Enrollment
406
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Somerton, AZ
Desert Sonora Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Desert Sonora Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040789001565
👥 S:T ratio 35
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 19
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Sonora Elementary School earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Arizona schools.
- #1 of 4
- schools in Somerton · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.2:1
- students per teacher
- 74.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Sonora Elementary School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Sonora Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 schools in Somerton, AZ.
School address
District: Somerton Elementary District (4500) · Arizona
NCES ID 040789001565 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.2:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
74.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+55% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desert Sonora Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desert Sonora Elementary School
Desert Sonora Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Somerton, Arizona, enrolling 406 students.
At 16.2:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Arizona median, within a few percentage points of the 17:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 74.9% of students eligible for free meals.
With 406 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arizona median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Among 271 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #212, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (97% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 5/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 406 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 32.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Somerton's public schools, it stands alongside Tierra Del Sol Elementary School (579 students): Desert Sonora Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.2:1 vs 16.5:1).
Somerton Elementary District (4500) also operates Somerton Middle School (697 students) and Tierra Del Sol Elementary School (579 students) alongside Desert Sonora 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 Sonora Elementary School compares
Desert Sonora 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 | 16.2:1 | ▼ 5% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 74.9% | ▲ 55% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 406 | top 51% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.2:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
406
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
74.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 55% 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
16.2:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 47% in Arizona - lower ratio than 53% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
44.3%
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
$10,939
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 406 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.5 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 97.3%
White 2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Two or More 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 97.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 5.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 5.3, Desert Sonora Elementary School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Somerton Elementary District (4500), which includes Desert Sonora Elementary School.
$10,939
Per student
-17%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 6.5%
State 61.5%
Federal 32.0%
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 Sonora Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Somerton Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Tierra Del Sol Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Orange Grove Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Encanto Learning Center | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sun Valley Elementary School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Sonora Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 697
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
- Enrollment
- 579
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 412
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 403
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 260
- Students per teacher
- 26:1
- Resource Index
- 0/100
Similar other schools in Somerton
3 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 (~406 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desert Sonora Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Desert Sonora Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Somerton Elementary District (4500)'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 Sonora Elementary School
How many students attend Desert Sonora Elementary School?
Desert Sonora Elementary School has 406 students enrolled. It is a public school in Somerton, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Sonora Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Sonora Elementary School is 16.2:1, which is 5% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 3% higher 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 Sonora Elementary School?
74.9% of students at Desert Sonora Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Sonora Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Desert Sonora Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 97.3% of enrollment, in Somerton, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Sonora Elementary School?
Desert Sonora Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (lower 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 Sonora Elementary School rank among schools in Somerton?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Sonora Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 schools in Somerton, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Somerton on the city page.
Is Desert Sonora Elementary School a good school?
Desert Sonora Elementary School earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Somerton Elementary District (4500)?
Besides Desert Sonora Elementary School, Somerton Elementary District (4500) also operates Somerton Middle School (697 students), Tierra Del Sol Elementary School (579 students), and Orange Grove Elementary School (412 students). See the Somerton Elementary District (4500) 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.