- Enrollment
- 2,938
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Tucson, AZ
Safford K-8 School
Federal NCES profile for Safford K-8 School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 55/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 040880000886
👥 S:T ratio 59
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 36
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Safford K-8 School earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 91% of Arizona schools.
- #2 of 54
- elementary schools in Tucson · Resource Index
- 55
- Resource Index · Higher
- 10.3:1
- small classes for Arizona
- 74.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Safford K-8 School has class sizes smaller than 91% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Safford K-8 School ranks #2 of 54 elementary schools in Tucson, AZ.
School address
District: Tucson Unified District (4403) · Arizona
NCES ID 040880000886 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-63 students YoY
Safford K-8 School shrank from 425 students in 2022-23 to 362 in 2023-24 (-14.8%).
Teacher FTE lost 31.0 → 30.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-63 students YoY 040880000886 · Tucson, AZ Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
318 enr · 10.3:1 · 74.8% lunch · RII 55
Nearest enrollment peer: Tucson Magnet High School (2,938 students)
Safford K-8 School shrank from 425 students in 2022-23 to 362 in 2023-24 (-14.8%). Teacher FTE lost 31.0 → 30.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Arizona schools → · Find another →
Safford K-8 School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Tucson Magnet
Tucson Magnet High School
2,938 students
- Pueblo High Sc
Pueblo High School
1,821 students
- Cholla High Sc
Cholla High School
1,575 students
- Sahuaro High S
Sahuaro High School
1,250 students
- Catalina Onlin
Catalina Online Learning Experience
1,184 students
- This school 318
Safford K-8 School
318 students
What this shows Safford K-8 School reports 318 students on the CCD universe file.
How Safford K-8 School compares
Safford K-8 School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10.3:1 | ▼ 39% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 74.8% | ▲ 55% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 318 | top 60% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.3:1
Leaner classes than 87% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
318
Bigger than 35% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
74.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 55% 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
10.3:1
students per teacher
- 39% below state mean
Top 9% in Arizona - lower ratio than 91% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$13,783
per pupil, district-wide
- above Arizona avg of $13,502
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 318 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 64 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 21.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 82.1%
African American 8.2%
White 5.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.8%
Two or More 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 82.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 31.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 31.5, Safford K-8 School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Tucson Unified District (4403) reports $13,783 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Safford K-8 School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson Magnet High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pueblo High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cholla High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sahuaro High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Catalina Online Learning Experience | Larger | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Safford K-8 School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,821
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,575
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,250
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,184
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 15/100
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
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~318 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10.3:1)
Frequently asked questions about Safford K-8 School
How many students attend Safford K-8 School?
Safford K-8 School has 318 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Tucson, AZ. CCD year-over-year: 425 (2022-23) → 362 (2023-24), down 63.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Safford K-8 School?
The student-teacher ratio at Safford K-8 School is 10.3:1, which is 39% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 34% 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 Safford K-8 School?
74.8% of students at Safford K-8 School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Safford K-8 School?
The largest demographic group at Safford K-8 School is Hispanic or Latino at 82.1% of enrollment, in Tucson, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Safford K-8 School?
Safford K-8 School has a Resource Investment Index of 55/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Safford K-8 School rank among elementary schools in Tucson?
By Resource Investment Index, Safford K-8 School ranks #2 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.
What other schools are in Tucson Unified District (4403)?
Besides Safford K-8 School, Tucson Unified District (4403) also operates Tucson Magnet High School (2,938 students), Pueblo High School (1,821 students), and Cholla High School (1,575 students). See the Tucson Unified District (4403) district page for the complete list.