Enrollment
898
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Maricopa, AZ
Desert Wind Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Desert Wind Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 040472002914
👥 S:T ratio 3
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 40
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Desert Wind Middle School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Arizona schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Arizona schools.
- #9 of 16
- public schools in Maricopa · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.3:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 43.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Desert Wind Middle School has class sizes larger than 93% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Wind Middle School ranks #9 of 16 public schools in Maricopa, AZ.
School address
District: Maricopa Unified School District (4441) · Arizona
NCES ID 040472002914 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.3:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+43% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
43.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Desert Wind Middle School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Desert Wind Middle School
Desert Wind Middle School is a large middle school in Maricopa, Arizona, enrolling 898 students.
Class loads run heavy: 24.3:1 is larger than about 93% of Arizona schools and 43% above the 17:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 43.0% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 898 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 207 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #97.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (45%) and White (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 299 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 55.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Maricopa Unified School District (4441) spends $9,227 per pupil, 30% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 411 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 898 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Maricopa Unified School District (4441) also operates Maricopa High School (1,840 students) and Desert Sunrise High School (1,261 students) alongside Desert Wind Middle 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 Wind Middle School compares
Desert Wind Middle 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 | 24.3:1 | ▲ 43% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 43.0% | ▼ 11% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 898 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.3:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
898
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
43.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% 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
24.3:1
students per teacher
- 43% above state mean
Top 93% in Arizona - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
55.6%
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
$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.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 299 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
244
in-school suspensions + 167 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 27.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 45.8 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 45.4%
White 21.9%
African American 19.0%
Two or More 8.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.6%
Asian 2.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 45.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.2, Desert Wind Middle School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Maricopa Unified School District (4441), which includes Desert Wind Middle 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 Wind Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maricopa High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Desert Sunrise High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Santa Cruz Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Maricopa Wells Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Butterfield Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Desert Wind Middle 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
- 1,261
- Students per teacher
- 42:1
- Resource Index
- 0/100
- 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
Similar middle 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 (~898 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Desert Wind Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Desert Wind Middle 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 Wind Middle School
How many students attend Desert Wind Middle School?
Desert Wind Middle School has 898 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Maricopa, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Wind Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Desert Wind Middle School is 24.3:1, which is 43% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 55% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Desert Wind Middle School?
43.0% of students at Desert Wind Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Desert Wind Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Desert Wind Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 45.4% of enrollment, in Maricopa, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Desert Wind Middle School?
Desert Wind Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (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 Wind Middle School rank among public schools in Maricopa?
By Resource Investment Index, Desert Wind Middle School ranks #9 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 Wind Middle School a good school?
Desert Wind Middle School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% 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 Wind Middle School, Maricopa Unified School District (4441) also operates Maricopa High School (1,840 students), Desert Sunrise High School (1,261 students), and Santa Cruz Elementary School (941 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.