Enrollment
690
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Phoenix, AZ
Desert Horizon Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Desert Horizon Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040621000505
👥 S:T ratio 27
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 95
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Horizon Elementary School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #31 of 179
- schools in Phoenix · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.2:1
- students per teacher
- 66.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Horizon Elementary School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Horizon Elementary School ranks #31 of 179 schools in Phoenix, AZ.
School address
District: Pendergast Elementary District (4283) · Arizona
NCES ID 040621000505 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.2:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desert Horizon Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desert Horizon Elementary School
Desert Horizon Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Phoenix, Arizona, enrolling 690 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 66.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 690 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Among 285 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #12, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (85% of enrollment) (diversity index 27/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 690 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 1.9% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Pendergast Elementary District (4283) spends $9,983 per pupil, 24% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 22.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Phoenix's public schools, it stands alongside Pan-American Charter School (1,221 students): Desert Horizon Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Pendergast Elementary District (4283) also operates Garden Lakes Elementary School (941 students) and Westwind Elementary School (932 students) alongside Desert Horizon Elementary 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 Horizon Elementary School compares
Desert Horizon Elementary 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 | 18.2:1 | ▲ 7% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.9% | ▲ 39% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 690 | top 22% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.2:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
690
Bigger than 80% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% 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
18.2:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 64% in Arizona - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
1.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$9,983
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 690 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
30
in-school suspensions + 84 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.5 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
Hispanic or Latino 84.8%
African American 7.2%
White 4.8%
Asian 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Two or More 1.0%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 84.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 27.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 27.3, Desert Horizon Elementary School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pendergast Elementary District (4283), which includes Desert Horizon Elementary School.
$9,983
Per student
-24%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.1%
State 49.4%
Federal 22.5%
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 Horizon Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garden Lakes Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Westwind Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Copper King Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Desert Mirage Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pendergast Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Horizon Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 941
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 932
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 738
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 675
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 665
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
Similar other schools in Phoenix
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Pan-American Charter School
Standard public school
1,221 students
Great Hearts Academies - Anthem Prep
Standard public school
1,031 students
Westwind Elementary School
Standard public school
932 students 19.4:1 students per teacher
Stetson Hills School
Standard public school
887 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Union Park School
Standard public school
873 students 19:1 students per teacher
Fireside Elementary School
Standard public school
693 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~690 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desert Horizon Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Desert Horizon Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Pendergast Elementary District (4283)'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 Horizon Elementary School
How many students attend Desert Horizon Elementary School?
Desert Horizon Elementary School has 690 students enrolled. It is a public school in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Horizon Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Horizon Elementary School is 18.2:1, which is 7% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 16% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Desert Horizon Elementary School?
66.9% of students at Desert Horizon Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Horizon Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Desert Horizon Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 84.8% of enrollment, in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Horizon Elementary School?
Desert Horizon Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 Horizon Elementary School rank among schools in Phoenix?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Horizon Elementary School ranks #31 of 179 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 schools in Phoenix on the city page.
Is Desert Horizon Elementary School a good school?
Desert Horizon Elementary School earns 48/100 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 Pendergast Elementary District (4283)?
Besides Desert Horizon Elementary School, Pendergast Elementary District (4283) also operates Garden Lakes Elementary School (941 students), Westwind Elementary School (932 students), and Copper King Elementary (738 students). See the Pendergast Elementary District (4283) 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.