Enrollment
371
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Scottsdale, AZ
Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 61/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040593001239
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School earns 61/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 85% of Arizona schools.
- #1 of 26
- schools in Scottsdale · Resource Index
- 61
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12:1
- small classes for Arizona
- 8.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 85% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School ranks #1 of 26 schools in Scottsdale, AZ.
School address
District: Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) · Arizona
NCES ID 040593001239 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-29% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
8.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-82% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School
Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Scottsdale, Arizona, enrolling 371 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 12:1, Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School is leaner than roughly 85% of Arizona schools and 29% under the state's 17:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 8.9% free-meal eligibility runs 82% below the Arizona average.
With 371 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arizona median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 95% of the 2,064 Arizona schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 84 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #4, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Among Scottsdale's public schools, it stands alongside Cactus Shadows High School (1,362 students): Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12:1 vs 17.9:1).
Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) also operates Pinnacle High School (2,430 students) and Paradise Valley High School (1,900 students) alongside Desert Springs Preparatory 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 Springs Preparatory Elementary School compares
Desert Springs Preparatory 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 | 12:1 | ▼ 29% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 8.9% | ▼ 82% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 371 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12:1
Leaner classes than 75% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
371
Bigger than 43% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
8.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 82% 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
12:1
students per teacher
- 29% below state mean
Top 15% in Arizona - lower ratio than 85% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$11,154
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
4
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 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.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Paradise Valley Unified District (4241), which includes Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School.
$11,154
Per student
-15%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 57.8%
State 27.3%
Federal 14.9%
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 Springs Preparatory Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinnacle High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Paradise Valley High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Horizon High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Canyon High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shadow Mountain High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,430
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,900
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,767
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,560
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,080
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar other schools in Scottsdale
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Cactus Shadows High School
Standard public school
1,362 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Great Hearts Academies - Scottsdale Prep
Standard public school
898 students
Desert Sun Academy
Standard public school
191 students 8:1 students per teacher
Scottsdale Online Learning
Standard public school
141 students 5.9:1 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.
Similar enrollment (~371 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Paradise Valley Unified District (4241)'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 Springs Preparatory Elementary School
How many students attend Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School?
Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School has 371 students enrolled. It is a public school in Scottsdale, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School is 12:1, which is 29% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 24% 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 Springs Preparatory Elementary School?
8.9% of students at Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School?
Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 61/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. 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 Springs Preparatory Elementary School rank among schools in Scottsdale?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School ranks #1 of 26 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 schools in Scottsdale on the city page.
Is Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School a good school?
Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School earns 61/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 85% 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 Paradise Valley Unified District (4241)?
Besides Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School, Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) also operates Pinnacle High School (2,430 students), Paradise Valley High School (1,900 students), and Horizon High School (1,767 students). See the Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) 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.