Enrollment
1,905
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Scottsdale, AZ
Desert Mountain High School
Federal NCES profile for Desert Mountain High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 040757000604
👥 S:T ratio 12
📚 AP courses 75
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 5
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Mountain High School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Arizona schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Arizona.
- #6 of 7
- public schools in Scottsdale · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.9:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 6.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Mountain High School has class sizes larger than 86% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Mountain High School ranks #6 of 7 public schools in Scottsdale, AZ.
School address
District: Scottsdale Unified District (4240) · Arizona
NCES ID 040757000604 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
87.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.9:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+29% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
6.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-88% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desert Mountain High School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desert Mountain High School
Desert Mountain High School is a lower-poverty, large high school in Scottsdale, Arizona, enrolling 1,905 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.9:1 is larger than about 86% of Arizona schools and 29% above the 17:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 6.0% free-meal eligibility runs 88% below the Arizona average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Arizona, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,905 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Among 43 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #34, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (70%) and Asian (13%) (diversity index 49/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 15 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 476 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 43.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Scottsdale Unified District (4240) spends $9,802 per pupil, 25% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Scottsdale Unified District (4240) also operates Chaparral High School (1,773 students) and Arcadia High School (1,679 students) alongside Desert Mountain 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 Mountain High School compares
Desert Mountain 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 | 21.9:1 | ▲ 29% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 6.0% | ▼ 88% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,905 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.9:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,905
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
6.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 88% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
21.9:1
students per teacher
- 29% above state mean
Top 86% in Arizona - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
43.1%
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
$9,802
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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 476 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 87 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.1 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 69.7%
Asian 12.6%
Hispanic or Latino 9.7%
Two or More 3.3%
African American 3.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: White at 69.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.7, Desert Mountain High School is about as mixed as the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 15
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Scottsdale Unified District (4240), which includes Desert Mountain High School.
$9,802
Per student
-25%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-41%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 68.5%
State 19.1%
Federal 12.5%
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 Mountain High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chaparral High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Arcadia High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Saguaro High School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cheyenne Traditional School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cocopah Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Mountain High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,773
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,679
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,300
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 953
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 861
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- 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 (~1,905 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desert Mountain High School's federal record.
- Compare Desert Mountain High School against another school. Compare schools
- Scottsdale Unified District (4240)'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 Mountain High School
How many students attend Desert Mountain High School?
Desert Mountain High School has 1,905 students enrolled. It is a high school in Scottsdale, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Mountain High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Mountain High School is 21.9:1, which is 29% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 39% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Desert Mountain High School?
6.0% of students at Desert Mountain High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Mountain High School?
The largest demographic group at Desert Mountain High School is White at 69.7% of enrollment, in Scottsdale, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Mountain High School?
Desert Mountain High School has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Desert Mountain High School rank among public schools in Scottsdale?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Mountain High School ranks #6 of 7 public schools in Scottsdale, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Scottsdale on the city page.
Is Desert Mountain High School a good school?
Desert Mountain High School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% 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 Scottsdale Unified District (4240)?
Besides Desert Mountain High School, Scottsdale Unified District (4240) also operates Chaparral High School (1,773 students), Arcadia High School (1,679 students), and Saguaro High School (1,300 students). See the Scottsdale Unified District (4240) 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.