Enrollment
471
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Safford, AZ
Lafe Nelson School
Federal NCES profile for Lafe Nelson School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 11/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 040724001030
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lafe Nelson School earns 11/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Arizona schools.
- #3 of 3
- elementary schools in Safford · Resource Index
- 11
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.4:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 48.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Lafe Nelson School has class sizes larger than 83% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lafe Nelson School ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Safford, AZ.
School address
District: Safford Unified District (4218) · Arizona
NCES ID 040724001030 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.4:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.8%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+1% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lafe Nelson School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lafe Nelson School
Lafe Nelson School is a mid-sized elementary school in Safford, Arizona, enrolling 471 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 21.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 48.8% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 471 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arizona median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 2,064 Arizona schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 326 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #321, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (58%) and White (37%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1427 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 46.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Safford Unified District (4218) spends $9,046 per pupil, 31% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Safford Unified District (4218) also operates Safford High School (828 students) and Ruth Powell Elementary School (575 students) alongside Lafe Nelson 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 Lafe Nelson School compares
Lafe Nelson 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 | 21.4:1 | ▲ 26% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.8% | ▲ 1% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 471 | top 42% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.4:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
471
Bigger than 58% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 1% 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
21.4:1
students per teacher
- 26% 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
46.3%
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
$9,046
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
Counselors0.3 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
40
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.1 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 58.0%
White 37.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.1%
Two or More 1.7%
African American 1.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 58.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.4, Lafe Nelson School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Safford Unified District (4218), which includes Lafe Nelson School.
$9,046
Per student
-31%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-45%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.8%
State 66.4%
Federal 14.8%
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 Lafe Nelson School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safford High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ruth Powell Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dorothy Stinson School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Safford Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mt Graham High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lafe Nelson School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 828
- Students per teacher
- 29.6:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 575
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 7/100
- Enrollment
- 539
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
- Enrollment
- 375
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 86
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
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.
Similar enrollment (~471 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lafe Nelson School's federal record.
- Compare Lafe Nelson School against another school. Compare schools
- Safford Unified District (4218)'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 Lafe Nelson School
How many students attend Lafe Nelson School?
Lafe Nelson School has 471 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Safford, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lafe Nelson School?
The student-teacher ratio at Lafe Nelson School is 21.4:1, which is 26% 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 Lafe Nelson School?
48.8% of students at Lafe Nelson School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lafe Nelson School?
The largest demographic group at Lafe Nelson School is Hispanic or Latino at 58.0% of enrollment, in Safford, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lafe Nelson School?
Lafe Nelson School has a Resource Investment Index of 11/100 (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 Lafe Nelson School rank among elementary schools in Safford?
By Resource Investment Index, Lafe Nelson School ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Safford, 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 Safford on the city page.
Is Lafe Nelson School a good school?
Lafe Nelson School earns 11/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% 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 Safford Unified District (4218)?
Besides Lafe Nelson School, Safford Unified District (4218) also operates Safford High School (828 students), Ruth Powell Elementary School (575 students), and Dorothy Stinson School (539 students). See the Safford Unified District (4218) 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.