
The largest demographic group at Choice Learning Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 69.3% of enrollment, in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Choice Learning Academy?
Choice Learning Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 16/100 (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 Choice Learning Academy rank among middle schools in Phoenix?
By Resource Investment Index, Choice Learning Academy ranks #22 of 24 middle 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 middle schools in Phoenix on the city page.
Is Choice Learning Academy a good school?
Choice Learning Academy earns 16/100 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 Alhambra Elementary District (4280)?
Besides Choice Learning Academy, Alhambra Elementary District (4280) also operates Granada Elementary School-West Campus (905 students), Barcelona Elementary School (847 students), and Catalina Ventura School (842 students). See the Alhambra Elementary District (4280) 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.