- Enrollment
- 2,150
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Queen Creek, AZ
Cortina Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Cortina Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040378002663
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cortina Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #4 of 14
- schools in Queen Creek · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.3:1
- students per teacher
- 7.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Cortina Elementary has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cortina Elementary ranks #4 of 14 schools in Queen Creek, AZ.
School address
District: Higley Unified School District (4248) · Arizona
NCES ID 040378002663 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-38 students YoY
Cortina Elementary shrank from 702 students in 2022-23 to 664 in 2023-24 (-5.4%).
Teacher FTE lost 41.2 → 39.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-38 students YoY 040378002663 · Queen Creek, AZ Other · MID · TRAD
629 enr · 15.3:1 · 7.0% lunch · RII 36
Nearest enrollment peer: Williams Field High School (2,150 students)
Cortina Elementary shrank from 702 students in 2022-23 to 664 in 2023-24 (-5.4%). Teacher FTE lost 41.2 → 39.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Arizona schools → · Find another →
Cortina Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Williams Field
Williams Field High School
2,150 students
- Higley High Sc
Higley High School
2,005 students
- Sossaman Middl
Sossaman Middle School
1,094 students
- San Tan Elemen 854
San Tan Elementary
854 students
- Cooley Middle 795
Cooley Middle School
795 students
- This school 629
Cortina Elementary
629 students
What this shows Cortina Elementary reports 629 students on the CCD universe file.
How Cortina Elementary compares
Cortina Elementary is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.3:1 | ▼ 10% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 7.0% | ▼ 86% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 629 | top 26% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.3:1
Leaner classes than 44% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
629
Bigger than 75% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
7.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 86% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15.3:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 39% in Arizona - lower ratio than 61% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
46.1%
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
$9,611
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arizona avg of $13,502
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
9
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 70.1%
Hispanic or Latino 19.1%
Two or More 4.9%
African American 2.7%
Asian 2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 70.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.8, Cortina Elementary is about as mixed as the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Higley Unified School District (4248) reports $9,611 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Cortina Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Williams Field High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Higley High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sossaman Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| San Tan Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cooley Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cortina Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,005
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,094
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 854
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 795
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar other schools in Queen Creek
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Crismon High School
Standard public school
2,009 students 44.6:1 students per teacher
Heritage Academy Gateway
Standard public school
1,556 students
Benjamin Franklin High School
Standard public school
1,324 students
Faith Mather Sossaman Elementary School
Standard public school
1,153 students 22.2:1 students per teacher
Katherine Mecham Barney Elementary
Standard public school
908 students 29.3:1 students per teacher
Frances Brandon-Pickett Elementary
Standard public school
642 students 18.9:1 students per teacher
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~629 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.3:1)
Frequently asked questions about Cortina Elementary
How many students attend Cortina Elementary?
Cortina Elementary has 629 students enrolled. It is a public school in Queen Creek, AZ. CCD year-over-year: 702 (2022-23) → 664 (2023-24), down 38.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cortina Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Cortina Elementary is 15.3:1, which is 10% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 3% lower 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 Cortina Elementary?
7.0% of students at Cortina Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cortina Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Cortina Elementary is White at 70.1% of enrollment, in Queen Creek, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cortina Elementary?
Cortina Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Cortina Elementary rank among schools in Queen Creek?
By Resource Investment Index, Cortina Elementary ranks #4 of 14 schools in Queen Creek, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Queen Creek on the city page.
What other schools are in Higley Unified School District (4248)?
Besides Cortina Elementary, Higley Unified School District (4248) also operates Williams Field High School (2,150 students), Higley High School (2,005 students), and Sossaman Middle School (1,094 students). See the Higley Unified School District (4248) district page for the complete list.