Enrollment
806
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Phoenix, AZ
Manuel Pena Jr. School
Federal NCES profile for Manuel Pena Jr. School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 18/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040168003122
👥 S:T ratio 2
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Manuel Pena Jr. School earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Arizona schools.
- #154 of 179
- schools in Phoenix · Resource Index
- 18
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.4:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 59.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Manuel Pena Jr. School has class sizes larger than 93% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Manuel Pena Jr. School ranks #154 of 179 schools in Phoenix, AZ.
School address
District: Cartwright Elementary District (4282) · Arizona
NCES ID 040168003122 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.4:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+44% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Manuel Pena Jr. School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Manuel Pena Jr. School
Manuel Pena Jr. School is a higher-need, large combined-grade school in Phoenix, Arizona, enrolling 806 students.
Class loads run heavy: 24.4:1 is larger than about 93% of Arizona schools and 44% above the 17:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 59.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 806 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 259 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #217, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (81% of enrollment) (diversity index 33/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 806 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 58.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 41.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Phoenix's public schools, it stands alongside Pan-American Charter School (1,221 students): Manuel Pena Jr. School is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Cartwright Elementary District (4282) also operates Frank Borman School (960 students) and Charles W. Harris School (875 students) alongside Manuel Pena Jr. 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 Manuel Pena Jr. School compares
Manuel Pena Jr. 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 | 24.4:1 | ▲ 44% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.9% | ▲ 24% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 806 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.4:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
806
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% 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
24.4:1
students per teacher
- 44% above state mean
Top 93% in Arizona - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
58.6%
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
$11,851
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 806 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 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 81.0%
African American 11.5%
White 2.9%
Two or More 2.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.9%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 81.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 32.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 32.9, Manuel Pena Jr. School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cartwright Elementary District (4282), which includes Manuel Pena Jr. School.
$11,851
Per student
-10%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.7%
State 42.2%
Federal 41.1%
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 Manuel Pena Jr. School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Borman School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Charles W. Harris School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Peralta School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sunset School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Tomahawk School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Manuel Pena Jr. School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 960
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 875
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 817
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 739
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 718
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar other schools in Phoenix
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Pan-American Charter School
Standard public school
1,221 students
Great Hearts Academies - Anthem Prep
Standard public school
1,031 students
Westwind Elementary School
Standard public school
932 students 19.4:1 students per teacher
Stetson Hills School
Standard public school
887 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Union Park School
Standard public school
873 students 19:1 students per teacher
Fireside Elementary School
Standard public school
693 students 15.1:1 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 (~806 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Manuel Pena Jr. School's federal record.
- Compare Manuel Pena Jr. School against another school. Compare schools
- Cartwright Elementary District (4282)'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 Manuel Pena Jr. School
How many students attend Manuel Pena Jr. School?
Manuel Pena Jr. School has 806 students enrolled. It is a public school in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Manuel Pena Jr. School?
The student-teacher ratio at Manuel Pena Jr. School is 24.4:1, which is 44% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 55% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Manuel Pena Jr. School?
59.9% of students at Manuel Pena Jr. School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Manuel Pena Jr. School?
The largest demographic group at Manuel Pena Jr. School is Hispanic or Latino at 81.0% of enrollment, in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Manuel Pena Jr. School?
Manuel Pena Jr. School has a Resource Investment Index of 18/100 (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 Manuel Pena Jr. School rank among schools in Phoenix?
By Resource Investment Index, Manuel Pena Jr. School ranks #154 of 179 schools in Phoenix, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Phoenix on the city page.
Is Manuel Pena Jr. School a good school?
Manuel Pena Jr. School earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% 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 Cartwright Elementary District (4282)?
Besides Manuel Pena Jr. School, Cartwright Elementary District (4282) also operates Frank Borman School (960 students), Charles W. Harris School (875 students), and Peralta School (817 students). See the Cartwright Elementary District (4282) 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.