Enrollment
286
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Phoenix, AZ
Desert Marigold School
Federal NCES profile for Desert Marigold School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040036602302Charter school
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 43
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Marigold School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index on federal resource data.
- #57 of 179
- schools in Phoenix · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 286
- students enrolled
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Marigold School ranks #57 of 179 schools in Phoenix, AZ.
School address
NCES ID 040036602302 Verify on NCES CCD record →
What stands out at Desert Marigold School
Desert Marigold School is a mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Phoenix, Arizona, enrolling 286 students.
With 286 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.
Its student body is led by White (61%) and Hispanic or Latino (27%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 286 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
The surrounding Valley of the Sun Waldorf Education Association D (79957) spends $9,203 per pupil, 30% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Phoenix's public schools, it stands alongside Pan-American Charter School (1,221 students): Desert Marigold School is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Valley of the Sun Waldorf Education Association D (79957) is a single-school charter district, so Desert Marigold School operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 Marigold School compares
Desert Marigold School on the metrics families compare, against Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment | 286 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
286
Bigger than 30% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Funding equity
$9,203
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 286 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 19 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.1 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 60.5%
Hispanic or Latino 26.9%
Two or More 7.0%
African American 2.8%
Asian 2.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Largest group: White at 60.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.5, Desert Marigold School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Valley of the Sun Waldorf Education Association D (79957), which includes Desert Marigold School.
$9,203
Per student
-30%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-45%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 6.5%
State 87.0%
Federal 6.5%
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.
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.
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desert Marigold School's federal record.
- Compare Desert Marigold School against another school. Compare schools
- Valley of the Sun Waldorf Education Association D (79957)'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 Marigold School
How many students attend Desert Marigold School?
Desert Marigold School has 286 students enrolled. It is a public school in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Marigold School?
The largest demographic group at Desert Marigold School is White at 60.5% of enrollment, in Phoenix, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Marigold School?
Desert Marigold School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Desert Marigold School rank among schools in Phoenix?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Marigold School ranks #57 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 Marigold School a good school?
Desert Marigold School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index on federal resource data. 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 Valley of the Sun Waldorf Education Association D (79957)?
None; Valley of the Sun Waldorf Education Association D (79957) is a single-school charter district, and Desert Marigold School is its only campus.
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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.