Enrollment
615
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Phoenix, AZ
Sonoran Trails Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Sonoran Trails Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 040000101871
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sonoran Trails Middle School earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #3 of 3
- middle schools in Phoenix · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.6:1
- students per teacher
- 5.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Sonoran Trails Middle School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sonoran Trails Middle School ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Phoenix, AZ.
School address
District: Cave Creek Unified District (4244) · Arizona
NCES ID 040000101871 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.6:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
5.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-88% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sonoran Trails Middle School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sonoran Trails Middle School
Sonoran Trails Middle School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Phoenix, Arizona, enrolling 615 students.
At 17.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Arizona median, within a few percentage points of the 17:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 5.9% free-meal eligibility runs 88% below the Arizona average.
Enrollment of 615 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 2,064 Arizona schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 170 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #167, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (79%) and Hispanic or Latino (14%) (diversity index 35/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 615 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 58.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Cave Creek Unified District (4244) spends $8,436 per pupil, 36% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 8 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Phoenix's middle schools, it stands alongside Pat Tillman Middle School (598 students): Sonoran Trails Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.6:1 vs 15.3:1).
Cave Creek Unified District (4244) also operates Cactus Shadows High School (1,362 students) and Black Mountain Elementary School (496 students) alongside Sonoran Trails 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 Trails Middle School compares
Sonoran Trails 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 | 17.6:1 | ▲ 4% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 5.9% | ▼ 88% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 615 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.6:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
615
Bigger than 74% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
5.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 88% 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
17.6:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 60% in Arizona - lower ratio than 40% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
58.7%
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
$8,436
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 615 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
32
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 8 expulsions.
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 79.0%
Hispanic or Latino 14.3%
Two or More 4.6%
African American 0.7%
Asian 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 79.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 35.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 35.3, Sonoran Trails Middle School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cave Creek Unified District (4244), which includes Sonoran Trails Middle School.
$8,436
Per student
-36%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-49%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 65.6%
State 24.9%
Federal 9.4%
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 Trails Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cactus Shadows High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Black Mountain Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Horseshoe Trails Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lone Mountain Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Desert Willow Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sonoran Trails Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,362
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 496
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 424
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 376
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 338
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar middle schools in Phoenix
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~615 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sonoran Trails Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Sonoran Trails Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Cave Creek Unified District (4244)'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 Trails Middle School
How many students attend Sonoran Trails Middle School?
Sonoran Trails Middle School has 615 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sonoran Trails Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sonoran Trails Middle School is 17.6:1, which is 4% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 12% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sonoran Trails Middle School?
5.9% of students at Sonoran Trails Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sonoran Trails Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Sonoran Trails Middle School is White at 79.0% of enrollment, in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sonoran Trails Middle School?
Sonoran Trails Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (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 Trails Middle School rank among middle schools in Phoenix?
By Resource Investment Index, Sonoran Trails Middle School ranks #3 of 3 middle 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 middle schools in Phoenix on the city page.
Is Sonoran Trails Middle School a good school?
Sonoran Trails Middle School earns 15/100 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 Cave Creek Unified District (4244)?
Besides Sonoran Trails Middle School, Cave Creek Unified District (4244) also operates Cactus Shadows High School (1,362 students), Black Mountain Elementary School (496 students), and Horseshoe Trails Elementary School (424 students). See the Cave Creek Unified District (4244) 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.