Enrollment
453
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Mesa, AZ
Porter Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Porter Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040497001550
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Porter Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% of Arizona schools.
- #7 of 70
- schools in Mesa · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.7:1
- small classes for Arizona
- 46.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Porter Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 74% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Porter Elementary School ranks #7 of 70 schools in Mesa, AZ.
School address
District: Mesa Unified District (4235) · Arizona
NCES ID 040497001550 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.7:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
46.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-5% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Porter Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Porter Elementary School
Porter Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Mesa, Arizona, enrolling 453 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 46.0% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 453 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.
Among 314 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #16, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (47%) and White (36%) (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 151 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 49.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Mesa's public schools, it stands alongside Eastmark High School (1,889 students): Porter Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.7:1 vs 23.6:1).
Mesa Unified District (4235) also operates Mountain View High School (3,421 students) and Red Mountain High School (3,379 students) alongside Porter 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 Porter Elementary School compares
Porter 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 | 13.7:1 | ▼ 19% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.0% | ▼ 5% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 453 | top 44% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.7:1
Leaner classes than 60% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
453
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
46.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 5% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.7:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 26% in Arizona - lower ratio than 74% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
49.4%
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
$11,160
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 151 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
32
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.2 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 47.0%
White 35.5%
African American 6.2%
Two or More 4.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 4.4%
Asian 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 47.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.5, Porter 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 Mesa Unified District (4235), which includes Porter Elementary School.
$11,160
Per student
-15%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.4%
State 44.5%
Federal 18.1%
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 Porter Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain View High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Red Mountain High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mesa High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Westwood High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dobson High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Porter Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,421
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 3,379
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 3,233
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 3,135
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,284
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar other schools in Mesa
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Eastmark High School
Standard public school
1,889 students 23.6:1 students per teacher
Sequoia Choice School Arizona Distance Learning School
Standard public school
1,711 students
Silver Valley Elementary
Standard public school
1,384 students 22.7:1 students per teacher
Astravo Online Academy
Standard public school
849 students
Eagleridge Enrichment Program
Standard public school
694 students 63.1:1 students per teacher
American Leadership Academy Virtual
Standard public school
660 students
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 (~453 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Porter Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Porter Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Mesa Unified District (4235)'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 Porter Elementary School
How many students attend Porter Elementary School?
Porter Elementary School has 453 students enrolled. It is a public school in Mesa, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Porter Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Porter Elementary School is 13.7:1, which is 19% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 13% 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 Porter Elementary School?
46.0% of students at Porter Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Porter Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Porter Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 47.0% of enrollment, in Mesa, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Porter Elementary School?
Porter Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Porter Elementary School rank among schools in Mesa?
By Resource Investment Index, Porter Elementary School ranks #7 of 70 schools in Mesa, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Mesa on the city page.
Is Porter Elementary School a good school?
Porter Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% 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 Mesa Unified District (4235)?
Besides Porter Elementary School, Mesa Unified District (4235) also operates Mountain View High School (3,421 students), Red Mountain High School (3,379 students), and Mesa High School (3,233 students). See the Mesa Unified District (4235) 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.