Enrollment
517
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Bullhead City, AZ
Desert Valley School
Federal NCES profile for Desert Valley School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 040150001053
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Valley School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #3 of 6
- elementary schools in Bullhead City · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.2:1
- students per teacher
- 80.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Valley School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Valley School ranks #3 of 6 elementary schools in Bullhead City, AZ.
School address
District: Bullhead City School District (4378) · Arizona
NCES ID 040150001053 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.2:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
80.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+66% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desert Valley School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desert Valley School
Desert Valley School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Bullhead City, Arizona, enrolling 517 students.
At 17.2:1, 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 is high: 80.0% of students qualify for free meals, 66% above the Arizona average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 517 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arizona median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 251 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #64.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (61%) and White (36%) (diversity index 50/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 45.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Bullhead City School District (4378) spends $10,308 per pupil, 22% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 31.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Bullhead City School District (4378) also operates Fox Creek Jr High School (433 students) and Bullhead City Middle School (424 students) alongside Desert Valley 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 Valley School compares
Desert Valley 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 | 17.2:1 | ▲ 1% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 80.0% | ▲ 66% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 517 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.2:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
517
Bigger than 64% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
80.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 66% above the Arizona average of 48.3%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.2:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 56% in Arizona - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
45.6%
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
$10,308
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
18
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 61.1%
White 35.6%
Two or More 1.4%
African American 1.0%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 61.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.0, Desert Valley School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bullhead City School District (4378), which includes Desert Valley School.
$10,308
Per student
-22%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-38%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.4%
State 41.4%
Federal 31.2%
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 Valley School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fox Creek Jr High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bullhead City Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sunrise Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Diamondback Elementary School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Valley School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 433
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 424
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 414
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 313
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar elementary 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 (~517 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desert Valley School's federal record.
- Compare Desert Valley School against another school. Compare schools
- Bullhead City School District (4378)'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 Valley School
How many students attend Desert Valley School?
Desert Valley School has 517 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Bullhead City, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Valley School?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Valley School is 17.2:1, which is 1% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 10% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Desert Valley School?
80.0% of students at Desert Valley School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Valley School?
The largest demographic group at Desert Valley School is Hispanic or Latino at 61.1% of enrollment, in Bullhead City, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Valley School?
Desert Valley School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Valley School rank among elementary schools in Bullhead City?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Valley School ranks #3 of 6 elementary schools in Bullhead City, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Bullhead City on the city page.
Is Desert Valley School a good school?
Desert Valley School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. 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 Bullhead City School District (4378)?
Besides Desert Valley School, Bullhead City School District (4378) also operates Fox Creek Jr High School (433 students), Bullhead City Middle School (424 students), and Sunrise Elementary (414 students). See the Bullhead City School District (4378) 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.