Enrollment
767
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Tucson, AZ
Palo Verde High Magnet School
Federal NCES profile for Palo Verde High Magnet School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040880001263
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 23
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Palo Verde High Magnet School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Arizona schools.
- #76 of 131
- schools in Tucson · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.8:1
- students per teacher
- 58.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Palo Verde High Magnet School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Palo Verde High Magnet School ranks #76 of 131 schools in Tucson, AZ.
School address
District: Tucson Unified District (4403) · Arizona
NCES ID 040880001263 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
52.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.8:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
58.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Palo Verde High Magnet School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Palo Verde High Magnet School
Palo Verde High Magnet School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Tucson, Arizona, enrolling 767 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 58.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 767 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 285 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #72.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (49%) and White (21%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 384 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 71.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Tucson's public schools, it stands alongside Craycroft Elementary School (586 students): Palo Verde High Magnet School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.8:1 vs 21.7:1).
Tucson Unified District (4403) also operates Tucson Magnet High School (2,938 students) and Pueblo High School (1,821 students) alongside Palo Verde High Magnet 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 Palo Verde High Magnet School compares
Palo Verde High Magnet 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 | 14.8:1 | ▼ 13% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 58.9% | ▲ 22% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 767 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.8:1
Leaner classes than 49% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
767
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
58.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 22% above the Arizona average of 48.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.8:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 34% in Arizona - lower ratio than 66% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
71.8%
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
$11,545
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 384 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 63 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.3 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 49.4%
White 20.7%
African American 16.7%
Asian 5.9%
Two or More 5.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 49.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.9, Palo Verde High Magnet School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 13
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tucson Unified District (4403), which includes Palo Verde High Magnet School.
$11,545
Per student
-12%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 41.8%
State 34.7%
Federal 23.6%
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 Palo Verde High Magnet School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson Magnet High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pueblo High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cholla High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sahuaro High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Catalina Online Learning Experience | Larger | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Palo Verde High Magnet School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,938
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,821
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,575
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,250
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,184
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 15/100
Similar other schools in Tucson
2 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 (~767 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Palo Verde High Magnet School's federal record.
- Compare Palo Verde High Magnet School against another school. Compare schools
- Tucson Unified District (4403)'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 Palo Verde High Magnet School
How many students attend Palo Verde High Magnet School?
Palo Verde High Magnet School has 767 students enrolled. It is a public school in Tucson, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Palo Verde High Magnet School?
The student-teacher ratio at Palo Verde High Magnet School is 14.8:1, which is 13% 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 Palo Verde High Magnet School?
58.9% of students at Palo Verde High Magnet School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Palo Verde High Magnet School?
The largest demographic group at Palo Verde High Magnet School is Hispanic or Latino at 49.4% of enrollment, in Tucson, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Palo Verde High Magnet School?
Palo Verde High Magnet School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Palo Verde High Magnet School rank among schools in Tucson?
By Resource Investment Index, Palo Verde High Magnet School ranks #76 of 131 schools in Tucson, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Tucson on the city page.
Is Palo Verde High Magnet School a good school?
Palo Verde High Magnet School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Tucson Unified District (4403)?
Besides Palo Verde High Magnet School, Tucson Unified District (4403) also operates Tucson Magnet High School (2,938 students), Pueblo High School (1,821 students), and Cholla High School (1,575 students). See the Tucson Unified District (4403) 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.