Enrollment
835
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Phoenix, AZ
Mountain Trail Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Mountain Trail Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 20/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 040593002266
👥 S:T ratio 2
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mountain Trail Middle School earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Arizona schools.
- #18 of 24
- middle schools in Phoenix · Resource Index
- 20
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.6:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 19.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Mountain Trail Middle School has class sizes larger than 93% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mountain Trail Middle School ranks #18 of 24 middle schools in Phoenix, AZ.
School address
District: Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) · Arizona
NCES ID 040593002266 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.6:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+45% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
19.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-61% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mountain Trail Middle School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mountain Trail Middle School
Mountain Trail Middle School is a lower-poverty, large middle school in Phoenix, Arizona, enrolling 835 students.
Class loads run heavy: 24.6:1 is larger than about 93% of Arizona schools and 45% above the 17:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 19.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 835 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 248 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #221, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (55%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 835 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Phoenix's middle schools, it stands alongside Sonoran Trails Middle School (615 students): Mountain Trail Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (24.6:1 vs 17.6:1).
Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) also operates Pinnacle High School (2,430 students) and Paradise Valley High School (1,900 students) alongside Mountain Trail Middle 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 Trail Middle School compares
Mountain Trail Middle 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 | 24.6:1 | ▲ 45% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 19.0% | ▼ 61% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 835 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.6:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
835
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
19.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% 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
24.6:1
students per teacher
- 45% 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
37.0%
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
$11,154
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 835 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
55
in-school suspensions + 45 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 55.2%
Hispanic or Latino 29.9%
Asian 6.9%
Two or More 4.9%
African American 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Largest group: White at 55.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.8, Mountain Trail Middle School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Paradise Valley Unified District (4241), which includes Mountain Trail Middle School.
$11,154
Per student
-15%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 57.8%
State 27.3%
Federal 14.9%
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 Trail Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinnacle High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Paradise Valley High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Horizon High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Canyon High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Shadow Mountain High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mountain Trail Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,430
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,900
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,767
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,560
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,080
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar middle schools in Phoenix
3 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
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 (~835 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mountain Trail Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Mountain Trail Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Paradise Valley Unified District (4241)'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 Trail Middle School
How many students attend Mountain Trail Middle School?
Mountain Trail Middle School has 835 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mountain Trail Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Mountain Trail Middle School is 24.6:1, which is 45% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 57% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mountain Trail Middle School?
19.0% of students at Mountain Trail Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mountain Trail Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Mountain Trail Middle School is White at 55.2% of enrollment, in Phoenix, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mountain Trail Middle School?
Mountain Trail Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 20/100 (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 Mountain Trail Middle School rank among middle schools in Phoenix?
By Resource Investment Index, Mountain Trail Middle School ranks #18 of 24 middle 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 middle schools in Phoenix on the city page.
Is Mountain Trail Middle School a good school?
Mountain Trail Middle School earns 20/100 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 Paradise Valley Unified District (4241)?
Besides Mountain Trail Middle School, Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) also operates Pinnacle High School (2,430 students), Paradise Valley High School (1,900 students), and Horizon High School (1,767 students). See the Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) 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.