Enrollment
373
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Glendale, AZ
Desert Palms Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Desert Palms Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040625000510
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Palms Elementary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% of Arizona schools.
- #14 of 46
- schools in Glendale · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.8:1
- small classes for Arizona
- 50.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Palms Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 74% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Palms Elementary School ranks #14 of 46 schools in Glendale, AZ.
School address
District: Peoria Unified School District (4237) · Arizona
NCES ID 040625000510 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+5% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desert Palms Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desert Palms Elementary School
Desert Palms Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Glendale, Arizona, enrolling 373 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 50.9% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 373 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.
Against 247 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #62.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (47%) and White (32%) (diversity index 66/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 60.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Peoria Unified School District (4237) spends $9,168 per pupil, 30% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 15.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Glendale's public schools, it stands alongside Sandra Day O'connor High School (2,658 students): Desert Palms Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.8:1 vs 25.6:1).
Peoria Unified School District (4237) also operates Liberty High School (2,510 students) and Centennial High School (2,026 students) alongside Desert Palms 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 Palms Elementary School compares
Desert Palms 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 | 13.8:1 | ▼ 19% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.9% | ▲ 5% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 373 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.8:1
Leaner classes than 59% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
373
Bigger than 43% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 5% 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
13.8:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 26% in Arizona - lower ratio than 74% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
60.6%
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
$9,168
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
11
in-school suspensions + 21 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.6 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 46.9%
White 32.2%
African American 8.8%
Two or More 5.6%
Asian 3.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 46.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.3, Desert Palms Elementary School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Peoria Unified School District (4237), which includes Desert Palms Elementary School.
$9,168
Per student
-30%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-45%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.4%
State 49.0%
Federal 15.6%
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 Palms Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Centennial High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sunrise Mountain High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ironwood High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Raymond S. Kellis | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Palms Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,510
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,026
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,896
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,804
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,691
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar other schools in Glendale
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~373 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desert Palms Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Desert Palms Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Peoria Unified School District (4237)'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 Palms Elementary School
How many students attend Desert Palms Elementary School?
Desert Palms Elementary School has 373 students enrolled. It is a public school in Glendale, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Palms Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Palms Elementary School is 13.8:1, which is 19% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 12% lower 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 Palms Elementary School?
50.9% of students at Desert Palms Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Palms Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Desert Palms Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 46.9% of enrollment, in Glendale, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Palms Elementary School?
Desert Palms Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Palms Elementary School rank among schools in Glendale?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Palms Elementary School ranks #14 of 46 schools in Glendale, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Glendale on the city page.
Is Desert Palms Elementary School a good school?
Desert Palms Elementary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% of Arizona schools. 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 Peoria Unified School District (4237)?
Besides Desert Palms Elementary School, Peoria Unified School District (4237) also operates Liberty High School (2,510 students), Centennial High School (2,026 students), and Sunrise Mountain High School (1,896 students). See the Peoria Unified School District (4237) 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.