Enrollment
339
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Tucson, AZ
Tolson Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Tolson Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040880000891
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Tolson Elementary School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #66 of 131
- schools in Tucson · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.4:1
- students per teacher
- 66.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Tolson Elementary School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Tolson Elementary School ranks #66 of 131 schools in Tucson, AZ.
School address
District: Tucson Unified District (4403) · Arizona
NCES ID 040880000891 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Tolson Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Tolson Elementary School
Tolson Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Tucson, Arizona, enrolling 339 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 66.9% of students eligible for free meals.
With 339 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arizona median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 257 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #98.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (80%) and White (6%) (diversity index 36/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 62.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Tucson's public schools, it stands alongside Craycroft Elementary School (586 students): Tolson Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.4:1 vs 21.7:1).
Tucson Unified District (4403) also operates Tucson Magnet High School (2,938 students) and Pueblo High School (1,821 students) alongside Tolson 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 Tolson Elementary School compares
Tolson 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 | 15.4:1 | ▼ 9% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.9% | ▲ 39% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 339 | top 58% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
339
Bigger than 38% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% 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
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 39% in Arizona - lower ratio than 61% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
62.2%
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
$11,545
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 + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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
Hispanic or Latino 79.6%
White 5.6%
African American 5.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 4.1%
Two or More 3.8%
Asian 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 79.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 35.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 35.7, Tolson Elementary School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tucson Unified District (4403), which includes Tolson Elementary School.
$11,545
Per student
-12%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 41.8%
State 34.7%
Federal 23.6%
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 Tolson Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson Magnet High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pueblo High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cholla High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sahuaro High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Catalina Online Learning Experience | Larger | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Tolson Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,938
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,821
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,575
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,250
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,184
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 15/100
Similar other schools in Tucson
2 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 (~339 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Tolson Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Tolson Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Tucson Unified District (4403)'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 Tolson Elementary School
How many students attend Tolson Elementary School?
Tolson Elementary School has 339 students enrolled. It is a public school in Tucson, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Tolson Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Tolson Elementary School is 15.4:1, which is 9% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 2% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Tolson Elementary School?
66.9% of students at Tolson Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Tolson Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Tolson Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 79.6% of enrollment, in Tucson, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Tolson Elementary School?
Tolson Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (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 Tolson Elementary School rank among schools in Tucson?
By Resource Investment Index, Tolson Elementary School ranks #66 of 131 schools in Tucson, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Tucson on the city page.
Is Tolson Elementary School a good school?
Tolson Elementary School earns 36/100 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 Tucson Unified District (4403)?
Besides Tolson Elementary School, Tucson Unified District (4403) also operates Tucson Magnet High School (2,938 students), Pueblo High School (1,821 students), and Cholla High School (1,575 students). See the Tucson Unified District (4403) 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.