Enrollment
572
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Chandler, AZ
John & Carol Carlson Elementary
Federal NCES profile for John & Carol Carlson Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040187003321
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John & Carol Carlson Elementary earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 70% of Arizona schools.
- #22 of 44
- schools in Chandler · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 14.3:1
- small classes for Arizona
- 5.9%
- free-lunch eligible
John & Carol Carlson Elementary has class sizes smaller than 70% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John & Carol Carlson Elementary ranks #22 of 44 schools in Chandler, AZ.
School address
District: Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) · Arizona
NCES ID 040187003321 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.3:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
5.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-88% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John & Carol Carlson Elementary compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at John & Carol Carlson Elementary
John & Carol Carlson Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Chandler, Arizona, enrolling 572 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 5.9% free-meal eligibility runs 88% below the Arizona average.
Enrollment of 572 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Among 156 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #126, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (65%) and Hispanic or Latino (17%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 572 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) spends $9,696 per pupil, 26% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Chandler's public schools, it stands alongside Primavera - Online (6,378 students): John & Carol Carlson Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) also operates Hamilton High School (3,444 students) and Chandler High School (3,179 students) alongside John & Carol Carlson Elementary.
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 John & Carol Carlson Elementary compares
John & Carol Carlson Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.3:1 | ▼ 16% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 5.9% | ▼ 88% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 572 | top 31% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.3:1
Leaner classes than 54% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
572
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
5.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 88% 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
14.3:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 30% in Arizona - lower ratio than 70% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
28.0%
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
$9,696
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 572 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
White 64.5%
Hispanic or Latino 16.8%
Two or More 7.5%
Asian 5.8%
African American 4.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Largest group: White at 64.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.5, John & Carol Carlson Elementary is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chandler Unified District #80 (4242), which includes John & Carol Carlson Elementary.
$9,696
Per student
-26%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-42%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.7%
State 44.2%
Federal 13.1%
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 John & Carol Carlson Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chandler High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Basha High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dr. Camille Casteel High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Perry High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John & Carol Carlson Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,444
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 3,179
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 2,826
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 2,816
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 2,373
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar other schools in Chandler
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 (~572 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John & Carol Carlson Elementary's federal record.
- Compare John & Carol Carlson Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Chandler Unified District #80 (4242)'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 John & Carol Carlson Elementary
How many students attend John & Carol Carlson Elementary?
John & Carol Carlson Elementary has 572 students enrolled. It is a public school in Chandler, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John & Carol Carlson Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at John & Carol Carlson Elementary is 14.3:1, which is 16% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 9% 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 John & Carol Carlson Elementary?
5.9% of students at John & Carol Carlson Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John & Carol Carlson Elementary?
The largest demographic group at John & Carol Carlson Elementary is White at 64.5% of enrollment, in Chandler, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John & Carol Carlson Elementary?
John & Carol Carlson Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (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 John & Carol Carlson Elementary rank among schools in Chandler?
By Resource Investment Index, John & Carol Carlson Elementary ranks #22 of 44 schools in Chandler, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Chandler on the city page.
Is John & Carol Carlson Elementary a good school?
John & Carol Carlson Elementary earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 70% 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 Chandler Unified District #80 (4242)?
Besides John & Carol Carlson Elementary, Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) also operates Hamilton High School (3,444 students), Chandler High School (3,179 students), and Basha High School (2,826 students). See the Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) 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.