Enrollment
601
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Chandler, AZ
Paragon Science Academy
Federal NCES profile for Paragon Science Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 13/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040077802902Charter school
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 9
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Paragon Science Academy earns 13/100 on the Resource Investment Index on federal resource data. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Arizona schools.
- #44 of 44
- schools in Chandler · Resource Index
- 13
- Resource Index · Lower
- 33.9%
- free-lunch eligible
- 601
- students enrolled
By Resource Investment Index, Paragon Science Academy ranks #44 of 44 schools in Chandler, AZ.
School address
NCES ID 040077802902 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Free-lunch eligible
33.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-30% vs state
What stands out at Paragon Science Academy
Paragon Science Academy is a mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Chandler, Arizona, enrolling 601 students.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 33.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 601 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 2,064 Arizona schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 314 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #303, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (34%) and African American (32%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 601 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 36.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Daisy Education Corporation Dba Paragon Science Ac (89917) spends $9,817 per pupil, 25% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 21.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Chandler's public schools, it stands alongside Primavera - Online (6,378 students): Paragon Science Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Daisy Education Corporation Dba Paragon Science Ac (89917) is a single-school charter district, so Paragon Science Academy operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 Paragon Science Academy compares
Paragon Science Academy on the metrics families compare, against Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.9% | ▼ 30% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 601 | top 28% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
601
Bigger than 73% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 30% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Engagement
36.4%
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
$9,817
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 601 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 18 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.3 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
White 34.1%
African American 31.6%
Asian 20.0%
Hispanic or Latino 7.7%
Two or More 5.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 34.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.5, Paragon Science Academy is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 16
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Daisy Education Corporation Dba Paragon Science Ac (89917), which includes Paragon Science Academy.
$9,817
Per student
-25%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-41%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 1.5%
State 76.9%
Federal 21.6%
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.
Similar other schools in Chandler
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.
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Paragon Science Academy's federal record.
- Compare Paragon Science Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Daisy Education Corporation Dba Paragon Science Ac (89917)'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 Paragon Science Academy
How many students attend Paragon Science Academy?
Paragon Science Academy has 601 students enrolled. It is a public school in Chandler, AZ.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Paragon Science Academy?
33.9% of students at Paragon Science Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Paragon Science Academy?
The largest demographic group at Paragon Science Academy is White at 34.1% of enrollment, in Chandler, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Paragon Science Academy?
Paragon Science Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 13/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 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 Paragon Science Academy rank among schools in Chandler?
By Resource Investment Index, Paragon Science Academy ranks #44 of 44 schools in Chandler, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Chandler on the city page.
Is Paragon Science Academy a good school?
Paragon Science Academy earns 13/100 on the Resource Investment Index on federal resource data. 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 Daisy Education Corporation Dba Paragon Science Ac (89917)?
None; Daisy Education Corporation Dba Paragon Science Ac (89917) is a single-school charter district, and Paragon Science Academy is its only campus.
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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.