Enrollment
941
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Avondale, AZ
Garden Lakes Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Garden Lakes Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040621001499
👥 S:T ratio 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 10
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Garden Lakes Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Arizona schools.
- #5 of 8
- schools in Avondale · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.4:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 44.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Garden Lakes Elementary School has class sizes larger than 88% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Garden Lakes Elementary School ranks #5 of 8 schools in Avondale, AZ.
School address
District: Pendergast Elementary District (4283) · Arizona
NCES ID 040621001499 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.4:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+32% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
44.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-9% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Garden Lakes Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Garden Lakes Elementary School
Garden Lakes Elementary School is a large combined-grade school in Avondale, Arizona, enrolling 941 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.4:1 is larger than about 88% of Arizona schools and 32% above the 17:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 44.0% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Arizona, bigger than 90% of state schools at 941 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 189 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #124.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (63%) and White (17%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 941 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 36.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Pendergast Elementary District (4283) spends $9,983 per pupil, 24% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 22.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Avondale's public schools, it stands alongside Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School (482 students): Garden Lakes Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (22.4:1 vs 16.6:1).
Pendergast Elementary District (4283) also operates Westwind Elementary School (932 students) and Copper King Elementary (738 students) alongside Garden Lakes 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 Garden Lakes Elementary School compares
Garden Lakes 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 | 22.4:1 | ▲ 32% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.0% | ▼ 9% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 941 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.4:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
941
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
44.0%
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
22.4:1
students per teacher
- 32% above state mean
Top 88% in Arizona - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
36.0%
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
$9,983
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 941 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
26
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.7 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 63.4%
White 16.9%
African American 10.1%
Two or More 5.2%
Asian 3.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 63.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.5, Garden Lakes 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 Pendergast Elementary District (4283), which includes Garden Lakes Elementary School.
$9,983
Per student
-24%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.1%
State 49.4%
Federal 22.5%
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 Garden Lakes Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westwind Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Copper King Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Desert Horizon Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Desert Mirage Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pendergast Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Garden Lakes Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 932
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 738
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 690
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 675
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 665
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
Similar other schools in Avondale
1 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 (~941 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Garden Lakes Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Garden Lakes Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Pendergast Elementary District (4283)'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 Garden Lakes Elementary School
How many students attend Garden Lakes Elementary School?
Garden Lakes Elementary School has 941 students enrolled. It is a public school in Avondale, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Garden Lakes Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Garden Lakes Elementary School is 22.4:1, which is 32% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 43% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Garden Lakes Elementary School?
44.0% of students at Garden Lakes Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Garden Lakes Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Garden Lakes Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 63.4% of enrollment, in Avondale, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Garden Lakes Elementary School?
Garden Lakes Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (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 Garden Lakes Elementary School rank among schools in Avondale?
By Resource Investment Index, Garden Lakes Elementary School ranks #5 of 8 schools in Avondale, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Avondale on the city page.
Is Garden Lakes Elementary School a good school?
Garden Lakes Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% 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 Pendergast Elementary District (4283)?
Besides Garden Lakes Elementary School, Pendergast Elementary District (4283) also operates Westwind Elementary School (932 students), Copper King Elementary (738 students), and Desert Horizon Elementary School (690 students). See the Pendergast Elementary District (4283) 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.