Enrollment
411
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Glendale, AZ
Pioneer Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Pioneer Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040625000515
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pioneer Elementary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% of Arizona schools.
- #14 of 46
- schools in Glendale · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.2:1
- small classes for Arizona
- 53.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Pioneer Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 70% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pioneer Elementary School ranks #14 of 46 schools in Glendale, AZ.
School address
District: Peoria Unified School District (4237) · Arizona
NCES ID 040625000515 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.2:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Pioneer Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Pioneer Elementary School
Pioneer Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Glendale, Arizona, enrolling 411 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 53.0% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 411 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arizona median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 291 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #71.
Its student body is led by White (43%) and Hispanic or Latino (39%) (diversity index 66/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 67.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Peoria Unified School District (4237) spends $9,168 per pupil, 30% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 15.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Glendale's public schools, it stands alongside Sandra Day O'connor High School (2,658 students): Pioneer Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.2:1 vs 25.6:1).
Peoria Unified School District (4237) also operates Liberty High School (2,510 students) and Centennial High School (2,026 students) alongside Pioneer Elementary 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 Pioneer Elementary School compares
Pioneer Elementary 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 | 14.2:1 | ▼ 16% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.0% | ▲ 10% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 411 | top 50% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.2:1
Leaner classes than 55% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
411
Bigger than 49% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% 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
14.2:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 30% in Arizona - lower ratio than 70% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
67.2%
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
$9,168
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
20
in-school suspensions + 42 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.1 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 43.1%
Hispanic or Latino 38.7%
African American 6.8%
Two or More 5.8%
Asian 2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.5%
Largest group: White at 43.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.5, Pioneer Elementary School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Peoria Unified School District (4237), which includes Pioneer Elementary School.
$9,168
Per student
-30%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-45%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.4%
State 49.0%
Federal 15.6%
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 Pioneer Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Centennial High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sunrise Mountain High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ironwood High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Raymond S. Kellis | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pioneer Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,510
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,026
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,896
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,804
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,691
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar other schools in Glendale
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.
Similar enrollment (~411 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Pioneer Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Pioneer Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Peoria Unified School District (4237)'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 Pioneer Elementary School
How many students attend Pioneer Elementary School?
Pioneer Elementary School has 411 students enrolled. It is a public school in Glendale, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pioneer Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Pioneer Elementary School is 14.2:1, which is 16% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 10% 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 Pioneer Elementary School?
53.0% of students at Pioneer Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pioneer Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Pioneer Elementary School is White at 43.1% of enrollment, in Glendale, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pioneer Elementary School?
Pioneer Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical 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 Pioneer Elementary School rank among schools in Glendale?
By Resource Investment Index, Pioneer Elementary School ranks #14 of 46 schools in Glendale, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Glendale on the city page.
Is Pioneer Elementary School a good school?
Pioneer Elementary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% 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 Peoria Unified School District (4237)?
Besides Pioneer Elementary School, Peoria Unified School District (4237) also operates Liberty High School (2,510 students), Centennial High School (2,026 students), and Sunrise Mountain High School (1,896 students). See the Peoria Unified School District (4237) 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.