Enrollment
501
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Tucson, AZ
La Paloma Academy-South
Federal NCES profile for La Paloma Academy-South, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 040036103312Charter school
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
La Paloma Academy-South earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index on federal resource data. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Arizona schools.
- #48 of 54
- elementary schools in Tucson · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 70.8%
- free-lunch eligible
- 501
- students enrolled
By Resource Investment Index, La Paloma Academy-South ranks #48 of 54 elementary schools in Tucson, AZ.
School address
NCES ID 040036103312 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Free-lunch eligible
70.8%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+47% vs state
What stands out at La Paloma Academy-South
La Paloma Academy-South is a higher-need, mid-sized charter elementary school in Tucson, Arizona, enrolling 501 students.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 70.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 501 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arizona median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 2,064 Arizona schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 327 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #303, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (93% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 13/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 69.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Arizona Community Development Corporation (79947) spends $9,570 per pupil, 27% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 26.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Tucson's elementary schools, it stands alongside Los Amigos Elementary School (613 students): La Paloma Academy-South is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Arizona Community Development Corporation (79947) also operates La Paloma Academy (Lakeside) (855 students) and La Paloma Academy (632 students) alongside La Paloma Academy-South.
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 La Paloma Academy-South compares
La Paloma Academy-South on the metrics families compare, against Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free-lunch eligible | 70.8% | ▲ 47% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 501 | top 39% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
501
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
70.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 47% above the Arizona average of 48.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Engagement
69.1%
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
$9,570
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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
Hispanic or Latino 93.4%
White 4.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
African American 0.8%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 93.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 12.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 12.5, La Paloma Academy-South is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Arizona Community Development Corporation (79947), which includes La Paloma Academy-South.
$9,570
Per student
-27%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-42%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 2.4%
State 71.1%
Federal 26.5%
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 La Paloma Academy-South Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Paloma Academy (Lakeside) | Larger | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
| La Paloma Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to La Paloma Academy-South's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 855
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 11/100
- Enrollment
- 632
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 15/100
Similar elementary schools in Tucson
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Los Amigos Elementary School
Standard public school
613 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Sonoran Science Academy East
Standard public school
467 students
Legacy Traditional School - East Tucson
Standard public school
439 students
Summit View Elementary
Standard public school
403 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Da Vinci Tree Academy
Standard public school
265 students
Similar elementary 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.
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on La Paloma Academy-South's federal record.
- Compare La Paloma Academy-South against another school. Compare schools
- Arizona Community Development Corporation (79947)'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 La Paloma Academy-South
How many students attend La Paloma Academy-South?
La Paloma Academy-South has 501 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Tucson, AZ.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at La Paloma Academy-South?
70.8% of students at La Paloma Academy-South are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of La Paloma Academy-South?
The largest demographic group at La Paloma Academy-South is Hispanic or Latino at 93.4% of enrollment, in Tucson, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for La Paloma Academy-South?
La Paloma Academy-South has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does La Paloma Academy-South rank among elementary schools in Tucson?
By Resource Investment Index, La Paloma Academy-South ranks #48 of 54 elementary schools in Tucson, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Tucson on the city page.
Is La Paloma Academy-South a good school?
La Paloma Academy-South earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index on federal resource data. It is also less 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 Arizona Community Development Corporation (79947)?
Besides La Paloma Academy-South, Arizona Community Development Corporation (79947) also operates La Paloma Academy (Lakeside) (855 students) and La Paloma Academy (632 students). See the Arizona Community Development Corporation (79947) district page for the complete list.
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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.