- Enrollment
- 1,362
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Cave Creek, AZ
Desert Willow Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Desert Willow Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 040000101872
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Willow Elementary School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 76% of Arizona schools.
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.5:1
- small classes for Arizona
- 4.8%
- free-lunch eligible
- 338
- students enrolled
Desert Willow Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 76% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Cave Creek Unified District (4244) · Arizona
NCES ID 040000101872 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-59 students YoY
Desert Willow Elementary School shrank from 456 students in 2022-23 to 397 in 2023-24 (-12.9%).
Teacher FTE added 25.8 → 27.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-59 students YoY 040000101872 · Cave Creek, AZ Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
338 enr · 13.5:1 · 4.8% lunch · RII 25
Nearest enrollment peer: Cactus Shadows High School (1,362 students)
Desert Willow Elementary School shrank from 456 students in 2022-23 to 397 in 2023-24 (-12.9%). Teacher FTE added 25.8 → 27.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Arizona schools → · Find another →
Desert Willow Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Cactus Shadows
Cactus Shadows High School
1,362 students
- Sonoran Trails
Sonoran Trails Middle School
615 students
- Black Mountain 496
Black Mountain Elementary School
496 students
- Horseshoe Trai 424
Horseshoe Trails Elementary School
424 students
- Lone Mountain 376
Lone Mountain Elementary School
376 students
- This school 338
Desert Willow Elementary School
338 students
What this shows Desert Willow Elementary School reports 338 students on the CCD universe file.
How Desert Willow Elementary School compares
Desert Willow Elementary School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.5:1 | ▼ 21% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 4.8% | ▼ 90% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 338 | top 59% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.5:1
Leaner classes than 62% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
338
Bigger than 38% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
4.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 90% 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
13.5:1
students per teacher
- 21% below state mean
Top 24% in Arizona - lower ratio than 76% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
61.5%
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
$9,626
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arizona avg of $13,502
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.
Student demographics
White 70.1%
Hispanic or Latino 21.0%
Two or More 6.2%
Asian 2.7%
Largest group: White at 70.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.0, Desert Willow Elementary School is about as mixed as the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
District finance for Cave Creek Unified District (4244) reports $9,626 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Desert Willow Elementary School 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 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Willow Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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 elementary schools in Cave Creek
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~338 students)
Frequently asked questions about Desert Willow Elementary School
How many students attend Desert Willow Elementary School?
Desert Willow Elementary School has 338 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Cave Creek, AZ. CCD year-over-year: 456 (2022-23) → 397 (2023-24), down 59.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Willow Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Willow Elementary School is 13.5:1, which is 21% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 14% 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 Willow Elementary School?
4.8% of students at Desert Willow Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Willow Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Desert Willow Elementary School is White at 70.1% of enrollment, in Cave Creek, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Willow Elementary School?
Desert Willow Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Cave Creek Unified District (4244)?
Besides Desert Willow Elementary School, 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.