Enrollment
757
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Phoenix, AZ
Papago School
Federal NCES profile for Papago School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 20/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040243000179
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Papago School earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #143 of 179
- schools in Phoenix · Resource Index
- 20
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.2:1
- students per teacher
- 74.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Papago School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Papago School ranks #143 of 179 schools in Phoenix, AZ.
School address
District: Creighton Elementary District (4263) · Arizona
NCES ID 040243000179 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
44.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.2:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
74.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+55% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Papago School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Papago School
Papago School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Phoenix, Arizona, enrolling 757 students.
At 17.2:1, 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 above the state's typical profile, with 74.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 757 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 194 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #138, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (85% of enrollment) (diversity index 27/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 28.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Phoenix's public schools, it stands alongside Pan-American Charter School (1,221 students): Papago School is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Creighton Elementary District (4263) also operates Monte Vista Elementary School (703 students) and Loma Linda Elementary School (605 students) alongside Papago 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 Papago School compares
Papago 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 | 17.2:1 | ▲ 1% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 74.9% | ▲ 55% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 757 | top 18% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.2:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
757
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
74.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 55% 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
17.2:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 56% in Arizona - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
48.1%
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
$11,033
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
2
in-school suspensions + 35 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.9 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 84.8%
African American 5.7%
White 5.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.0%
Asian 1.3%
Two or More 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 84.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 27.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 27.4, Papago School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Creighton Elementary District (4263), which includes Papago School.
$11,033
Per student
-16%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.7%
State 35.8%
Federal 28.5%
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 Papago School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monte Vista Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Loma Linda Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gateway School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| William T Machan Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Biltmore Preparatory Academy | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Papago School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 703
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 605
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 577
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 540
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 537
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar other schools in Phoenix
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Pan-American Charter School
Standard public school
1,221 students
Great Hearts Academies - Anthem Prep
Standard public school
1,031 students
Westwind Elementary School
Standard public school
932 students 19.4:1 students per teacher
Stetson Hills School
Standard public school
887 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Union Park School
Standard public school
873 students 19:1 students per teacher
Fireside Elementary School
Standard public school
693 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
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 (~757 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Papago School's federal record.
- Compare Papago School against another school. Compare schools
- Creighton Elementary District (4263)'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 Papago School
How many students attend Papago School?
Papago School has 757 students enrolled. It is a public school in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Papago School?
The student-teacher ratio at Papago School is 17.2:1, which is 1% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 10% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Papago School?
74.9% of students at Papago School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Papago School?
The largest demographic group at Papago School is Hispanic or Latino at 84.8% of enrollment, in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Papago School?
Papago School has a Resource Investment Index of 20/100 (lower 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 Papago School rank among schools in Phoenix?
By Resource Investment Index, Papago School ranks #143 of 179 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 schools in Phoenix on the city page.
Is Papago School a good school?
Papago School earns 20/100 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 Creighton Elementary District (4263)?
Besides Papago School, Creighton Elementary District (4263) also operates Monte Vista Elementary School (703 students), Loma Linda Elementary School (605 students), and Gateway School (577 students). See the Creighton Elementary District (4263) 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.