Enrollment
621
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Phoenix, AZ
Desert Foothills Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Desert Foothills Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 040906000922
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Foothills Middle School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #8 of 24
- middle schools in Phoenix · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.8:1
- students per teacher
- 45.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Foothills Middle School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Foothills Middle School ranks #8 of 24 middle schools in Phoenix, AZ.
School address
District: Washington Elementary School District (4260) · Arizona
NCES ID 040906000922 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.8:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
45.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-5% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desert Foothills Middle School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desert Foothills Middle School
Desert Foothills Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Phoenix, Arizona, enrolling 621 students.
At 16.8:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 45.9% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 621 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 336 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #93.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (50%) and White (33%) (diversity index 63/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 66.3% 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: 304 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 621 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Phoenix's middle schools, it stands alongside Sonoran Trails Middle School (615 students): Desert Foothills Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.8:1 vs 17.6:1).
Washington Elementary School District (4260) also operates Lookout Mountain School (979 students) and Mountain View Elementary School (903 students) alongside Desert Foothills 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 Foothills Middle School compares
Desert Foothills 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 | 16.8:1 | ▼ 1% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.9% | ▼ 5% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 621 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.8:1
Leaner classes than 32% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
621
Bigger than 75% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
45.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 5% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.8:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 53% in Arizona - lower ratio than 47% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
66.3%
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
128
in-school suspensions + 176 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 20.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 49.0 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 50.2%
White 33.0%
African American 8.4%
Two or More 4.2%
Asian 2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 50.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.9, Desert Foothills 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 Desert Foothills 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 Desert Foothills 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 | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Orangewood School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Palo Verde Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Foothills 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 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 (~621 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desert Foothills Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Desert Foothills 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 Desert Foothills Middle School
How many students attend Desert Foothills Middle School?
Desert Foothills Middle School has 621 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Foothills Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Foothills Middle School is 16.8:1, which is 1% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 7% higher 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 Foothills Middle School?
45.9% of students at Desert Foothills Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Foothills Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Desert Foothills Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 50.2% of enrollment, in Phoenix, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Foothills Middle School?
Desert Foothills 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 Desert Foothills Middle School rank among middle schools in Phoenix?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Foothills Middle School ranks #8 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 Desert Foothills Middle School a good school?
Desert Foothills 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 Desert Foothills 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.