Enrollment
694
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Chandler, AZ
Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040187001676
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 28
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Arizona schools.
- #8 of 44
- schools in Chandler · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.1:1
- students per teacher
- 13.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary ranks #8 of 44 schools in Chandler, AZ.
School address
District: Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) · Arizona
NCES ID 040187001676 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
13.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-73% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary
Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Chandler, Arizona, enrolling 694 students.
At 16.1:1, 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.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 13.0% free-meal eligibility runs 73% below the Arizona average.
Enrollment of 694 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 230 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #131.
Its student body is led by White (46%) and Hispanic or Latino (23%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 347 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) spends $9,696 per pupil, 26% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Chandler's public schools, it stands alongside Primavera - Online (6,378 students): Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) also operates Hamilton High School (3,444 students) and Chandler High School (3,179 students) alongside Robert and Danell Tarwater 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 Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary compares
Robert and Danell Tarwater 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 | 16.1:1 | ▼ 5% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 13.0% | ▼ 73% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 694 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
694
Bigger than 80% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
13.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 73% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 46% in Arizona - lower ratio than 54% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
28.8%
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
$9,696
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 347 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 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
White 45.7%
Hispanic or Latino 23.3%
Asian 12.4%
Two or More 11.0%
African American 5.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.2%
Largest group: White at 45.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.6, Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chandler Unified District #80 (4242), which includes Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary.
$9,696
Per student
-26%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-42%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.7%
State 44.2%
Federal 13.1%
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 Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chandler High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Basha High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dr. Camille Casteel High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Perry High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,444
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 3,179
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 2,826
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 2,816
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 2,373
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar other schools in Chandler
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 (~694 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Chandler Unified District #80 (4242)'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 Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary
How many students attend Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary?
Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary has 694 students enrolled. It is a public school in Chandler, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary is 16.1:1, which is 5% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 3% 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 Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary?
13.0% of students at Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary is White at 45.7% of enrollment, in Chandler, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary?
Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (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 Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary rank among schools in Chandler?
By Resource Investment Index, Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary ranks #8 of 44 schools in Chandler, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Chandler on the city page.
Is Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary a good school?
Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. It is also more 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 Chandler Unified District #80 (4242)?
Besides Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary, Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) also operates Hamilton High School (3,444 students), Chandler High School (3,179 students), and Basha High School (2,826 students). See the Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) 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.