Enrollment
384
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Queen Creek, AZ
Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040399003067
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 23
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #6 of 14
- schools in Queen Creek · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.7:1
- students per teacher
- 43.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary ranks #6 of 14 schools in Queen Creek, AZ.
School address
District: J O Combs Unified School District (4445) · Arizona
NCES ID 040399003067 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.7:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
43.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary
Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Queen Creek, Arizona, enrolling 384 students.
At 16.7:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Arizona median, within a few percentage points of the 17:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 43.0% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 384 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arizona median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 271 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #120.
Its student body is led by White (50%) and Hispanic or Latino (36%) (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 384 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 63.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding J O Combs Unified School District (4445) spends $8,666 per pupil, 34% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Queen Creek's public schools, it stands alongside Crismon High School (2,009 students): Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.7:1 vs 44.6:1).
J O Combs Unified School District (4445) also operates Combs High School (1,182 students) and J. O. Combs Middle School (581 students) alongside Kathryn Sue Simonton 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 Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary compares
Kathryn Sue Simonton 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 | 16.7:1 | ▼ 2% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 43.0% | ▼ 11% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 384 | top 53% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.7:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
384
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
43.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% 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
16.7:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 52% in Arizona - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
63.3%
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
$8,666
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 384 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 20 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.0 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 50.0%
Hispanic or Latino 36.2%
Two or More 6.3%
African American 5.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.8%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 50.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.2, Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for J O Combs Unified School District (4445), which includes Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary.
$8,666
Per student
-34%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-48%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.0%
State 53.2%
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 Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combs High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| J. O. Combs Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ellsworth Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ranch Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jack Harmon Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,182
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 581
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 516
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 509
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 382
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar other schools in Queen Creek
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Crismon High School
Standard public school
2,009 students 44.6:1 students per teacher
Heritage Academy Gateway
Standard public school
1,556 students
Benjamin Franklin High School
Standard public school
1,324 students
Faith Mather Sossaman Elementary School
Standard public school
1,153 students 22.2:1 students per teacher
Katherine Mecham Barney Elementary
Standard public school
908 students 29.3:1 students per teacher
Frances Brandon-Pickett Elementary
Standard public school
642 students 18.9:1 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 (~384 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- J O Combs Unified School District (4445)'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 Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary
How many students attend Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary?
Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary has 384 students enrolled. It is a public school in Queen Creek, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary is 16.7:1, which is 2% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 6% higher 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 Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary?
43.0% of students at Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary is White at 50.0% of enrollment, in Queen Creek, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary?
Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical 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 Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary rank among schools in Queen Creek?
By Resource Investment Index, Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary ranks #6 of 14 schools in Queen Creek, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Queen Creek on the city page.
Is Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary a good school?
Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. 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 J O Combs Unified School District (4445)?
Besides Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary, J O Combs Unified School District (4445) also operates Combs High School (1,182 students), J. O. Combs Middle School (581 students), and Ellsworth Elementary School (516 students). See the J O Combs Unified School District (4445) 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.