Enrollment
1,261
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Maricopa, AZ
Desert Sunrise High School
Federal NCES profile for Desert Sunrise High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 0/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 040472003810
👥 S:T ratio 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Sunrise High School earns 0/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of Arizona schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Arizona schools.
- #16 of 16
- public schools in Maricopa · Resource Index
- 0
- Resource Index · Lower
- 42:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 36.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Sunrise High School has class sizes larger than 99% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Sunrise High School ranks #16 of 16 public schools in Maricopa, AZ.
School address
District: Maricopa Unified School District (4441) · Arizona
NCES ID 040472003810 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
42:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+147% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desert Sunrise High School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desert Sunrise High School
Desert Sunrise High School is a large high school in Maricopa, Arizona, enrolling 1,261 students.
Class loads run heavy: 42:1 is larger than about 99% of Arizona schools and 147% above the 17:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 36.9% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Arizona, bigger than 94% of state schools at 1,261 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 100% of the 2,064 Arizona schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 109 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #109, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (43%) and White (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 71/100).
The surrounding Maricopa Unified School District (4441) spends $9,227 per pupil, 30% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Maricopa Unified School District (4441) also operates Maricopa High School (1,840 students) and Santa Cruz Elementary School (941 students) alongside Desert Sunrise 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 Sunrise High School compares
Desert Sunrise 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 | 42:1 | ▲ 147% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.9% | ▼ 24% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,261 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
42:1
Leaner classes than 0% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,261
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
42:1
students per teacher
- 147% above state mean
Top 99% in Arizona - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Funding equity
$9,227
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.
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 42.5%
White 25.8%
African American 18.8%
Two or More 7.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.1%
Asian 1.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 42.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.1, Desert Sunrise High School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Maricopa Unified School District (4441), which includes Desert Sunrise High School.
$9,227
Per student
-30%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-44%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.7%
State 65.3%
Federal 13.0%
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 Sunrise High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maricopa High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Santa Cruz Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Maricopa Wells Middle School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Butterfield Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Desert Wind Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Sunrise High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,840
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 941
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 940
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 920
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 898
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
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 (~1,261 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~42:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desert Sunrise High School's federal record.
- Compare Desert Sunrise High School against another school. Compare schools
- Maricopa Unified School District (4441)'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 Sunrise High School
How many students attend Desert Sunrise High School?
Desert Sunrise High School has 1,261 students enrolled. It is a high school in Maricopa, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Sunrise High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Sunrise High School is 42:1, which is 147% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 168% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Desert Sunrise High School?
36.9% of students at Desert Sunrise High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Sunrise High School?
The largest demographic group at Desert Sunrise High School is Hispanic or Latino at 42.5% of enrollment, in Maricopa, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Sunrise High School?
Desert Sunrise High School has a Resource Investment Index of 0/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 1 factor: 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 Sunrise High School rank among public schools in Maricopa?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Sunrise High School ranks #16 of 16 public schools in Maricopa, 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 Maricopa on the city page.
Is Desert Sunrise High School a good school?
Desert Sunrise High School earns 0/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of Arizona schools. It is also more 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 Maricopa Unified School District (4441)?
Besides Desert Sunrise High School, Maricopa Unified School District (4441) also operates Maricopa High School (1,840 students), Santa Cruz Elementary School (941 students), and Maricopa Wells Middle School (940 students). See the Maricopa Unified School District (4441) 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.