Enrollment
941
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Maricopa, AZ
Santa Cruz Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Santa Cruz Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040472002665
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 3
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Santa Cruz Elementary School earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Arizona schools.
- #11 of 11
- schools in Maricopa · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.4:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 44.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Santa Cruz Elementary School has class sizes larger than 83% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Santa Cruz Elementary School ranks #11 of 11 schools in Maricopa, AZ.
School address
District: Maricopa Unified School District (4441) · Arizona
NCES ID 040472002665 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
44.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.4:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
44.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-9% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Santa Cruz Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Santa Cruz Elementary School
Santa Cruz Elementary School is a large combined-grade school in Maricopa, Arizona, enrolling 941 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 21.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 44.0% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Arizona, bigger than 90% of state schools at 941 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 189 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #129.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (53%) and African American (18%) (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 941 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.7% 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): Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz Elementary School compares
Santa Cruz 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 | 21.4:1 | ▲ 26% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.0% | ▼ 9% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 941 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.4:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
941
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
44.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 9% 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
21.4:1
students per teacher
- 26% above state mean
Top 83% in Arizona - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
38.7%
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 941 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 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 52.5%
African American 18.3%
White 16.6%
Two or More 8.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.7%
Asian 1.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 52.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.6, Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maricopa High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Desert Sunrise High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Maricopa Wells Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Butterfield Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Desert Wind Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Santa Cruz 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
- 940
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 920
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 898
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
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 (~941 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Santa Cruz Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz Elementary School
How many students attend Santa Cruz Elementary School?
Santa Cruz Elementary School has 941 students enrolled. It is a public school in Maricopa, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Santa Cruz Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Santa Cruz Elementary School is 21.4:1, which is 26% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 36% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Santa Cruz Elementary School?
44.0% of students at Santa Cruz Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Santa Cruz Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Santa Cruz Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 52.5% of enrollment, in Maricopa, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Santa Cruz Elementary School?
Santa Cruz Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (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 Santa Cruz Elementary School rank among schools in Maricopa?
By Resource Investment Index, Santa Cruz Elementary School ranks #11 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 Santa Cruz Elementary School a good school?
Santa Cruz Elementary School earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% 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 Maricopa Unified School District (4441)?
Besides Santa Cruz Elementary School, Maricopa Unified School District (4441) also operates Maricopa High School (1,840 students), Desert Sunrise High School (1,261 students), and Maricopa Wells Middle School (940 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.