Enrollment
125
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Phoenix, AZ
Paul Dunbar Lawrence School
Federal NCES profile for Paul Dunbar Lawrence School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 62/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040630000520
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Paul Dunbar Lawrence School earns 62/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% of Arizona schools.
- #9 of 179
- schools in Phoenix · Resource Index
- 62
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.4:1
- small classes for Arizona
- 87.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Paul Dunbar Lawrence School has class sizes smaller than 88% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Paul Dunbar Lawrence School ranks #9 of 179 schools in Phoenix, AZ.
School address
District: Phoenix Elementary District (4256) · Arizona
NCES ID 040630000520 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
11.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.4:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-33% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
87.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+80% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Paul Dunbar Lawrence School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Paul Dunbar Lawrence School
Paul Dunbar Lawrence School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Phoenix, Arizona, enrolling 125 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.4:1, Paul Dunbar Lawrence School is leaner than roughly 88% of Arizona schools and 33% under the state's 17:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 87.0% of students qualify for free meals, 80% above the Arizona average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 125 puts it in the smaller third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 95% of the 2,064 Arizona schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 42 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #1, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (48%) and African American (45%) (diversity index 57/100).
Its district draws 29.4% 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): Paul Dunbar Lawrence School is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Phoenix Elementary District (4256) also operates Kenilworth Elementary School (488 students) and Augustus H. Shaw Montessori (476 students) alongside Paul Dunbar Lawrence 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 Paul Dunbar Lawrence School compares
Paul Dunbar Lawrence 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 | 11.4:1 | ▼ 33% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 87.0% | ▲ 80% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 125 | top 79% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.4:1
Leaner classes than 80% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
125
Bigger than 12% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
87.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 80% above the Arizona average of 48.3%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.4:1
students per teacher
- 33% below state mean
Top 12% in Arizona - lower ratio than 88% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$15,390
per pupil, district-wide
- above Arizona avg of $13,145
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.8 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 48.0%
African American 44.8%
Two or More 4.8%
White 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 48.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.6, Paul Dunbar Lawrence School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Phoenix Elementary District (4256), which includes Paul Dunbar Lawrence School.
$15,390
Per student
+17%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 50.1%
State 20.5%
Federal 29.4%
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 Paul Dunbar Lawrence School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenilworth Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Augustus H. Shaw Montessori | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Whittier Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Silvestre S Herrera School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Maie Bartlett Heard School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Paul Dunbar Lawrence School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 488
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 476
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 453
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 449
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 430
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
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 (~125 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Paul Dunbar Lawrence School's federal record.
- Compare Paul Dunbar Lawrence School against another school. Compare schools
- Phoenix Elementary District (4256)'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 Paul Dunbar Lawrence School
How many students attend Paul Dunbar Lawrence School?
Paul Dunbar Lawrence School has 125 students enrolled. It is a public school in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Paul Dunbar Lawrence School?
The student-teacher ratio at Paul Dunbar Lawrence School is 11.4:1, which is 33% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 27% 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 Paul Dunbar Lawrence School?
87.0% of students at Paul Dunbar Lawrence School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Paul Dunbar Lawrence School?
The largest demographic group at Paul Dunbar Lawrence School is Hispanic or Latino at 48.0% of enrollment, in Phoenix, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Paul Dunbar Lawrence School?
Paul Dunbar Lawrence School has a Resource Investment Index of 62/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Paul Dunbar Lawrence School rank among schools in Phoenix?
By Resource Investment Index, Paul Dunbar Lawrence School ranks #9 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 Paul Dunbar Lawrence School a good school?
Paul Dunbar Lawrence School earns 62/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% 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 Phoenix Elementary District (4256)?
Besides Paul Dunbar Lawrence School, Phoenix Elementary District (4256) also operates Kenilworth Elementary School (488 students), Augustus H. Shaw Montessori (476 students), and Whittier Elementary School (453 students). See the Phoenix Elementary District (4256) 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.