Enrollment
1,907
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Glendale, AZ
Independence High School
Federal NCES profile for Independence High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 040345000284
👥 S:T ratio 11
📚 AP courses 85
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 24
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Independence High School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Arizona schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Arizona.
- #13 of 15
- high schools in Glendale · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 22.2:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 54.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Independence High School has class sizes larger than 87% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Independence High School ranks #13 of 15 high schools in Glendale, AZ.
School address
District: Glendale Union High School District (4285) · Arizona
NCES ID 040345000284 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
86.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.2:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+31% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
54.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Independence High School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Independence High School
Independence High School is a higher-need, large high school in Glendale, Arizona, enrolling 1,907 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.2:1 is larger than about 87% of Arizona schools and 31% above the 17:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 54.0% 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 97% of state schools at 1,907 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 38 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #25.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (78%) and White (8%) (diversity index 38/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 17 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 381 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 49.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Glendale Union High School District (4285) spends $10,022 per pupil, 24% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 15.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Glendale's high schools, it stands alongside Ombudsman Online Academy (469 students): Independence High School is larger than that campus by headcount.
Glendale Union High School District (4285) also operates Sunnyslope High School (2,322 students) and Apollo High School (2,152 students) alongside Independence 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 Independence High School compares
Independence 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 | 22.2:1 | ▲ 31% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 54.0% | ▲ 12% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,907 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.2:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,907
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
54.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% above the Arizona average of 48.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
22.2:1
students per teacher
- 31% above state mean
Top 87% in Arizona - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
49.4%
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
$10,022
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
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 381 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
29
in-school suspensions + 265 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.4 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 77.6%
White 8.2%
African American 7.1%
Asian 4.5%
Two or More 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 77.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 38.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 38.4, Independence High School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 17
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Glendale Union High School District (4285), which includes Independence High School.
$10,022
Per student
-24%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.6%
State 49.0%
Federal 15.4%
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 Independence High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunnyslope High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Apollo High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Glendale High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Washington High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Thunderbird High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Independence High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,322
- Students per teacher
- 24.7:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 2,152
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,734
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,659
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 1,592
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Similar high schools in Glendale
4 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high 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 (~1,907 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Independence High School's federal record.
- Compare Independence High School against another school. Compare schools
- Glendale Union High School District (4285)'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 Independence High School
How many students attend Independence High School?
Independence High School has 1,907 students enrolled. It is a high school in Glendale, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Independence High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Independence High School is 22.2:1, which is 31% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 41% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Independence High School?
54.0% of students at Independence High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Independence High School?
The largest demographic group at Independence High School is Hispanic or Latino at 77.6% of enrollment, in Glendale, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Independence High School?
Independence High School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 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 Independence High School rank among high schools in Glendale?
By Resource Investment Index, Independence High School ranks #13 of 15 high schools in Glendale, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Glendale on the city page.
Is Independence High School a good school?
Independence High School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% 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 Glendale Union High School District (4285)?
Besides Independence High School, Glendale Union High School District (4285) also operates Sunnyslope High School (2,322 students), Apollo High School (2,152 students), and Glendale High School (1,734 students). See the Glendale Union High School District (4285) 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.