Enrollment
560
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Surprise, AZ
Sonoran Heights Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Sonoran Heights Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 040269002649
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sonoran Heights Middle School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 72% of Arizona schools.
- #2 of 8
- elementary schools in Surprise · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14:1
- small classes for Arizona
- 26.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Sonoran Heights Middle School has class sizes smaller than 72% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sonoran Heights Middle School ranks #2 of 8 elementary schools in Surprise, AZ.
School address
District: Dysart Unified District (4243) · Arizona
NCES ID 040269002649 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
26.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-46% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sonoran Heights Middle School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sonoran Heights Middle School
Sonoran Heights Middle School is a mid-sized elementary school in Surprise, Arizona, enrolling 560 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14:1 puts it in the smaller third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 26.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 560 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 268 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #57.
Its student body is led by White (44%) and Hispanic or Latino (38%) (diversity index 65/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 61.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Dysart Unified District (4243) spends $9,891 per pupil, 25% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 17.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Surprise's elementary schools, it stands alongside Legacy Traditional School - West Surprise (1,231 students): Sonoran Heights Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Dysart Unified District (4243) also operates Valley Vista High School (2,334 students) and Shadow Ridge High School (2,212 students) alongside Sonoran Heights 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 Sonoran Heights Middle School compares
Sonoran Heights 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 | 14:1 | ▼ 18% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 26.0% | ▼ 46% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 560 | top 33% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14:1
Leaner classes than 57% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
560
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
26.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 46% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14:1
students per teacher
- 18% below state mean
Top 28% in Arizona - lower ratio than 72% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
61.8%
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
$9,891
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
31
in-school suspensions + 69 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 17.9 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 44.1%
Hispanic or Latino 37.5%
African American 8.0%
Two or More 6.1%
Asian 2.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 44.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.4, Sonoran Heights Middle School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Dysart Unified District (4243), which includes Sonoran Heights Middle School.
$9,891
Per student
-25%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.2%
State 44.3%
Federal 17.5%
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 Heights Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valley Vista High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shadow Ridge High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Willow Canyon High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dysart High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mountain View | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sonoran Heights Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,334
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,212
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,901
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,471
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,045
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar elementary schools in Surprise
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~560 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sonoran Heights Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Sonoran Heights Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Dysart Unified District (4243)'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 Heights Middle School
How many students attend Sonoran Heights Middle School?
Sonoran Heights Middle School has 560 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Surprise, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sonoran Heights Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sonoran Heights Middle School is 14:1, which is 18% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 11% 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 Sonoran Heights Middle School?
26.0% of students at Sonoran Heights Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sonoran Heights Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Sonoran Heights Middle School is White at 44.1% of enrollment, in Surprise, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sonoran Heights Middle School?
Sonoran Heights Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical 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 Sonoran Heights Middle School rank among elementary schools in Surprise?
By Resource Investment Index, Sonoran Heights Middle School ranks #2 of 8 elementary schools in Surprise, 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 Surprise on the city page.
Is Sonoran Heights Middle School a good school?
Sonoran Heights Middle School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 72% 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 Dysart Unified District (4243)?
Besides Sonoran Heights Middle School, Dysart Unified District (4243) also operates Valley Vista High School (2,334 students), Shadow Ridge High School (2,212 students), and Willow Canyon High School (1,901 students). See the Dysart Unified District (4243) 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.