Enrollment
811
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Maricopa, AZ
Saddleback Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Saddleback Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040472002922
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Saddleback Elementary School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Arizona schools.
- #7 of 11
- schools in Maricopa · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 14.7:1
- students per teacher
- 45.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Saddleback Elementary School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Saddleback Elementary School ranks #7 of 11 schools in Maricopa, AZ.
School address
District: Maricopa Unified School District (4441) · Arizona
NCES ID 040472002922 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
55.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
45.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-5% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Saddleback Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Saddleback Elementary School
Saddleback Elementary School is a large combined-grade school in Maricopa, Arizona, enrolling 811 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 45.9% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 811 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 257 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #121.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (47%) and White (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 811 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 43.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Maricopa Unified School District (4441) spends $9,227 per pupil, 30% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Maricopa's public schools, it stands alongside A+ Charter Schools (370 students): Saddleback Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount.
Maricopa Unified School District (4441) also operates Maricopa High School (1,840 students) and Desert Sunrise High School (1,261 students) alongside Saddleback 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 Saddleback Elementary School compares
Saddleback 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 | 14.7:1 | ▼ 14% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.9% | ▼ 5% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 811 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
811
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
45.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 5% 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
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 33% in Arizona - lower ratio than 67% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
43.2%
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
$9,227
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 811 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
31
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.2 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 46.5%
White 21.5%
African American 12.9%
Two or More 8.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 8.1%
Asian 1.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 46.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.6, Saddleback 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 Maricopa Unified School District (4441), which includes Saddleback Elementary School.
$9,227
Per student
-30%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-44%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.7%
State 65.3%
Federal 13.0%
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 Saddleback Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maricopa High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Desert Sunrise High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Santa Cruz Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Maricopa Wells Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Butterfield Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Saddleback Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,840
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 1,261
- Students per teacher
- 42:1
- Resource Index
- 0/100
- Enrollment
- 941
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 940
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 920
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar other schools in Maricopa
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 (~811 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Saddleback Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Saddleback Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Maricopa Unified School District (4441)'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 Saddleback Elementary School
How many students attend Saddleback Elementary School?
Saddleback Elementary School has 811 students enrolled. It is a public school in Maricopa, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Saddleback Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Saddleback Elementary School is 14.7:1, which is 14% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 6% lower 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 Saddleback Elementary School?
45.9% of students at Saddleback Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Saddleback Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Saddleback Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 46.5% of enrollment, in Maricopa, 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 Saddleback Elementary School?
Saddleback 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 Saddleback Elementary School rank among schools in Maricopa?
By Resource Investment Index, Saddleback Elementary School ranks #7 of 11 schools in Maricopa, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Maricopa on the city page.
Is Saddleback Elementary School a good school?
Saddleback Elementary School earns 28/100 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 Maricopa Unified School District (4441)?
Besides Saddleback Elementary School, Maricopa Unified School District (4441) also operates Maricopa High School (1,840 students), Desert Sunrise High School (1,261 students), and Santa Cruz Elementary School (941 students). See the Maricopa Unified School District (4441) 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.