Enrollment
556
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Glendale, AZ
Sunburst School
Federal NCES profile for Sunburst School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040906000942
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sunburst School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Arizona schools.
- #26 of 46
- schools in Glendale · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.9:1
- students per teacher
- 56.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Sunburst School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sunburst School ranks #26 of 46 schools in Glendale, AZ.
School address
District: Washington Elementary School District (4260) · Arizona
NCES ID 040906000942 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.9:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
56.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+18% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sunburst School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sunburst School
Sunburst School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Glendale, Arizona, enrolling 556 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 56.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 556 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 362 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #125.
Its student body is led by White (41%) and Hispanic or Latino (37%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 57.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.8% 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): Sunburst School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.9:1 vs 25.6:1).
Washington Elementary School District (4260) also operates Lookout Mountain School (979 students) and Mountain View Elementary School (903 students) alongside Sunburst 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 Sunburst School compares
Sunburst 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 | 17.9:1 | ▲ 5% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.9% | ▲ 18% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 556 | top 33% | - | - |
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.
556
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
56.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 18% 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
17.9:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 62% in Arizona - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
57.7%
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
$10,856
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
25
in-school suspensions + 47 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.9 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
White 41.2%
Hispanic or Latino 37.4%
African American 11.2%
Two or More 6.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.3%
Asian 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 41.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.3, Sunburst School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Washington Elementary School District (4260), which includes Sunburst School.
$10,856
Per student
-17%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.7%
State 45.6%
Federal 24.8%
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 Sunburst School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lookout Mountain School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mountain View Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Acacia Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Orangewood School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Palo Verde Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sunburst School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 979
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 903
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 806
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 797
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 797
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
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 (~556 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sunburst School's federal record.
- Compare Sunburst School against another school. Compare schools
- Washington Elementary School District (4260)'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 Sunburst School
How many students attend Sunburst School?
Sunburst School has 556 students enrolled. It is a public school in Glendale, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sunburst School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sunburst School is 17.9:1, which is 5% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 14% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sunburst School?
56.9% of students at Sunburst School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sunburst School?
The largest demographic group at Sunburst School is White at 41.2% of enrollment, in Glendale, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sunburst School?
Sunburst School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical 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 Sunburst School rank among schools in Glendale?
By Resource Investment Index, Sunburst School ranks #26 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 Sunburst School a good school?
Sunburst School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. It is also more 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 Washington Elementary School District (4260)?
Besides Sunburst School, Washington Elementary School District (4260) also operates Lookout Mountain School (979 students), Mountain View Elementary School (903 students), and Acacia Elementary School (806 students). See the Washington Elementary School District (4260) 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.