Enrollment
921
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Phoenix, AZ
Sonoran Foothills School
Federal NCES profile for Sonoran Foothills School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040775003463
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 25
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sonoran Foothills School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #85 of 179
- schools in Phoenix · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.8:1
- students per teacher
- 12.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Sonoran Foothills School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sonoran Foothills School ranks #85 of 179 schools in Phoenix, AZ.
School address
District: Deer Valley Unified District (4246) · Arizona
NCES ID 040775003463 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
49.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.8:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
12.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-75% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sonoran Foothills School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sonoran Foothills School
Sonoran Foothills School is a lower-poverty, large combined-grade school in Phoenix, Arizona, enrolling 921 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 12.0% free-meal eligibility runs 75% below the Arizona average.
Enrollment of 921 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 191 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #106.
Its student body is led by White (62%) and Hispanic or Latino (17%) (diversity index 57/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1842 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.9% 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 Phoenix's public schools, it stands alongside Pan-American Charter School (1,221 students): Sonoran Foothills School is smaller than that campus by headcount.
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 Sonoran Foothills 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 Sonoran Foothills School compares
Sonoran Foothills 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 | 18.8:1 | ▲ 11% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 12.0% | ▼ 75% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 921 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.8:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
921
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
12.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 75% 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
18.8:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 68% in Arizona - lower ratio than 32% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
29.9%
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
24
in-school suspensions + 18 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.6 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 62.0%
Hispanic or Latino 16.8%
Asian 11.0%
Two or More 5.6%
African American 3.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 62.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.1, Sonoran Foothills School 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 Sonoran Foothills School.
$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 Sonoran Foothills School 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 Sonoran Foothills School'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 Phoenix
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Pan-American Charter School
Standard public school
1,221 students
Great Hearts Academies - Anthem Prep
Standard public school
1,031 students
Westwind Elementary School
Standard public school
932 students 19.4:1 students per teacher
Stetson Hills School
Standard public school
887 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Union Park School
Standard public school
873 students 19:1 students per teacher
Fireside Elementary School
Standard public school
693 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
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 (~921 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sonoran Foothills School's federal record.
- Compare Sonoran Foothills School 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 Sonoran Foothills School
How many students attend Sonoran Foothills School?
Sonoran Foothills School has 921 students enrolled. It is a public school in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sonoran Foothills School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sonoran Foothills School is 18.8:1, which is 11% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 20% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sonoran Foothills School?
12.0% of students at Sonoran Foothills School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sonoran Foothills School?
The largest demographic group at Sonoran Foothills School is White at 62.0% of enrollment, in Phoenix, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sonoran Foothills School?
Sonoran Foothills School has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (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 Sonoran Foothills School rank among schools in Phoenix?
By Resource Investment Index, Sonoran Foothills School ranks #85 of 179 schools in Phoenix, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Phoenix on the city page.
Is Sonoran Foothills School a good school?
Sonoran Foothills School earns 30/100 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 Sonoran Foothills School, 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.