Enrollment
932
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Glendale, AZ
Sierra Verde Steam Academy
Federal NCES profile for Sierra Verde Steam Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040775002127
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 36
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sierra Verde Steam Academy earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #26 of 46
- schools in Glendale · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.6:1
- students per teacher
- 12.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Sierra Verde Steam Academy has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sierra Verde Steam Academy ranks #26 of 46 schools in Glendale, AZ.
School address
District: Deer Valley Unified District (4246) · Arizona
NCES ID 040775002127 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
50.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.6:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
12.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-73% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sierra Verde Steam Academy compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sierra Verde Steam Academy
Sierra Verde Steam Academy is a lower-poverty, large combined-grade school in Glendale, Arizona, enrolling 932 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 12.9% free-meal eligibility runs 73% below the Arizona average.
Enrollment of 932 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 189 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #87.
Its student body is led by White (57%) and Hispanic or Latino (19%) (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1864 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Deer Valley Unified District (4246) spends $9,561 per pupil, 27% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Glendale's public schools, it stands alongside Sandra Day O'connor High School (2,658 students): Sierra Verde Steam Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.6:1 vs 25.6:1).
Deer Valley Unified District (4246) also operates Mountain Ridge High School (2,823 students) and Sandra Day O'connor High School (2,658 students) alongside Sierra Verde Steam Academy.
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 Sierra Verde Steam Academy compares
Sierra Verde Steam Academy on the metrics families compare, against Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.6:1 | ▲ 9% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 12.9% | ▼ 73% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 932 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.6:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
932
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
12.9%
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
18.6:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 67% in Arizona - lower ratio than 33% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
25.5%
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
$9,561
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
14
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.9 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 57.2%
Hispanic or Latino 18.6%
Asian 13.2%
Two or More 6.5%
African American 3.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 57.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.5, Sierra Verde Steam Academy is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Deer Valley Unified District (4246), which includes Sierra Verde Steam Academy.
$9,561
Per student
-27%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-42%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 48.9%
State 38.6%
Federal 12.6%
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 Sierra Verde Steam Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Ridge High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sandra Day O'connor High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Boulder Creek High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Deer Valley High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Barry Goldwater High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sierra Verde Steam Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,823
- Students per teacher
- 25.7:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,658
- Students per teacher
- 25.6:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 2,221
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,707
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,602
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar other schools in Glendale
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 (~932 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sierra Verde Steam Academy's federal record.
- Compare Sierra Verde Steam Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Deer Valley Unified District (4246)'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 Sierra Verde Steam Academy
How many students attend Sierra Verde Steam Academy?
Sierra Verde Steam Academy has 932 students enrolled. It is a public school in Glendale, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sierra Verde Steam Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Sierra Verde Steam Academy is 18.6:1, which is 9% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 18% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sierra Verde Steam Academy?
12.9% of students at Sierra Verde Steam Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sierra Verde Steam Academy?
The largest demographic group at Sierra Verde Steam Academy is White at 57.2% of enrollment, in Glendale, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sierra Verde Steam Academy?
Sierra Verde Steam Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical 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 Sierra Verde Steam Academy rank among schools in Glendale?
By Resource Investment Index, Sierra Verde Steam Academy ranks #26 of 46 schools in Glendale, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Glendale on the city page.
Is Sierra Verde Steam Academy a good school?
Sierra Verde Steam Academy earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. 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 Deer Valley Unified District (4246)?
Besides Sierra Verde Steam Academy, Deer Valley Unified District (4246) also operates Mountain Ridge High School (2,823 students), Sandra Day O'connor High School (2,658 students), and Boulder Creek High School (2,221 students). See the Deer Valley Unified District (4246) 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.