Enrollment
759
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · El Mirage, AZ
Thompson Ranch Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Thompson Ranch Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 65/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040269002402
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 97
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thompson Ranch Elementary earns 65/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #1 of 5
- schools in El Mirage · Resource Index
- 65
- Resource Index · Higher
- 18.1:1
- students per teacher
- 64.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Thompson Ranch Elementary has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thompson Ranch Elementary ranks #1 of 5 schools in El Mirage, AZ.
School address
District: Dysart Unified District (4243) · Arizona
NCES ID 040269002402 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.1:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thompson Ranch Elementary compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thompson Ranch Elementary
Thompson Ranch Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in El Mirage, Arizona, enrolling 759 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 64.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 759 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 97% of the 2,064 Arizona schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 256 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #1, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (67%) and African American (15%) (diversity index 52/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 1.2% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Dysart Unified District (4243) spends $9,891 per pupil, 25% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 17.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 187 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 759 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Dysart Unified District (4243) also operates Valley Vista High School (2,334 students) and Shadow Ridge High School (2,212 students) alongside Thompson Ranch 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 Thompson Ranch Elementary compares
Thompson Ranch 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 | 18.1:1 | ▲ 6% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.9% | ▲ 34% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 759 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.1:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
759
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
64.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% 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
18.1:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 64% in Arizona - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
1.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$9,891
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
40
in-school suspensions + 147 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 24.6 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 66.8%
African American 14.8%
White 12.1%
Two or More 3.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.8%
Asian 1.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 66.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.6, Thompson Ranch Elementary is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Dysart Unified District (4243), which includes Thompson Ranch Elementary.
$9,891
Per student
-25%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.2%
State 44.3%
Federal 17.5%
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 Thompson Ranch Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valley Vista High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shadow Ridge High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Willow Canyon High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dysart High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mountain View | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thompson Ranch Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,334
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,212
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,901
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,471
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,045
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
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 (~759 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thompson Ranch Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Thompson Ranch Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Dysart Unified District (4243)'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 Thompson Ranch Elementary
How many students attend Thompson Ranch Elementary?
Thompson Ranch Elementary has 759 students enrolled. It is a public school in El Mirage, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thompson Ranch Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Thompson Ranch Elementary is 18.1:1, which is 6% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thompson Ranch Elementary?
64.9% of students at Thompson Ranch Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thompson Ranch Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Thompson Ranch Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 66.8% of enrollment, in El Mirage, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thompson Ranch Elementary?
Thompson Ranch Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 65/100 (higher 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 Thompson Ranch Elementary rank among schools in El Mirage?
By Resource Investment Index, Thompson Ranch Elementary ranks #1 of 5 schools in El Mirage, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in El Mirage on the city page.
Is Thompson Ranch Elementary a good school?
Thompson Ranch Elementary earns 65/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona 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 Dysart Unified District (4243)?
Besides Thompson Ranch Elementary, Dysart Unified District (4243) also operates Valley Vista High School (2,334 students), Shadow Ridge High School (2,212 students), and Willow Canyon High School (1,901 students). See the Dysart Unified District (4243) 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.