Enrollment
426
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Glendale, AZ
Mountain Shadows Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Mountain Shadows Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040775001330
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mountain Shadows Elementary School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #10 of 46
- schools in Glendale · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17:1
- students per teacher
- 39.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Mountain Shadows Elementary School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mountain Shadows Elementary School ranks #10 of 46 schools in Glendale, AZ.
School address
District: Deer Valley Unified District (4246) · Arizona
NCES ID 040775001330 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mountain Shadows Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mountain Shadows Elementary School
Mountain Shadows Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Glendale, Arizona, enrolling 426 students.
At 17:1, 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.
With 426 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 282 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #38.
Its student body is led by White (52%) and Hispanic or Latino (32%) (diversity index 62/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Deer Valley Unified District (4246) spends $9,561 per pupil, 27% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Glendale's public schools, it stands alongside Sandra Day O'connor High School (2,658 students): Mountain Shadows Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17:1 vs 25.6:1).
Deer Valley Unified District (4246) also operates Mountain Ridge High School (2,823 students) and Sandra Day O'connor High School (2,658 students) alongside Mountain Shadows Elementary 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 Mountain Shadows Elementary School compares
Mountain Shadows Elementary 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 | 17:1 | ▼ 0% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.0% | ▼ 19% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 426 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
426
Bigger than 51% 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
17:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 54% in Arizona - lower ratio than 46% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
32.6%
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
$9,561
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.4 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 51.6%
Hispanic or Latino 31.7%
Two or More 8.0%
African American 4.2%
Asian 3.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.2%
Largest group: White at 51.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.4, Mountain Shadows Elementary School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Deer Valley Unified District (4246), which includes Mountain Shadows Elementary School.
$9,561
Per student
-27%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-42%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 48.9%
State 38.6%
Federal 12.6%
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 Mountain Shadows Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Ridge High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sandra Day O'connor High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Boulder Creek High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Deer Valley High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Barry Goldwater High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mountain Shadows Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,823
- Students per teacher
- 25.7:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,658
- Students per teacher
- 25.6:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 2,221
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,707
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,602
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar other schools in Glendale
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~426 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mountain Shadows Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Mountain Shadows Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Deer Valley Unified District (4246)'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 Mountain Shadows Elementary School
How many students attend Mountain Shadows Elementary School?
Mountain Shadows Elementary School has 426 students enrolled. It is a public school in Glendale, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mountain Shadows Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Mountain Shadows Elementary School is 17:1, which is 0% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 8% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mountain Shadows Elementary School?
39.0% of students at Mountain Shadows Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mountain Shadows Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Mountain Shadows Elementary School is White at 51.6% of enrollment, in Glendale, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mountain Shadows Elementary School?
Mountain Shadows Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Mountain Shadows Elementary School rank among schools in Glendale?
By Resource Investment Index, Mountain Shadows Elementary School ranks #10 of 46 schools in Glendale, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Glendale on the city page.
Is Mountain Shadows Elementary School a good school?
Mountain Shadows Elementary School earns 40/100 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 Deer Valley Unified District (4246)?
Besides Mountain Shadows Elementary School, Deer Valley Unified District (4246) also operates Mountain Ridge High School (2,823 students), Sandra Day O'connor High School (2,658 students), and Boulder Creek High School (2,221 students). See the Deer Valley Unified District (4246) 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.