Enrollment
375
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Safford, AZ
Safford Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Safford Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 17/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 040724001029
👥 S:T ratio 21
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Safford Middle School earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Arizona schools.
- #3 of 8
- public schools in Safford · Resource Index
- 17
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.7:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 43.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Safford Middle School has class sizes larger than 74% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Safford Middle School ranks #3 of 8 public schools in Safford, AZ.
School address
District: Safford Unified District (4218) · Arizona
NCES ID 040724001029 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.7:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
43.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Safford Middle School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Safford Middle School
Safford Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Safford, Arizona, enrolling 375 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 43.0% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 375 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.
Among 259 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #230, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (54%) and White (41%) (diversity index 54/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 76.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Safford Unified District (4218) spends $9,046 per pupil, 31% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 90 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 375 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Safford Unified District (4218) also operates Safford High School (828 students) and Ruth Powell Elementary School (575 students) alongside Safford Middle 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 Safford Middle School compares
Safford Middle 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 | 19.7:1 | ▲ 16% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 43.0% | ▼ 11% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 375 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.7:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
375
Bigger than 44% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
43.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% 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
19.7:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 74% in Arizona - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
76.5%
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
$9,046
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
17
in-school suspensions + 73 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 24.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 54.1%
White 40.5%
Two or More 2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.6%
African American 1.1%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 54.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.2, Safford Middle School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Safford Unified District (4218), which includes Safford Middle School.
$9,046
Per student
-31%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-45%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.8%
State 66.4%
Federal 14.8%
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 Safford Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safford High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ruth Powell Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dorothy Stinson School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lafe Nelson School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mt Graham High School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Safford Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 828
- Students per teacher
- 29.6:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 575
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 7/100
- Enrollment
- 539
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
- Enrollment
- 471
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 11/100
- Enrollment
- 86
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar middle 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 (~375 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Safford Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Safford Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Safford Unified District (4218)'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 Safford Middle School
How many students attend Safford Middle School?
Safford Middle School has 375 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Safford, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Safford Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Safford Middle School is 19.7:1, which is 16% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 25% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Safford Middle School?
43.0% of students at Safford Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Safford Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Safford Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 54.1% of enrollment, in Safford, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Safford Middle School?
Safford Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 17/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Safford Middle School rank among public schools in Safford?
By Resource Investment Index, Safford Middle School ranks #3 of 8 public schools in Safford, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Safford on the city page.
Is Safford Middle School a good school?
Safford Middle School earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of 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 Safford Unified District (4218)?
Besides Safford Middle School, Safford Unified District (4218) also operates Safford High School (828 students), Ruth Powell Elementary School (575 students), and Dorothy Stinson School (539 students). See the Safford Unified District (4218) 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.