Enrollment
537
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Glendale, AZ
Sonoran Sky Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Sonoran Sky Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040621002136
👥 S:T ratio 23
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sonoran Sky Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Arizona schools.
- #44 of 46
- schools in Glendale · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.2:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 53.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Sonoran Sky Elementary School has class sizes larger than 71% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sonoran Sky Elementary School ranks #44 of 46 schools in Glendale, AZ.
School address
District: Pendergast Elementary District (4283) · Arizona
NCES ID 040621002136 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.2:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sonoran Sky Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sonoran Sky Elementary School
Sonoran Sky Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Glendale, Arizona, enrolling 537 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 53.0% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 537 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 346 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #231.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (68%) and African American (15%) (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 537 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 60.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Pendergast Elementary District (4283) spends $9,983 per pupil, 24% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 22.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Glendale's public schools, it stands alongside Sandra Day O'connor High School (2,658 students): Sonoran Sky Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19.2:1 vs 25.6:1).
Pendergast Elementary District (4283) also operates Garden Lakes Elementary School (941 students) and Westwind Elementary School (932 students) alongside Sonoran Sky 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 Sonoran Sky Elementary School compares
Sonoran Sky 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 | 19.2:1 | ▲ 13% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.0% | ▲ 10% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 537 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.2:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
537
Bigger than 66% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% above the Arizona average of 48.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19.2:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 71% in Arizona - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
60.5%
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
$9,983
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 537 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
8
in-school suspensions + 23 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.8 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 67.6%
African American 14.5%
White 9.7%
Two or More 3.2%
Asian 2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 67.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.0, Sonoran Sky 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 Pendergast Elementary District (4283), which includes Sonoran Sky Elementary School.
$9,983
Per student
-24%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.1%
State 49.4%
Federal 22.5%
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 Sky Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garden Lakes Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Westwind Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Copper King Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Desert Horizon Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Desert Mirage Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sonoran Sky Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 941
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 932
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 738
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 690
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 675
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
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 (~537 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sonoran Sky Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Sonoran Sky Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Pendergast Elementary District (4283)'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 Sky Elementary School
How many students attend Sonoran Sky Elementary School?
Sonoran Sky Elementary School has 537 students enrolled. It is a public school in Glendale, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sonoran Sky Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sonoran Sky Elementary School is 19.2:1, which is 13% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 22% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sonoran Sky Elementary School?
53.0% of students at Sonoran Sky Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sonoran Sky Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Sonoran Sky Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 67.6% of enrollment, in Glendale, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sonoran Sky Elementary School?
Sonoran Sky Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (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 Sky Elementary School rank among schools in Glendale?
By Resource Investment Index, Sonoran Sky Elementary School ranks #44 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 Sonoran Sky Elementary School a good school?
Sonoran Sky Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% 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 Pendergast Elementary District (4283)?
Besides Sonoran Sky Elementary School, Pendergast Elementary District (4283) also operates Garden Lakes Elementary School (941 students), Westwind Elementary School (932 students), and Copper King Elementary (738 students). See the Pendergast Elementary District (4283) 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.