Enrollment
505
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Casa Grande, 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 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040171002574
👥 S:T ratio 12
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 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 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Arizona schools.
- #4 of 8
- schools in Casa Grande · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 43.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Willow Elementary School has class sizes larger than 86% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Willow Elementary School ranks #4 of 8 schools in Casa Grande, AZ.
School address
District: Casa Grande Elementary District (4446) · Arizona
NCES ID 040171002574 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+29% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
43.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-9% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desert Willow Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desert Willow Elementary School
Desert Willow Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Casa Grande, Arizona, enrolling 505 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22:1 is larger than about 86% of Arizona schools and 29% above the 17:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 43.9% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 505 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arizona median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Among 325 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #248, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (57%) and White (29%) (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 505 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 61.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Casa Grande Elementary District (4446) spends $10,041 per pupil, 24% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 22.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Casa Grande's public schools, it stands alongside Mccartney Ranch Elementary School (668 students): Desert Willow Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (22:1 vs 24.7:1).
Casa Grande Elementary District (4446) also operates Cactus Middle School (737 students) and Villago Middle School (723 students) alongside Desert Willow 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 Willow Elementary School compares
Desert Willow 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 | 22:1 | ▲ 29% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 43.9% | ▼ 9% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 505 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
505
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
43.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 9% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
22:1
students per teacher
- 29% above state mean
Top 86% in Arizona - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
61.8%
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
$10,041
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 505 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 22 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.4 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 57.2%
White 28.7%
African American 5.9%
Two or More 4.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.6%
Asian 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 57.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.4, Desert Willow Elementary School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Casa Grande Elementary District (4446), which includes Desert Willow Elementary School.
$10,041
Per student
-24%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-39%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.9%
State 49.5%
Federal 22.6%
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 Willow Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cactus Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Villago Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mccartney Ranch Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Casa Grande Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Palo Verde School | Similar size | Higher 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
- 737
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 723
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 668
- Students per teacher
- 24.7:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 648
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 548
- Students per teacher
- 26.1:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
Similar other schools in Casa Grande
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 (~505 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desert Willow Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Desert Willow Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Casa Grande Elementary District (4446)'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 Willow Elementary School
How many students attend Desert Willow Elementary School?
Desert Willow Elementary School has 505 students enrolled. It is a public school in Casa Grande, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Willow Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Willow Elementary School is 22:1, which is 29% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 40% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Desert Willow Elementary School?
43.9% 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 Hispanic or Latino at 57.2% of enrollment, in Casa Grande, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Willow Elementary School?
Desert Willow Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Desert Willow Elementary School rank among schools in Casa Grande?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Willow Elementary School ranks #4 of 8 schools in Casa Grande, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Casa Grande on the city page.
Is Desert Willow Elementary School a good school?
Desert Willow Elementary School earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% 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 Casa Grande Elementary District (4446)?
Besides Desert Willow Elementary School, Casa Grande Elementary District (4446) also operates Cactus Middle School (737 students), Villago Middle School (723 students), and Mccartney Ranch Elementary School (668 students). See the Casa Grande Elementary District (4446) 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.