Enrollment
703
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Phoenix, AZ
Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School
Federal NCES profile for Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040168000104
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 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
Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Arizona schools.
- #112 of 179
- schools in Phoenix · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.7:1
- students per teacher
- 56.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School ranks #112 of 179 schools in Phoenix, AZ.
School address
District: Cartwright Elementary District (4282) · Arizona
NCES ID 040168000104 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.7:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
56.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School
Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Phoenix, Arizona, enrolling 703 students.
At 16.7:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 56.0% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 703 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 313 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #176.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (94% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 12/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 703 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 51.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 41.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Phoenix's public schools, it stands alongside Pan-American Charter School (1,221 students): Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Cartwright Elementary District (4282) also operates Frank Borman School (960 students) and Charles W. Harris School (875 students) alongside Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community 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 Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School compares
Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community 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 | 16.7:1 | ▼ 2% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.0% | ▲ 16% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 703 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.7:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
703
Bigger than 80% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
56.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% 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
16.7:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 52% in Arizona - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
51.9%
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
$11,851
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 703 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 26 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.3 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 94.0%
African American 2.0%
White 1.6%
Two or More 1.0%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 94.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 11.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 11.6, Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cartwright Elementary District (4282), which includes Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School.
$11,851
Per student
-10%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.7%
State 42.2%
Federal 41.1%
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 Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Borman School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Charles W. Harris School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Peralta School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Manuel Pena Jr. School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sunset School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 960
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 875
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 817
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 806
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 739
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
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 (~703 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School's federal record.
- Compare Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School against another school. Compare schools
- Cartwright Elementary District (4282)'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 Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School
How many students attend Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School?
Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School has 703 students enrolled. It is a public school in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School?
The student-teacher ratio at Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School is 16.7:1, which is 2% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 6% higher 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 Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School?
56.0% of students at Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School?
The largest demographic group at Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School is Hispanic or Latino at 94.0% of enrollment, in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School?
Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (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 Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School rank among schools in Phoenix?
By Resource Investment Index, Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School ranks #112 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 Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School a good school?
Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Cartwright Elementary District (4282)?
Besides Starlight Park College Preparatory and Community School, Cartwright Elementary District (4282) also operates Frank Borman School (960 students), Charles W. Harris School (875 students), and Peralta School (817 students). See the Cartwright Elementary District (4282) 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.