Enrollment
573
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Phoenix, AZ
Sunland Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Sunland Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040708000609
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sunland Elementary School earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Arizona schools.
- #161 of 179
- schools in Phoenix · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.9:1
- students per teacher
- 77.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Sunland Elementary School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sunland Elementary School ranks #161 of 179 schools in Phoenix, AZ.
School address
District: Roosevelt Elementary District (4279) · Arizona
NCES ID 040708000609 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.9:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
77.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+61% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sunland Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sunland Elementary School
Sunland Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Phoenix, Arizona, enrolling 573 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 is high: 77.9% of students qualify for free meals, 61% above the Arizona average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 573 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 2,064 Arizona schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 264 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #243, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (89% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 20/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 573 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 56.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 29.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 168 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 573 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Phoenix's public schools, it stands alongside Pan-American Charter School (1,221 students): Sunland Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Roosevelt Elementary District (4279) also operates Valley View School (577 students) and Ed & Verma Pastor Elementary School (485 students) alongside Sunland Elementary 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 Sunland Elementary School compares
Sunland Elementary 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 | 77.9% | ▲ 61% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 573 | top 31% | - | - |
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.
573
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
77.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% above the Arizona average of 48.3%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; 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
56.4%
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
$13,151
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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 573 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
68
in-school suspensions + 100 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 29.3 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 89.2%
African American 7.5%
White 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Two or More 0.9%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 89.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 19.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 19.8, Sunland Elementary School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Roosevelt Elementary District (4279), which includes Sunland Elementary School.
$13,151
Per student
+0%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.7%
State 31.1%
Federal 29.3%
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 Sunland Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valley View School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ed & Verma Pastor Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Irene Lopez School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Southwest Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| C O Greenfield School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sunland Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 577
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 485
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 483
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 475
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 453
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
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 (~573 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sunland Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Sunland Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Roosevelt Elementary District (4279)'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 Sunland Elementary School
How many students attend Sunland Elementary School?
Sunland Elementary School has 573 students enrolled. It is a public school in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sunland Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sunland Elementary 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 Sunland Elementary School?
77.9% of students at Sunland Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sunland Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Sunland Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 89.2% of enrollment, in Phoenix, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sunland Elementary School?
Sunland Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (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 Sunland Elementary School rank among schools in Phoenix?
By Resource Investment Index, Sunland Elementary School ranks #161 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 Sunland Elementary School a good school?
Sunland Elementary School earns 15/100 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 Roosevelt Elementary District (4279)?
Besides Sunland Elementary School, Roosevelt Elementary District (4279) also operates Valley View School (577 students), Ed & Verma Pastor Elementary School (485 students), and Irene Lopez School (483 students). See the Roosevelt Elementary District (4279) 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.