Enrollment
607
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Phoenix, AZ
Explorer Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Explorer Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 040593001230
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 39
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Explorer Middle School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #8 of 24
- middle schools in Phoenix · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.9:1
- students per teacher
- 4.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Explorer Middle School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Explorer Middle School ranks #8 of 24 middle schools in Phoenix, AZ.
School address
District: Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) · Arizona
NCES ID 040593001230 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.9:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
4.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-90% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Explorer Middle School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Explorer Middle School
Explorer Middle School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Phoenix, Arizona, enrolling 607 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 4.9% free-meal eligibility runs 90% below the Arizona average.
Enrollment of 607 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 160 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #84.
Its student body is led by White (78%) and Hispanic or Latino (13%) (diversity index 37/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 304 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 45.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Phoenix's middle schools, it stands alongside Sonoran Trails Middle School (615 students): Explorer Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.9:1 vs 17.6:1).
Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) also operates Pinnacle High School (2,430 students) and Paradise Valley High School (1,900 students) alongside Explorer 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 Explorer Middle School compares
Explorer 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 | 17.9:1 | ▲ 5% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 4.9% | ▼ 90% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 607 | top 28% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.9:1
Leaner classes than 25% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
607
Bigger than 73% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
4.9%
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
17.9:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 62% in Arizona - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
45.1%
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
$11,154
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 304 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 33 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.6 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 77.9%
Hispanic or Latino 12.9%
Two or More 4.4%
Asian 3.1%
African American 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 77.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 37.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 37.3, Explorer Middle School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Paradise Valley Unified District (4241), which includes Explorer Middle School.
$11,154
Per student
-15%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 57.8%
State 27.3%
Federal 14.9%
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 Explorer Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinnacle High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Paradise Valley High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Horizon High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Canyon High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Shadow Mountain High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Explorer Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,430
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,900
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,767
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,560
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,080
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar middle schools in Phoenix
3 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
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 (~607 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Explorer Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Explorer Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Paradise Valley Unified District (4241)'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 Explorer Middle School
How many students attend Explorer Middle School?
Explorer Middle School has 607 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Explorer Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Explorer Middle School is 17.9:1, which is 5% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 14% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Explorer Middle School?
4.9% of students at Explorer Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Explorer Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Explorer Middle School is White at 77.9% of enrollment, in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Explorer Middle School?
Explorer Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical 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 Explorer Middle School rank among middle schools in Phoenix?
By Resource Investment Index, Explorer Middle School ranks #8 of 24 middle schools in Phoenix, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Phoenix on the city page.
Is Explorer Middle School a good school?
Explorer Middle School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. 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 Paradise Valley Unified District (4241)?
Besides Explorer Middle School, Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) also operates Pinnacle High School (2,430 students), Paradise Valley High School (1,900 students), and Horizon High School (1,767 students). See the Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) 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.