Enrollment
648
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Gilbert, AZ
Mesquite Jr High School
Federal NCES profile for Mesquite Jr High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 040340001216
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 57
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mesquite Jr High School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #1 of 4
- middle schools in Gilbert · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.8:1
- students per teacher
- 39.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Mesquite Jr High School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mesquite Jr High School ranks #1 of 4 middle schools in Gilbert, AZ.
School address
District: Gilbert Unified District (4239) · Arizona
NCES ID 040340001216 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mesquite Jr High School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mesquite Jr High School
Mesquite Jr High School is a mid-sized middle school in Gilbert, Arizona, enrolling 648 students.
At 15.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Arizona median, within a few percentage points of the 17:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 39.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 648 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Among 301 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #26, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (43%) and White (38%) (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 216 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 73.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Gilbert Unified District (4239) spends $9,253 per pupil, 30% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 218 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 648 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Gilbert Unified District (4239) also operates Highland High School (2,992 students) and Gilbert High School (2,418 students) alongside Mesquite Jr High 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 Mesquite Jr High School compares
Mesquite Jr High 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 | 15.8:1 | ▼ 7% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.0% | ▼ 19% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 648 | top 25% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.8:1
Leaner classes than 40% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
648
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15.8:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 43% in Arizona - lower ratio than 57% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
73.1%
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
$9,253
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 216 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
100
in-school suspensions + 118 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 15.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 33.6 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 42.9%
White 38.1%
African American 6.3%
Two or More 6.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.1%
Asian 2.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 42.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.1, Mesquite Jr High School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Gilbert Unified District (4239), which includes Mesquite Jr High School.
$9,253
Per student
-30%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-44%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 43.1%
State 44.8%
Federal 12.1%
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 Mesquite Jr High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highland High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gilbert High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Desert Ridge High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Campo Verde High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mesquite High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mesquite Jr High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,992
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,418
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,103
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,863
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,303
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar middle 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 (~648 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mesquite Jr High School's federal record.
- Compare Mesquite Jr High School against another school. Compare schools
- Gilbert Unified District (4239)'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 Mesquite Jr High School
How many students attend Mesquite Jr High School?
Mesquite Jr High School has 648 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Gilbert, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mesquite Jr High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Mesquite Jr High School is 15.8:1, which is 7% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 1% higher 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 Mesquite Jr High School?
39.0% of students at Mesquite Jr High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mesquite Jr High School?
The largest demographic group at Mesquite Jr High School is Hispanic or Latino at 42.9% of enrollment, in Gilbert, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mesquite Jr High School?
Mesquite Jr High School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Mesquite Jr High School rank among middle schools in Gilbert?
By Resource Investment Index, Mesquite Jr High School ranks #1 of 4 middle schools in Gilbert, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Gilbert on the city page.
Is Mesquite Jr High School a good school?
Mesquite Jr High School earns 41/100 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 Gilbert Unified District (4239)?
Besides Mesquite Jr High School, Gilbert Unified District (4239) also operates Highland High School (2,992 students), Gilbert High School (2,418 students), and Desert Ridge High (2,103 students). See the Gilbert Unified District (4239) 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.