Enrollment
662
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Avondale, AZ
Rio Vista Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Rio Vista Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040621002274
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 93
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Rio Vista Elementary earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #1 of 8
- schools in Avondale · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.9:1
- students per teacher
- 54.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Rio Vista Elementary has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Rio Vista Elementary ranks #1 of 8 schools in Avondale, AZ.
School address
District: Pendergast Elementary District (4283) · Arizona
NCES ID 040621002274 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.9:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
54.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Rio Vista Elementary compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Rio Vista Elementary
Rio Vista Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Avondale, Arizona, enrolling 662 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 54.9% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 662 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Among 331 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #17, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (73%) and African American (13%) (diversity index 44/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 662 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 3.0% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Pendergast Elementary District (4283) spends $9,983 per pupil, 24% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 22.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Avondale's public schools, it stands alongside Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School (482 students): Rio Vista Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.9:1 vs 16.6:1).
Pendergast Elementary District (4283) also operates Garden Lakes Elementary School (941 students) and Westwind Elementary School (932 students) alongside Rio Vista Elementary.
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 Rio Vista Elementary compares
Rio Vista Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.9:1 | ▲ 11% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 54.9% | ▲ 14% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 662 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.9:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
662
Bigger than 78% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
54.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% 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
18.9:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 68% in Arizona - lower ratio than 32% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
3.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$9,983
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 662 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
51
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.7 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 73.0%
African American 12.8%
White 6.5%
Two or More 3.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.1%
Asian 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 73.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.4, Rio Vista Elementary is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pendergast Elementary District (4283), which includes Rio Vista Elementary.
$9,983
Per student
-24%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.1%
State 49.4%
Federal 22.5%
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 Rio Vista Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garden Lakes Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Westwind Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Copper King Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Desert Horizon Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Desert Mirage Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Rio Vista Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 941
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 932
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 738
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 690
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 675
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar other schools in Avondale
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 (~662 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Rio Vista Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Rio Vista Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Pendergast Elementary District (4283)'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 Rio Vista Elementary
How many students attend Rio Vista Elementary?
Rio Vista Elementary has 662 students enrolled. It is a public school in Avondale, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Rio Vista Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Rio Vista Elementary is 18.9:1, which is 11% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 20% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Rio Vista Elementary?
54.9% of students at Rio Vista Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Rio Vista Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Rio Vista Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 73.0% of enrollment, in Avondale, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Rio Vista Elementary?
Rio Vista Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 Rio Vista Elementary rank among schools in Avondale?
By Resource Investment Index, Rio Vista Elementary ranks #1 of 8 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 schools in Avondale on the city page.
Is Rio Vista Elementary a good school?
Rio Vista Elementary earns 47/100 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 Pendergast Elementary District (4283)?
Besides Rio Vista Elementary, Pendergast Elementary District (4283) also operates Garden Lakes Elementary School (941 students), Westwind Elementary School (932 students), and Copper King Elementary (738 students). See the Pendergast Elementary District (4283) 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.