Enrollment
379
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Mesa, AZ
Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies
Federal NCES profile for Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040497002770
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 24
📋 Attendance 49
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #13 of 70
- schools in Mesa · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18:1
- students per teacher
- 12.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies ranks #13 of 70 schools in Mesa, AZ.
School address
District: Mesa Unified District (4235) · Arizona
NCES ID 040497002770 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
12.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-75% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies
Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Mesa, Arizona, enrolling 379 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 12.0% free-meal eligibility runs 75% below the Arizona average.
With 379 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 106 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #36.
Its student body is led by White (64%) and Hispanic or Latino (23%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 379 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 18.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Mesa's public schools, it stands alongside Eastmark High School (1,889 students): Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18:1 vs 23.6:1).
Mesa Unified District (4235) also operates Mountain View High School (3,421 students) and Red Mountain High School (3,379 students) alongside Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies.
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 Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies compares
Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies on the metrics families compare, against Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18:1 | ▲ 6% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 12.0% | ▼ 75% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 379 | top 54% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
379
Bigger than 44% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
12.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 75% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 63% in Arizona - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
20.3%
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
$11,160
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 379 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
16
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.0 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 63.6%
Hispanic or Latino 23.2%
Two or More 5.3%
Asian 4.5%
African American 2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Largest group: White at 63.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.6, Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mesa Unified District (4235), which includes Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies.
$11,160
Per student
-15%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.4%
State 44.5%
Federal 18.1%
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 Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain View High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Red Mountain High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mesa High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Westwood High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dobson High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,421
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 3,379
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 3,233
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 3,135
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,284
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar other schools in Mesa
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Eastmark High School
Standard public school
1,889 students 23.6:1 students per teacher
Sequoia Choice School Arizona Distance Learning School
Standard public school
1,711 students
Silver Valley Elementary
Standard public school
1,384 students 22.7:1 students per teacher
Astravo Online Academy
Standard public school
849 students
Eagleridge Enrichment Program
Standard public school
694 students 63.1:1 students per teacher
American Leadership Academy Virtual
Standard public school
660 students
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 (~379 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies's federal record.
- Compare Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies against another school. Compare schools
- Mesa Unified District (4235)'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 Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies
How many students attend Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies?
Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies has 379 students enrolled. It is a public school in Mesa, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies?
The student-teacher ratio at Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies is 18:1, which is 6% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies?
12.0% of students at Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies?
The largest demographic group at Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies is White at 63.6% of enrollment, in Mesa, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies?
Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies rank among schools in Mesa?
By Resource Investment Index, Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies ranks #13 of 70 schools in Mesa, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Mesa on the city page.
Is Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies a good school?
Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies earns 43/100 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 Mesa Unified District (4235)?
Besides Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies, Mesa Unified District (4235) also operates Mountain View High School (3,421 students), Red Mountain High School (3,379 students), and Mesa High School (3,233 students). See the Mesa Unified District (4235) 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.