Enrollment
1,767
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Scottsdale, AZ
Horizon High School
Federal NCES profile for Horizon High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040593001084
👥 S:T ratio 15
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 36
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Horizon High School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Arizona schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Arizona.
- #24 of 26
- schools in Scottsdale · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.3:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 5.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Horizon High School has class sizes larger than 83% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Horizon High School ranks #24 of 26 schools in Scottsdale, AZ.
School address
District: Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) · Arizona
NCES ID 040593001084 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
83.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.3:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+25% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
5.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-90% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Horizon High School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Horizon High School
Horizon High School is a lower-poverty, large combined-grade school in Scottsdale, Arizona, enrolling 1,767 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 21.3:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 5.0% free-meal eligibility runs 90% below the Arizona average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Arizona, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,767 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 45 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #18.
Its student body is led by White (72%) and Hispanic or Latino (17%) (diversity index 45/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 321 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Scottsdale's public schools, it stands alongside Cactus Shadows High School (1,362 students): Horizon High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.3:1 vs 17.9:1).
Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) also operates Pinnacle High School (2,430 students) and Paradise Valley High School (1,900 students) alongside Horizon High 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 Horizon High School compares
Horizon High 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 | 21.3:1 | ▲ 25% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 5.0% | ▼ 90% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,767 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.3:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,767
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
5.0%
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
21.3:1
students per teacher
- 25% above state mean
Top 83% in Arizona - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
44.9%
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
Counselors5.5 FTE
Per 321 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
8
in-school suspensions + 32 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 72.0%
Hispanic or Latino 16.5%
Two or More 5.3%
Asian 2.9%
African American 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 72.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.0, Horizon High School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 20
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Paradise Valley Unified District (4241), which includes Horizon High 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 Horizon High 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 | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Canyon High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Shadow Mountain High School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mountain Trail Middle School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Horizon High 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
- 1,560
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,080
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 835
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
Similar other schools in Scottsdale
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Cactus Shadows High School
Standard public school
1,362 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Great Hearts Academies - Scottsdale Prep
Standard public school
898 students
Desert Sun Academy
Standard public school
191 students 8:1 students per teacher
Scottsdale Online Learning
Standard public school
141 students 5.9:1 students per teacher
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 (~1,767 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Horizon High School's federal record.
- Compare Horizon High 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 Horizon High School
How many students attend Horizon High School?
Horizon High School has 1,767 students enrolled. It is a public school in Scottsdale, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Horizon High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Horizon High School is 21.3:1, which is 25% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 36% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Horizon High School?
5.0% of students at Horizon High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Horizon High School?
The largest demographic group at Horizon High School is White at 72.0% of enrollment, in Scottsdale, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Horizon High School?
Horizon High School has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Horizon High School rank among schools in Scottsdale?
By Resource Investment Index, Horizon High School ranks #24 of 26 schools in Scottsdale, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Scottsdale on the city page.
Is Horizon High School a good school?
Horizon High School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Arizona schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Arizona. 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 Horizon High School, Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) also operates Pinnacle High School (2,430 students), Paradise Valley High School (1,900 students), and North Canyon High School (1,560 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.