Enrollment
482
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Avondale, AZ
Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040438001881
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #6 of 6
- public schools in Avondale · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.6:1
- students per teacher
- 44.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School ranks #6 of 6 public schools in Avondale, AZ.
School address
District: Litchfield Elementary District (4281) · Arizona
NCES ID 040438001881 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.6:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
44.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-9% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School
Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Avondale, Arizona, enrolling 482 students.
At 16.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Arizona median, within a few percentage points of the 17:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 44.0% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 482 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.
Among 320 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #245, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (65%) and White (21%) (diversity index 53/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Litchfield Elementary District (4281) spends $8,750 per pupil, 33% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Litchfield Elementary District (4281) also operates Belen Soto Elementary School (1,123 students) and Verrado Heritage Elementary School (1,014 students) alongside Rancho Santa Fe 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 Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School compares
Rancho Santa Fe 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 | 16.6:1 | ▼ 2% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.0% | ▼ 9% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 482 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.6:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
482
Bigger than 59% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
44.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 9% 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
16.6:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 51% in Arizona - lower ratio than 49% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
44.0%
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
$8,750
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
31
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 64.5%
White 20.7%
African American 7.1%
Two or More 4.1%
Asian 1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 64.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.4, Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Litchfield Elementary District (4281), which includes Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School.
$8,750
Per student
-33%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-47%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.8%
State 50.0%
Federal 13.2%
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 Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belen Soto Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Verrado Heritage Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Western Sky Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Verrado Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wigwam Creek Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,123
- Students per teacher
- 25.5:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
- Enrollment
- 1,014
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
- Enrollment
- 952
- Students per teacher
- 23.2:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 847
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 782
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
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 (~482 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Litchfield Elementary District (4281)'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 Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School
How many students attend Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School?
Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School has 482 students enrolled. It is a public school in Avondale, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School is 16.6:1, which is 2% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 6% higher 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 Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School?
44.0% of students at Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 64.5% of enrollment, in Avondale, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School?
Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (lower 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 Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School rank among public schools in Avondale?
By Resource Investment Index, Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School ranks #6 of 6 public schools in Avondale, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Avondale on the city page.
Is Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School a good school?
Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. 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 Litchfield Elementary District (4281)?
Besides Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School, Litchfield Elementary District (4281) also operates Belen Soto Elementary School (1,123 students), Verrado Heritage Elementary School (1,014 students), and Western Sky Middle School (952 students). See the Litchfield Elementary District (4281) 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.