Enrollment
656
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Buckeye, AZ
Sundance Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Sundance Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040138002490
👥 S:T ratio 18
🌟 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
Sundance Elementary earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of Arizona schools.
- #4 of 12
- schools in Buckeye · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.5:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 53.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Sundance Elementary has class sizes larger than 78% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sundance Elementary ranks #4 of 12 schools in Buckeye, AZ.
School address
District: Buckeye Elementary District (4269) · Arizona
NCES ID 040138002490 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.5:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sundance Elementary compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sundance Elementary
Sundance Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Buckeye, Arizona, enrolling 656 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 53.9% lands close to the Arizona typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 656 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 332 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #229.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (66%) and White (14%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 656 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 61.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Buckeye Elementary District (4269) spends $9,490 per pupil, 28% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 171 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 656 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Buckeye's public schools, it stands alongside Verrado Heritage Elementary School (1,014 students): Sundance Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (20.5:1 vs 24.1:1).
Buckeye Elementary District (4269) also operates Buckeye Elementary School (1,150 students) and Steven R. Jasinski Elementary School (855 students) alongside Sundance 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 Sundance Elementary compares
Sundance Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.5:1 | ▲ 21% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.9% | ▲ 12% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 656 | top 25% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.5:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
656
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% 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
20.5:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 78% in Arizona - lower ratio than 22% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
61.7%
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
$9,490
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 656 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
77
in-school suspensions + 94 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 26.1 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 66.3%
White 14.0%
African American 12.5%
Two or More 3.8%
Asian 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 66.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.3, Sundance Elementary is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Buckeye Elementary District (4269), which includes Sundance Elementary.
$9,490
Per student
-28%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-43%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.0%
State 51.2%
Federal 19.8%
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 Sundance Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buckeye Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Steven R. Jasinski Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| John S Mccain Iii Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Inca Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bales Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sundance Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,150
- Students per teacher
- 28:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 855
- Students per teacher
- 26.7:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 777
- Students per teacher
- 25.9:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 735
- Students per teacher
- 30.6:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 699
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
Similar other schools in Buckeye
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Verrado Heritage Elementary School
Standard public school
1,014 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Blue Horizons Elementary School
Standard public school
976 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
Marionneaux Elementary School
Standard public school
697 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Desert Sunset Elementary School
Standard public school
648 students 21.6:1 students per teacher
Sequoia Pathfinder Academy at Verrado Way and I-10
Standard public school
602 students
Festival Foothills Elementary School
Standard public school
262 students 16.4:1 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 (~656 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sundance Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Sundance Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Buckeye Elementary District (4269)'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 Sundance Elementary
How many students attend Sundance Elementary?
Sundance Elementary has 656 students enrolled. It is a public school in Buckeye, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sundance Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Sundance Elementary is 20.5:1, which is 21% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 31% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sundance Elementary?
53.9% of students at Sundance Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sundance Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Sundance Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 66.3% of enrollment, in Buckeye, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sundance Elementary?
Sundance Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (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 Sundance Elementary rank among schools in Buckeye?
By Resource Investment Index, Sundance Elementary ranks #4 of 12 schools in Buckeye, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Buckeye on the city page.
Is Sundance Elementary a good school?
Sundance Elementary earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% 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 Buckeye Elementary District (4269)?
Besides Sundance Elementary, Buckeye Elementary District (4269) also operates Buckeye Elementary School (1,150 students), Steven R. Jasinski Elementary School (855 students), and John S Mccain Iii Elementary School (777 students). See the Buckeye Elementary District (4269) 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.