Enrollment
191
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Scottsdale, AZ
Desert Sun Academy
Federal NCES profile for Desert Sun Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040000100616
👥 S:T ratio 68
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Sun Academy earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 95% of Arizona schools.
- #2 of 4
- schools in Scottsdale · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 8:1
- small classes for Arizona
- 11.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Sun Academy has class sizes smaller than 95% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Sun Academy ranks #2 of 4 schools in Scottsdale, AZ.
School address
District: Cave Creek Unified District (4244) · Arizona
NCES ID 040000100616 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-53% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
11.8%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-76% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desert Sun Academy compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desert Sun Academy
Desert Sun Academy is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Scottsdale, Arizona, enrolling 191 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8:1, Desert Sun Academy is leaner than roughly 95% of Arizona schools and 53% under the state's 17:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 11.8% free-meal eligibility runs 76% below the Arizona average.
Enrollment of 191 puts it in the smaller third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 23 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #13.
Its student body is led by White (73%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%) (diversity index 43/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 96.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Cave Creek Unified District (4244) spends $8,436 per pupil, 36% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Scottsdale's public schools, it stands alongside Cactus Shadows High School (1,362 students): Desert Sun Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (8:1 vs 17.9:1).
Cave Creek Unified District (4244) also operates Cactus Shadows High School (1,362 students) and Sonoran Trails Middle School (615 students) alongside Desert Sun Academy.
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 Sun Academy compares
Desert Sun Academy on the metrics families compare, against Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 8:1 | ▼ 53% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 11.8% | ▼ 76% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 191 | top 72% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8:1
Leaner classes than 95% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
191
Bigger than 19% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
11.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 76% 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
8:1
students per teacher
- 53% below state mean
Top 5% in Arizona - lower ratio than 95% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
96.9%
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
$8,436
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
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 72.8%
Hispanic or Latino 20.4%
Two or More 5.2%
African American 1.6%
Largest group: White at 72.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 42.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 42.5, Desert Sun Academy is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cave Creek Unified District (4244), which includes Desert Sun Academy.
$8,436
Per student
-36%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-49%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 65.6%
State 24.9%
Federal 9.4%
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 Sun Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cactus Shadows High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sonoran Trails Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Black Mountain Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Horseshoe Trails Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lone Mountain Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Sun Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,362
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 615
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 496
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 424
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 376
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
Similar other schools in Scottsdale
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 (~191 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desert Sun Academy's federal record.
- Compare Desert Sun Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Cave Creek Unified District (4244)'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 Sun Academy
How many students attend Desert Sun Academy?
Desert Sun Academy has 191 students enrolled. It is a public school in Scottsdale, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Sun Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Sun Academy is 8:1, which is 53% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 49% 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 Sun Academy?
11.8% of students at Desert Sun Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Sun Academy?
The largest demographic group at Desert Sun Academy is White at 72.8% of enrollment, in Scottsdale, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Sun Academy?
Desert Sun Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 Sun Academy rank among schools in Scottsdale?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Sun Academy ranks #2 of 4 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 Sun Academy a good school?
Desert Sun Academy earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 95% 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 Cave Creek Unified District (4244)?
Besides Desert Sun Academy, Cave Creek Unified District (4244) also operates Cactus Shadows High School (1,362 students), Sonoran Trails Middle School (615 students), and Black Mountain Elementary School (496 students). See the Cave Creek Unified District (4244) 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.