Enrollment
563
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Phoenix, AZ
Sun Canyon School
Federal NCES profile for Sun Canyon School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040306002355
👥 S:T ratio 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 5
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sun Canyon School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Arizona schools.
- #103 of 179
- schools in Phoenix · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.5:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 54.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Sun Canyon School has class sizes larger than 88% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sun Canyon School ranks #103 of 179 schools in Phoenix, AZ.
School address
District: Fowler Elementary District (4273) · Arizona
NCES ID 040306002355 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.5:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+32% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
54.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sun Canyon School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sun Canyon School
Sun Canyon School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Phoenix, Arizona, enrolling 563 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.5:1 is larger than about 88% of Arizona schools and 32% above the 17:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 54.9% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 563 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 357 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #185.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (82% of enrollment) (diversity index 31/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Fowler Elementary District (4273) spends $10,395 per pupil, 21% 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): Sun Canyon School is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Fowler Elementary District (4273) also operates Santa Maria Middle School (591 students) and Western Valley Middle School (553 students) alongside Sun Canyon 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 Sun Canyon School compares
Sun Canyon 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 | 22.5:1 | ▲ 32% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 54.9% | ▲ 14% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 563 | top 32% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.5:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
563
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
54.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% 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
22.5:1
students per teacher
- 32% above state mean
Top 88% in Arizona - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
38.0%
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
$10,395
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
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.2 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 82.4%
African American 10.7%
White 2.5%
Two or More 2.3%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 82.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 30.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 30.8, Sun Canyon School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fowler Elementary District (4273), which includes Sun Canyon School.
$10,395
Per student
-21%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-37%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.9%
State 45.2%
Federal 13.9%
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 Sun Canyon School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Western Valley Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Tuscano Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Western Valley Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sunridge Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sun Canyon School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 591
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 553
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 532
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 532
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 11/100
- Enrollment
- 504
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 9/100
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 (~563 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sun Canyon School's federal record.
- Compare Sun Canyon School against another school. Compare schools
- Fowler Elementary District (4273)'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 Sun Canyon School
How many students attend Sun Canyon School?
Sun Canyon School has 563 students enrolled. It is a public school in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sun Canyon School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sun Canyon School is 22.5:1, which is 32% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 43% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sun Canyon School?
54.9% of students at Sun Canyon School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sun Canyon School?
The largest demographic group at Sun Canyon School is Hispanic or Latino at 82.4% of enrollment, in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sun Canyon School?
Sun Canyon School has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower 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 Sun Canyon School rank among schools in Phoenix?
By Resource Investment Index, Sun Canyon School ranks #103 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 Sun Canyon School a good school?
Sun Canyon School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% 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 Fowler Elementary District (4273)?
Besides Sun Canyon School, Fowler Elementary District (4273) also operates Santa Maria Middle School (591 students), Western Valley Middle School (553 students), and Tuscano Elementary School (532 students). See the Fowler Elementary District (4273) 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.