Enrollment
558
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Glendale, AZ
Don Mensendick School
Federal NCES profile for Don Mensendick School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 18/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 040342000270
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 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
Don Mensendick School earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Arizona schools.
- #12 of 17
- elementary schools in Glendale · Resource Index
- 18
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.4:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 78.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Don Mensendick School has class sizes larger than 94% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Don Mensendick School ranks #12 of 17 elementary schools in Glendale, AZ.
School address
District: Glendale Elementary District (4271) · Arizona
NCES ID 040342000270 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.4:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+49% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
78.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+63% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Don Mensendick School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Don Mensendick School
Don Mensendick School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Glendale, Arizona, enrolling 558 students.
Class loads run heavy: 25.4:1 is larger than about 94% of Arizona schools and 49% above the 17:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 78.9% of students qualify for free meals, 63% above the Arizona average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 558 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.
Among 253 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #214, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (79%) and African American (12%) (diversity index 35/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 558 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 74.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Glendale Elementary District (4271) spends $9,522 per pupil, 28% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 35.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 216 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 558 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Glendale's elementary schools, it stands alongside Legacy Traditional School ? Glendale (1,280 students): Don Mensendick School is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Glendale Elementary District (4271) also operates Horizon School (856 students) and Challenger Middle School (839 students) alongside Don Mensendick 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 Don Mensendick School compares
Don Mensendick 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 | 25.4:1 | ▲ 49% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 78.9% | ▲ 63% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 558 | top 33% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.4:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
558
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
78.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 63% 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
25.4:1
students per teacher
- 49% above state mean
Top 94% in Arizona - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
74.9%
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
$9,522
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 558 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
74
in-school suspensions + 142 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 38.7 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 79.4%
African American 11.6%
White 3.9%
Asian 2.2%
Two or More 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 79.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 35.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 35.4, Don Mensendick School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Glendale Elementary District (4271), which includes Don Mensendick School.
$9,522
Per student
-28%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-43%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.2%
State 46.6%
Federal 35.2%
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 Don Mensendick School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horizon School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Challenger Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| William C Jack School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bicentennial South School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Harold W Smith School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Don Mensendick School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 856
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 839
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 811
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 729
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 719
- Students per teacher
- 27.7:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
Similar elementary schools in Glendale
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~558 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Don Mensendick School's federal record.
- Compare Don Mensendick School against another school. Compare schools
- Glendale Elementary District (4271)'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 Don Mensendick School
How many students attend Don Mensendick School?
Don Mensendick School has 558 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Glendale, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Don Mensendick School?
The student-teacher ratio at Don Mensendick School is 25.4:1, which is 49% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 62% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Don Mensendick School?
78.9% of students at Don Mensendick School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Don Mensendick School?
The largest demographic group at Don Mensendick School is Hispanic or Latino at 79.4% of enrollment, in Glendale, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Don Mensendick School?
Don Mensendick School has a Resource Investment Index of 18/100 (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 Don Mensendick School rank among elementary schools in Glendale?
By Resource Investment Index, Don Mensendick School ranks #12 of 17 elementary schools in Glendale, 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 Glendale on the city page.
Is Don Mensendick School a good school?
Don Mensendick School earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% 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 Glendale Elementary District (4271)?
Besides Don Mensendick School, Glendale Elementary District (4271) also operates Horizon School (856 students), Challenger Middle School (839 students), and William C Jack School (811 students). See the Glendale Elementary District (4271) 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.