Enrollment
509
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · San Tan Valley, AZ
Ranch Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Ranch Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040399002938
👥 S:T ratio 12
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 29
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ranch Elementary School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Arizona schools.
- #8 of 9
- schools in San Tan Valley · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.1:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 33.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Ranch Elementary School has class sizes larger than 87% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ranch Elementary School ranks #8 of 9 schools in San Tan Valley, AZ.
School address
District: J O Combs Unified School District (4445) · Arizona
NCES ID 040399002938 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.1:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+30% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ranch Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ranch Elementary School
Ranch Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in San Tan Valley, Arizona, enrolling 509 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.1:1 is larger than about 87% of Arizona schools and 30% above the 17:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 33.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 509 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arizona median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 283 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #178.
Its student body is led by White (55%) and Hispanic or Latino (36%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 509 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding J O Combs Unified School District (4445) spends $8,666 per pupil, 34% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among San Tan Valley's public schools, it stands alongside American Leadership Academy Ironwood K12 (2,084 students): Ranch Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount.
J O Combs Unified School District (4445) also operates Combs High School (1,182 students) and J. O. Combs Middle School (581 students) alongside Ranch 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 Ranch Elementary School compares
Ranch 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 | 22.1:1 | ▲ 30% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.0% | ▼ 32% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 509 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.1:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
509
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
22.1:1
students per teacher
- 30% above state mean
Top 87% in Arizona - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
28.5%
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
$8,666
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 509 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 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 55.4%
Hispanic or Latino 36.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.6%
Two or More 2.4%
African American 1.4%
Asian 1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
Largest group: White at 55.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.0, Ranch 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 J O Combs Unified School District (4445), which includes Ranch Elementary School.
$8,666
Per student
-34%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-48%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.0%
State 53.2%
Federal 14.9%
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 Ranch Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combs High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| J. O. Combs Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ellsworth Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Kathryn Sue Simonton Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Jack Harmon Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ranch Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,182
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 581
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 516
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 384
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 382
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar other schools in San Tan Valley
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
American Leadership Academy Ironwood K12
Standard public school
2,084 students
Poston Butte High School
Standard public school
1,310 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Combs High School
Standard public school
1,182 students 20:1 students per teacher
Walker Butte K-8
Standard public school
718 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
San Tan Heights Elementary
Standard public school
669 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
Skyline Ranch Elementary School
Standard public school
583 students 14.2:1 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 (~509 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ranch Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Ranch Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- J O Combs Unified School District (4445)'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 Ranch Elementary School
How many students attend Ranch Elementary School?
Ranch Elementary School has 509 students enrolled. It is a public school in San Tan Valley, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ranch Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Ranch Elementary School is 22.1:1, which is 30% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 41% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ranch Elementary School?
33.0% of students at Ranch Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ranch Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Ranch Elementary School is White at 55.4% of enrollment, in San Tan Valley, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ranch Elementary School?
Ranch Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower 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 Ranch Elementary School rank among schools in San Tan Valley?
By Resource Investment Index, Ranch Elementary School ranks #8 of 9 schools in San Tan Valley, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in San Tan Valley on the city page.
Is Ranch Elementary School a good school?
Ranch Elementary School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% 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 J O Combs Unified School District (4445)?
Besides Ranch Elementary School, J O Combs Unified School District (4445) also operates Combs High School (1,182 students), J. O. Combs Middle School (581 students), and Ellsworth Elementary School (516 students). See the J O Combs Unified School District (4445) district page for the complete list.
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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.