Enrollment
520
Nevada · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Sparks, NV
Sun Valley Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Sun Valley Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 320048000249
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 46
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sun Valley Elementary earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Nevada median.
- #6 of 7
- elementary schools in Sparks · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.9:1
- students per teacher
- 93.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Sun Valley Elementary has class sizes near the Nevada median. Computed live against every Nevada school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sun Valley Elementary ranks #6 of 7 elementary schools in Sparks, NV.
School address
District: Washoe County School District · Nevada
NCES ID 320048000249 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.9:1
vs 20.5:1 Nevada avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
93.0%
vs 76.8% Nevada avg
+21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sun Valley Elementary compares with Nevada and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sun Valley Elementary
Sun Valley Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Sparks, Nevada, enrolling 520 students.
At 17.9:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Nevada median, within a few percentage points of the 20.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 93.0% lands close to the Nevada typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 520 students, its enrollment sits close to the Nevada median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 733 scored Nevada schools.
Against 268 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #182.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (80%) and White (12%) (diversity index 35/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 520 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.7% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Washoe County School District spends $10,957 per pupil, 33% below the Nevada average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Sparks's elementary schools, it stands alongside Pinecrest Academy of Northern Nevada (1,033 students): Sun Valley Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.9:1 vs 25.8:1).
Washoe County School District also operates North Valleys High School (2,307 students) and Spanish Springs High School (2,131 students) alongside Sun Valley Elementary.
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 Valley Elementary compares
Sun Valley Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Nevada and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Nevada | Nevada avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.9:1 | ▼ 13% | 20.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 93.0% | ▲ 21% | 76.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 520 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.9:1
Leaner classes than 25% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
520
Bigger than 64% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
93.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% above the Nevada average of 76.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.9:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 47% in Nevada - lower ratio than 53% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
21.7%
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
$10,957
per pupil, district-wide
- below Nevada avg of $16,454
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 520 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
17
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.4 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 79.8%
White 12.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 3.7%
Two or More 3.3%
Asian 0.6%
African American 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 79.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.6, Sun Valley Elementary is less mixed than the Nevada school average of 56.4.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Washoe County School District, which includes Sun Valley Elementary.
$10,957
Per student
-33%
vs Nevada
Avg $16,454
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.8%
State 68.2%
Federal 12.0%
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 Valley Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Valleys High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spanish Springs High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Edward C. Reed High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Procter R. Hug High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Reno High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sun Valley Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,307
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,131
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 2,092
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,008
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,741
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar elementary schools in Sparks
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 Nevada, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~520 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sun Valley Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Sun Valley Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Washoe County School District'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 Valley Elementary
How many students attend Sun Valley Elementary?
Sun Valley Elementary has 520 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Sparks, NV.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sun Valley Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Sun Valley Elementary is 17.9:1, which is 13% lower than the Nevada average of 20.5:1 and 14% 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 Sun Valley Elementary?
93.0% of students at Sun Valley Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nevada average of 76.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sun Valley Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Sun Valley Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 79.8% of enrollment, in Sparks, NV.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sun Valley Elementary?
Sun Valley Elementary 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 Sun Valley Elementary rank among elementary schools in Sparks?
By Resource Investment Index, Sun Valley Elementary ranks #6 of 7 elementary schools in Sparks, NV. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Sparks on the city page.
Is Sun Valley Elementary a good school?
Sun Valley Elementary earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Nevada 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 Washoe County School District?
Besides Sun Valley Elementary, Washoe County School District also operates North Valleys High School (2,307 students), Spanish Springs High School (2,131 students), and Edward C. Reed High School (2,092 students). See the Washoe County School District 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.