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
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Compiled from official source data by .
0/100100/10048/100
👥 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

Phoenix, AZ 85037
District: Pendergast Elementary District (4283) · Arizona

NCES ID 040621000505 Verify on NCES CCD record →

CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24

-3 students YoY

Desert Horizon Elementary School held near 729 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-3 headcount).

Teacher FTE lost 38.0 → 34.0 across the same CCD years.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).

Steady CCD campus

-3 students YoY 040621000505 · Phoenix, AZ Other · MID · TRAD

690 enr · 18.2:1 · 66.9% lunch · RII 48

Nearest enrollment peer: Garden Lakes Elementary School (941 students)

Desert Horizon Elementary School held near 729 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-3 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 38.0 → 34.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Arizona schools → · Find another →

Desert Horizon Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood

Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers

students

What this shows Desert Horizon Elementary School reports 690 students on the CCD universe file.

Source U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data (Public School Universe) As of 2024-25

How Desert Horizon Elementary School compares

Desert Horizon Elementary School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs 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 methodology

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
$10,225
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
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.

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

District finance for Pendergast Elementary District (4283) reports $10,225 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.

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

Pendergast Elementary District (4283) · 5 sibling schools

View district profile

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

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 (~690 students)

Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.2:1)

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. CCD year-over-year: 732 (2022-23) → 729 (2023-24), nearly flat (-3).

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, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. 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.

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.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) CCD + Public School Universe (2024-25), CRDC (2021-22), F-33 District Finance Survey (FY 2022-23) · 2024-25 Data as of the 2024-25 school year. Coverage from U.S. Department of Education NCES Common Core of Data. Varies by entity type; administrative districts and certain charter networks may report only a subset of fields.

All federal data sources used on this page

Full source list and how we compute each figure: methodology page.

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Compiled from official source data by .