Enrollment
681
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Phoenix, AZ
Cholla Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Cholla Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 040906000921
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cholla Middle School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #23 of 116
- elementary schools in Phoenix · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17:1
- students per teacher
- 69.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Cholla Middle School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cholla Middle School ranks #23 of 116 elementary schools in Phoenix, AZ.
School address
District: Washington Elementary School District (4260) · Arizona
NCES ID 040906000921 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+43% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cholla Middle School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cholla Middle School
Cholla Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Phoenix, Arizona, enrolling 681 students.
At 17:1, 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 69.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 681 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 289 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #74.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (57%) and White (21%) (diversity index 62/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 66.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 283 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 681 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Phoenix's elementary schools, it stands alongside Academy of Math and Science Avondale (1,175 students): Cholla Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Washington Elementary School District (4260) also operates Lookout Mountain School (979 students) and Mountain View Elementary School (903 students) alongside Cholla 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 Cholla Middle School compares
Cholla 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 | 17:1 | ▼ 0% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.0% | ▲ 43% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 681 | top 22% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
681
Bigger than 79% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 43% 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
17:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 54% in Arizona - lower ratio than 46% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
66.2%
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
$10,856
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
113
in-school suspensions + 170 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 16.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 41.6 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 56.5%
White 21.4%
African American 11.2%
Two or More 4.4%
Asian 3.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 56.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.8, Cholla 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 Washington Elementary School District (4260), which includes Cholla Middle School.
$10,856
Per student
-17%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.7%
State 45.6%
Federal 24.8%
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 Cholla Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lookout Mountain School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mountain View Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Acacia Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Orangewood School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Palo Verde Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cholla Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 979
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 903
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 806
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 797
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 797
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar elementary schools in Phoenix
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Academy of Math and Science Avondale
Standard public school
1,175 students
Kyrene Altadena Middle School
Standard public school
857 students 20.9:1 students per teacher
Catalina Ventura School
Standard public school
842 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Inspiration Mountain School
Standard public school
789 students 25.5:1 students per teacher
Alhambra Traditional School
Standard public school
733 students 20.9:1 students per teacher
Legacy Traditional School - North Phoenix
Standard public school
567 students
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 (~681 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cholla Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Cholla Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Washington Elementary School District (4260)'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 Cholla Middle School
How many students attend Cholla Middle School?
Cholla Middle School has 681 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cholla Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cholla Middle School is 17:1, which is 0% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 8% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cholla Middle School?
69.0% of students at Cholla Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cholla Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Cholla Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 56.5% of enrollment, in Phoenix, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cholla Middle School?
Cholla Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Cholla Middle School rank among elementary schools in Phoenix?
By Resource Investment Index, Cholla Middle School ranks #23 of 116 elementary 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 elementary schools in Phoenix on the city page.
Is Cholla Middle School a good school?
Cholla Middle School earns 34/100 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 Washington Elementary School District (4260)?
Besides Cholla Middle School, Washington Elementary School District (4260) also operates Lookout Mountain School (979 students), Mountain View Elementary School (903 students), and Acacia Elementary School (806 students). See the Washington Elementary School District (4260) 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.