Enrollment
423
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Scottsdale, AZ
Desert Canyon Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Desert Canyon Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 040757000603
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 40
📋 Attendance 19
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Canyon Middle School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #3 of 7
- middle schools in Scottsdale · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.6:1
- students per teacher
- 10.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Canyon Middle School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Canyon Middle School ranks #3 of 7 middle schools in Scottsdale, AZ.
School address
District: Scottsdale Unified District (4240) · Arizona
NCES ID 040757000603 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.6:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
10.8%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-78% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desert Canyon Middle School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desert Canyon Middle School
Desert Canyon Middle School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Scottsdale, Arizona, enrolling 423 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 10.8% free-meal eligibility runs 78% below the Arizona average.
With 423 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arizona median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 129 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #39.
Its student body is led by White (70%) and Hispanic or Latino (12%) (diversity index 49/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 302 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Scottsdale Unified District (4240) spends $9,802 per pupil, 25% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Scottsdale Unified District (4240) also operates Desert Mountain High School (1,905 students) and Chaparral High School (1,773 students) alongside Desert Canyon 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 Desert Canyon Middle School compares
Desert Canyon 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 | 14.6:1 | ▼ 14% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 10.8% | ▼ 78% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 423 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.6:1
Leaner classes than 51% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
423
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
10.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 78% 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
14.6:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 32% in Arizona - lower ratio than 68% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
32.4%
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
$9,802
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
Counselors1.4 FTE
Per 302 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
13
in-school suspensions + 27 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.5 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
White 70.0%
Hispanic or Latino 12.1%
Asian 8.3%
African American 4.7%
Two or More 3.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 70.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.5, Desert Canyon Middle School is about as mixed as the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Scottsdale Unified District (4240), which includes Desert Canyon Middle School.
$9,802
Per student
-25%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-41%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 68.5%
State 19.1%
Federal 12.5%
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 Desert Canyon Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desert Mountain High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chaparral High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Arcadia High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Saguaro High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cheyenne Traditional School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Canyon Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,905
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 1,773
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,679
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,300
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 953
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
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 (~423 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desert Canyon Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Desert Canyon Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Scottsdale Unified District (4240)'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 Desert Canyon Middle School
How many students attend Desert Canyon Middle School?
Desert Canyon Middle School has 423 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Scottsdale, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Canyon Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Canyon Middle School is 14.6:1, which is 14% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 7% 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 Desert Canyon Middle School?
10.8% of students at Desert Canyon Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Canyon Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Desert Canyon Middle School is White at 70.0% of enrollment, in Scottsdale, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Canyon Middle School?
Desert Canyon Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (typical 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 Desert Canyon Middle School rank among middle schools in Scottsdale?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Canyon Middle School ranks #3 of 7 middle schools in Scottsdale, 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 Scottsdale on the city page.
Is Desert Canyon Middle School a good school?
Desert Canyon Middle School earns 43/100 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 Scottsdale Unified District (4240)?
Besides Desert Canyon Middle School, Scottsdale Unified District (4240) also operates Desert Mountain High School (1,905 students), Chaparral High School (1,773 students), and Arcadia High School (1,679 students). See the Scottsdale Unified District (4240) 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.