Enrollment
324
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Phoenix, AZ
Mary Mcleod Bethune School
Federal NCES profile for Mary Mcleod Bethune School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040630000518
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mary Mcleod Bethune School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #50 of 179
- schools in Phoenix · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.7:1
- students per teacher
- 77.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Mary Mcleod Bethune School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mary Mcleod Bethune School ranks #50 of 179 schools in Phoenix, AZ.
School address
District: Phoenix Elementary District (4256) · Arizona
NCES ID 040630000518 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
77.8%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+61% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mary Mcleod Bethune School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mary Mcleod Bethune School
Mary Mcleod Bethune School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Phoenix, Arizona, enrolling 324 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 77.8% of students qualify for free meals, 61% above the Arizona average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 324 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arizona median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 219 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #70.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (80% of enrollment) (diversity index 34/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 86.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 29.4% 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): Mary Mcleod Bethune School is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Phoenix Elementary District (4256) also operates Kenilworth Elementary School (488 students) and Augustus H. Shaw Montessori (476 students) alongside Mary Mcleod Bethune 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 Mary Mcleod Bethune School compares
Mary Mcleod Bethune 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 | 14.7:1 | ▼ 14% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.8% | ▲ 61% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 324 | top 60% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
324
Bigger than 36% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
77.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% above the Arizona average of 48.3%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 33% in Arizona - lower ratio than 67% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
86.7%
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
$15,390
per pupil, district-wide
- above Arizona avg of $13,145
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
12
in-school suspensions + 23 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.8 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 80.2%
African American 14.5%
White 1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.5%
Asian 0.9%
Two or More 0.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 80.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 33.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 33.5, Mary Mcleod Bethune School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Phoenix Elementary District (4256), which includes Mary Mcleod Bethune School.
$15,390
Per student
+17%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 50.1%
State 20.5%
Federal 29.4%
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 Mary Mcleod Bethune School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenilworth Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Augustus H. Shaw Montessori | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Whittier Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Silvestre S Herrera School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Maie Bartlett Heard School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mary Mcleod Bethune School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 488
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 476
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 453
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 449
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 430
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
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 (~324 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mary Mcleod Bethune School's federal record.
- Compare Mary Mcleod Bethune School against another school. Compare schools
- Phoenix Elementary District (4256)'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 Mary Mcleod Bethune School
How many students attend Mary Mcleod Bethune School?
Mary Mcleod Bethune School has 324 students enrolled. It is a public school in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mary Mcleod Bethune School?
The student-teacher ratio at Mary Mcleod Bethune School is 14.7:1, which is 14% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 6% 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 Mary Mcleod Bethune School?
77.8% of students at Mary Mcleod Bethune School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mary Mcleod Bethune School?
The largest demographic group at Mary Mcleod Bethune School is Hispanic or Latino at 80.2% of enrollment, in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mary Mcleod Bethune School?
Mary Mcleod Bethune School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Mary Mcleod Bethune School rank among schools in Phoenix?
By Resource Investment Index, Mary Mcleod Bethune School ranks #50 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 Mary Mcleod Bethune School a good school?
Mary Mcleod Bethune School earns 37/100 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 Phoenix Elementary District (4256)?
Besides Mary Mcleod Bethune School, Phoenix Elementary District (4256) also operates Kenilworth Elementary School (488 students), Augustus H. Shaw Montessori (476 students), and Whittier Elementary School (453 students). See the Phoenix Elementary District (4256) 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.