Enrollment
454
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Tucson, AZ
Rivera Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Rivera Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 040817002849
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 9
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Rivera Elementary earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Arizona schools.
- #42 of 54
- elementary schools in Tucson · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.9:1
- students per teacher
- 78.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Rivera Elementary has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Rivera Elementary ranks #42 of 54 elementary schools in Tucson, AZ.
School address
District: Sunnyside Unified District (4407) · Arizona
NCES ID 040817002849 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.9:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
78.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+61% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Rivera Elementary compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Rivera Elementary
Rivera Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Tucson, Arizona, enrolling 454 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 78.0% of students qualify for free meals, 61% above the Arizona average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 454 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 253 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #145.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (94% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 11/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 454 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 74.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Sunnyside Unified District (4407) spends $9,713 per pupil, 26% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 32.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Tucson's elementary schools, it stands alongside Los Amigos Elementary School (613 students): Rivera Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.9:1 vs 17.5:1).
Sunnyside Unified District (4407) also operates Sunnyside High School (2,258 students) and Desert View High School (2,102 students) alongside Rivera 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 Rivera Elementary compares
Rivera 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 | 78.0% | ▲ 61% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 454 | top 44% | - | - |
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.
454
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
78.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% above the Arizona average of 48.3%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; 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
74.9%
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
$9,713
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 454 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 22 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.9 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 94.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.2%
White 1.8%
African American 1.1%
Two or More 0.4%
Asian 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 94.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 11.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 11.4, Rivera Elementary is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sunnyside Unified District (4407), which includes Rivera Elementary.
$9,713
Per student
-26%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-41%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.6%
State 48.9%
Federal 32.5%
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 Rivera Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunnyside High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Desert View High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sierra 2-8 School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Gallego Intermediate Fine Arts Magnet School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Elvira Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Rivera Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,258
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,102
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 801
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 768
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 642
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Similar elementary schools in Tucson
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Los Amigos Elementary School
Standard public school
613 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Sonoran Science Academy East
Standard public school
467 students
Legacy Traditional School - East Tucson
Standard public school
439 students
Summit View Elementary
Standard public school
403 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Da Vinci Tree Academy
Standard public school
265 students
Similar elementary 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 (~454 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Rivera Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Rivera Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Sunnyside Unified District (4407)'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 Rivera Elementary
How many students attend Rivera Elementary?
Rivera Elementary has 454 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Tucson, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Rivera Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Rivera 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 Rivera Elementary?
78.0% of students at Rivera Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Rivera Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Rivera Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 94.1% of enrollment, in Tucson, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Rivera Elementary?
Rivera Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (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 Rivera Elementary rank among elementary schools in Tucson?
By Resource Investment Index, Rivera Elementary ranks #42 of 54 elementary schools in Tucson, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Tucson on the city page.
Is Rivera Elementary a good school?
Rivera Elementary earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Sunnyside Unified District (4407)?
Besides Rivera Elementary, Sunnyside Unified District (4407) also operates Sunnyside High School (2,258 students), Desert View High School (2,102 students), and Sierra 2-8 School (801 students). See the Sunnyside Unified District (4407) 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.