Enrollment
390
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Globe, AZ
High Desert Middle School
Federal NCES profile for High Desert Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 20/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 040350002422
👥 S:T ratio 8
🌟 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
High Desert Middle School earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Arizona schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Arizona schools.
- #3 of 3
- public schools in Globe · Resource Index
- 20
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.9:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 45.9%
- free-lunch eligible
High Desert Middle School has class sizes larger than 90% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, High Desert Middle School ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Globe, AZ.
School address
District: Globe Unified District (4208) · Arizona
NCES ID 040350002422 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.9:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+35% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
45.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-5% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How High Desert Middle School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at High Desert Middle School
High Desert Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Globe, Arizona, enrolling 390 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.9:1 is larger than about 90% of Arizona schools and 35% above the 17:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 45.9% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 390 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arizona median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Among 276 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #227, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (35%) and White (32%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 520 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 55.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Globe Unified District (4208) spends $10,517 per pupil, 20% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 26.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Globe Unified District (4208) also operates Copper Rim Elementary School (694 students) and Globe High School (532 students) alongside High Desert 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 High Desert Middle School compares
High Desert 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 | 22.9:1 | ▲ 35% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.9% | ▼ 5% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 390 | top 53% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.9:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
390
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
45.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 5% 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
22.9:1
students per teacher
- 35% above state mean
Top 90% in Arizona - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
55.6%
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
$10,517
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
Counselors0.8 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 72 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 18.5 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 34.9%
White 32.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 27.4%
Two or More 3.8%
Asian 1.3%
African American 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 34.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.8, High Desert Middle School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Globe Unified District (4208), which includes High Desert Middle School.
$10,517
Per student
-20%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-37%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.6%
State 54.2%
Federal 26.2%
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 High Desert Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper Rim Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Globe High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Tiger Knowledge Online (Tko) | Smaller | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to High Desert Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 694
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 532
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 28
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 30/100
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 (~390 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on High Desert Middle School's federal record.
- Compare High Desert Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Globe Unified District (4208)'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 High Desert Middle School
How many students attend High Desert Middle School?
High Desert Middle School has 390 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Globe, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at High Desert Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at High Desert Middle School is 22.9:1, which is 35% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 46% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at High Desert Middle School?
45.9% of students at High Desert Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of High Desert Middle School?
The largest demographic group at High Desert Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 34.9% of enrollment, in Globe, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for High Desert Middle School?
High Desert Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 20/100 (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 High Desert Middle School rank among public schools in Globe?
By Resource Investment Index, High Desert Middle School ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Globe, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Globe on the city page.
Is High Desert Middle School a good school?
High Desert Middle School earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Arizona schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Globe Unified District (4208)?
Besides High Desert Middle School, Globe Unified District (4208) also operates Copper Rim Elementary School (694 students), Globe High School (532 students), and Tiger Knowledge Online (Tko) (28 students). See the Globe Unified District (4208) 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.