Enrollment
2,106
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Goodyear, AZ
Desert Edge High School
Federal NCES profile for Desert Edge High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 040045002273
👥 S:T ratio 0
📚 AP courses 55
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Edge High School earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Arizona schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Arizona.
- #3 of 3
- high schools in Goodyear · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.1:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 38.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Edge High School has class sizes larger than 94% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Edge High School ranks #3 of 3 high schools in Goodyear, AZ.
School address
District: Agua Fria Union High School District (4289) · Arizona
NCES ID 040045002273 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
84.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.1:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+48% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desert Edge High School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desert Edge High School
Desert Edge High School is a large high school in Goodyear, Arizona, enrolling 2,106 students.
Class loads run heavy: 25.1:1 is larger than about 94% of Arizona schools and 48% above the 17:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 38.0% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Arizona, bigger than 98% of state schools at 2,106 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 99% of the 2,064 Arizona schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 58 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #58, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (60%) and White (18%) (diversity index 59/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 11 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 702 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
The surrounding Agua Fria Union High School District (4289) spends $9,930 per pupil, 24% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Agua Fria Union High School District (4289) also operates Millennium High School (2,295 students) and Canyon View High School (2,141 students) alongside Desert Edge High 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 Edge High School compares
Desert Edge High 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 | 25.1:1 | ▲ 48% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.0% | ▼ 21% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,106 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.1:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,106
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
25.1:1
students per teacher
- 48% above state mean
Top 94% in Arizona - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Funding equity
$9,930
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 702 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 112 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
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 60.2%
White 18.3%
African American 12.6%
Two or More 4.8%
Asian 2.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 60.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.5, Desert Edge High School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 11
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Agua Fria Union High School District (4289), which includes Desert Edge High School.
$9,930
Per student
-24%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 48.4%
State 40.7%
Federal 11.0%
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 Edge High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Millennium High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Canyon View High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Verrado High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Agua Fria High School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Edge High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,295
- Students per teacher
- 23.2:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 2,141
- Students per teacher
- 25.5:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
- Enrollment
- 2,012
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 11/100
- Enrollment
- 1,535
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar high 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 (~2,106 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desert Edge High School's federal record.
- Compare Desert Edge High School against another school. Compare schools
- Agua Fria Union High School District (4289)'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 Edge High School
How many students attend Desert Edge High School?
Desert Edge High School has 2,106 students enrolled. It is a high school in Goodyear, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Edge High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Edge High School is 25.1:1, which is 48% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 60% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Desert Edge High School?
38.0% of students at Desert Edge High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Edge High School?
The largest demographic group at Desert Edge High School is Hispanic or Latino at 60.2% of enrollment, in Goodyear, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Edge High School?
Desert Edge High School has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Desert Edge High School rank among high schools in Goodyear?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Edge High School ranks #3 of 3 high schools in Goodyear, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Goodyear on the city page.
Is Desert Edge High School a good school?
Desert Edge High School earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Arizona schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Arizona. 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 Agua Fria Union High School District (4289)?
Besides Desert Edge High School, Agua Fria Union High School District (4289) also operates Millennium High School (2,295 students), Canyon View High School (2,141 students), and Verrado High School (2,012 students). See the Agua Fria Union High School District (4289) 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.