Enrollment
549
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Thatcher, AZ
Thatcher Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Thatcher Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 040841000797
👥 S:T ratio 8
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 15
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thatcher Elementary School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Arizona schools.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Thatcher · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.9:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 22.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Thatcher Elementary School has class sizes larger than 90% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thatcher Elementary School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Thatcher, AZ.
School address
District: Thatcher Unified District (4219) · Arizona
NCES ID 040841000797 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.9:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+35% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-53% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thatcher Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thatcher Elementary School
Thatcher Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Thatcher, Arizona, enrolling 549 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.9:1 is larger than about 90% of Arizona schools and 35% above the 17:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 22.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 549 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 268 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #151.
Its student body is led by White (66%) and Hispanic or Latino (29%) (diversity index 48/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Thatcher Unified District (4219) spends $8,460 per pupil, 36% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Thatcher's elementary schools, it stands alongside Jack Daley Primary School (418 students): Thatcher Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (22.9:1 vs 19:1).
Thatcher Unified District (4219) also operates Thatcher High School (512 students) and Jack Daley Primary School (418 students) alongside Thatcher 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 Thatcher Elementary School compares
Thatcher 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 | 22.9:1 | ▲ 35% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.9% | ▼ 53% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 549 | top 34% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.9:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
549
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 53% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
22.9:1
students per teacher
- 35% above state mean
Top 90% in Arizona - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
33.9%
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
$8,460
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 + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.0 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 66.1%
Hispanic or Latino 29.0%
Two or More 2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.0%
Asian 0.4%
African American 0.2%
Largest group: White at 66.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.8, Thatcher Elementary School is about as mixed as the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Thatcher Unified District (4219), which includes Thatcher Elementary School.
$8,460
Per student
-36%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-49%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 12.7%
State 67.6%
Federal 19.7%
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 Thatcher Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thatcher High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Jack Daley Primary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Thatcher Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Eagle Online Academy | Smaller | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Thatcher Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 512
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 418
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 273
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 49
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar elementary schools in Thatcher
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 Arizona, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~549 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thatcher Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Thatcher Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Thatcher Unified District (4219)'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 Thatcher Elementary School
How many students attend Thatcher Elementary School?
Thatcher Elementary School has 549 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Thatcher, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thatcher Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Thatcher Elementary School is 22.9:1, which is 35% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 46% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thatcher Elementary School?
22.9% of students at Thatcher Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thatcher Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Thatcher Elementary School is White at 66.1% of enrollment, in Thatcher, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thatcher Elementary School?
Thatcher Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (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 Thatcher Elementary School rank among public schools in Thatcher?
By Resource Investment Index, Thatcher Elementary School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Thatcher, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Thatcher on the city page.
Is Thatcher Elementary School a good school?
Thatcher Elementary School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% 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 Thatcher Unified District (4219)?
Besides Thatcher Elementary School, Thatcher Unified District (4219) also operates Thatcher High School (512 students), Jack Daley Primary School (418 students), and Thatcher Middle School (273 students). See the Thatcher Unified District (4219) 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.