Enrollment
76
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Gilbert, AZ
Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center
Federal NCES profile for Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040378003417
👥 S:T ratio 77
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 97% of Arizona schools.
- #2 of 46
- schools in Gilbert · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 5.8:1
- small classes for Arizona
- 35.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center has class sizes smaller than 97% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center ranks #2 of 46 schools in Gilbert, AZ.
School address
District: Higley Unified School District (4248) · Arizona
NCES ID 040378003417 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
5.8:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-66% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.8%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center
Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center is a small combined-grade school in Gilbert, Arizona, enrolling 76 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 5.8:1, Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center is leaner than roughly 97% of Arizona schools and 66% under the state's 17:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 35.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 76 puts it in the smaller third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 91% of the 2,064 Arizona schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Against 31 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #7.
Its student body is led by White (54%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%) (diversity index 61/100).
The surrounding Higley Unified School District (4248) spends $8,545 per pupil, 35% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Gilbert's public schools, it stands alongside Williams Field High School (2,150 students): Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (5.8:1 vs 21.9:1).
Higley Unified School District (4248) also operates Williams Field High School (2,150 students) and Higley High School (2,005 students) alongside Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center.
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 Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center compares
Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center on the metrics families compare, against Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 5.8:1 | ▼ 66% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.8% | ▼ 26% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 76 | top 85% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
5.8:1
Leaner classes than 98% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
76
Bigger than 8% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
5.8:1
students per teacher
- 66% below state mean
Top 3% in Arizona - lower ratio than 97% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$8,545
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
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.
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
White 53.9%
Hispanic or Latino 30.3%
Asian 6.6%
Two or More 6.6%
African American 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.3%
Largest group: White at 53.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.9, Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Higley Unified School District (4248), which includes Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center.
$8,545
Per student
-35%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-49%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.1%
State 48.7%
Federal 11.2%
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 Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Williams Field High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Higley High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sossaman Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| San Tan Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cooley Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,150
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 2,005
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,094
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 854
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 795
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar other schools in Gilbert
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Williams Field High School
Standard public school
2,150 students 21.9:1 students per teacher
Gateway Pointe Elementary
Standard public school
685 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Great Hearts Academies - Arete Prep
Standard public school
540 students
Learning Foundation and Performing Arts Gilbert
Standard public school
259 students
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 (~76 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~5.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center's federal record.
- Compare Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center against another school. Compare schools
- Higley Unified School District (4248)'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 Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center
How many students attend Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center?
Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center has 76 students enrolled. It is a special-education school in Gilbert, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center is 5.8:1, which is 66% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 63% 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 Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center?
35.8% of students at Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center?
The largest demographic group at Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center is White at 53.9% of enrollment, in Gilbert, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center?
Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center rank among schools in Gilbert?
By Resource Investment Index, Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center ranks #2 of 46 schools in Gilbert, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Gilbert on the city page.
Is Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center a good school?
Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 97% 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 Higley Unified School District (4248)?
Besides Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center, Higley Unified School District (4248) also operates Williams Field High School (2,150 students), Higley High School (2,005 students), and Sossaman Middle School (1,094 students). See the Higley Unified School District (4248) 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.