Enrollment
230
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Tucson, AZ
Helen Keeling Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Helen Keeling Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040068000026
👥 S:T ratio 66
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Helen Keeling Elementary School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 94% of Arizona schools.
- #17 of 131
- schools in Tucson · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 8.5:1
- small classes for Arizona
- 86.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Helen Keeling Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 94% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Helen Keeling Elementary School ranks #17 of 131 schools in Tucson, AZ.
School address
District: Amphitheater Unified District (4406) · Arizona
NCES ID 040068000026 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8.5:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-50% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
86.6%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+79% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Helen Keeling Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Helen Keeling Elementary School
Helen Keeling Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Tucson, Arizona, enrolling 230 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8.5:1, Helen Keeling Elementary School is leaner than roughly 94% of Arizona schools and 50% under the state's 17:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 86.6% of students qualify for free meals, 79% above the Arizona average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 230 puts it in the smaller third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 89 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #16.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (71%) and White (14%) (diversity index 47/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 98.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Amphitheater Unified District (4406) spends $10,331 per pupil, 21% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 17.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 67 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 230 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Tucson's public schools, it stands alongside Craycroft Elementary School (586 students): Helen Keeling Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (8.5:1 vs 21.7:1).
Amphitheater Unified District (4406) also operates Canyon Del Oro High School (1,758 students) and Ironwood Ridge High School (1,539 students) alongside Helen Keeling 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 Helen Keeling Elementary School compares
Helen Keeling 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 | 8.5:1 | ▼ 50% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 86.6% | ▲ 79% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 230 | top 69% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8.5:1
Leaner classes than 94% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
230
Bigger than 23% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
86.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 79% 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
8.5:1
students per teacher
- 50% below state mean
Top 6% in Arizona - lower ratio than 94% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
98.7%
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
$10,331
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
34
in-school suspensions + 33 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 14.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 29.1 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 70.9%
White 13.5%
African American 7.4%
Two or More 3.9%
Asian 2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 70.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.1, Helen Keeling Elementary School is about as mixed as the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Amphitheater Unified District (4406), which includes Helen Keeling Elementary School.
$10,331
Per student
-21%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-38%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.9%
State 27.9%
Federal 17.3%
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 Helen Keeling Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon Del Oro High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ironwood Ridge High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Amphitheater High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lawrence W Cross Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Richard B Wilson Jr School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Helen Keeling Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,758
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,539
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 996
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 827
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 770
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar other schools in Tucson
2 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 (~230 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~8.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Helen Keeling Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Helen Keeling Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Amphitheater Unified District (4406)'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 Helen Keeling Elementary School
How many students attend Helen Keeling Elementary School?
Helen Keeling Elementary School has 230 students enrolled. It is a public school in Tucson, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Helen Keeling Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Helen Keeling Elementary School is 8.5:1, which is 50% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 46% 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 Helen Keeling Elementary School?
86.6% of students at Helen Keeling Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Helen Keeling Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Helen Keeling Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 70.9% of enrollment, in Tucson, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Helen Keeling Elementary School?
Helen Keeling Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Helen Keeling Elementary School rank among schools in Tucson?
By Resource Investment Index, Helen Keeling Elementary School ranks #17 of 131 schools in Tucson, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Tucson on the city page.
Is Helen Keeling Elementary School a good school?
Helen Keeling Elementary School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller 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 Amphitheater Unified District (4406)?
Besides Helen Keeling Elementary School, Amphitheater Unified District (4406) also operates Canyon Del Oro High School (1,758 students), Ironwood Ridge High School (1,539 students), and Amphitheater High School (996 students). See the Amphitheater Unified District (4406) 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.