Enrollment
512
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Tucson, AZ
Tortolita Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Tortolita Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 040463001131
👥 S:T ratio 29
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 32
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Tortolita Middle School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #18 of 25
- middle schools in Tucson · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.7:1
- students per teacher
- 34.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Tortolita Middle School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Tortolita Middle School ranks #18 of 25 middle schools in Tucson, AZ.
School address
District: Marana Unified District (4404) · Arizona
NCES ID 040463001131 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.7:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
34.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Tortolita Middle School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Tortolita Middle School
Tortolita Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Tucson, Arizona, enrolling 512 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 34.9% of students eligible for free meals.
With 512 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arizona median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 285 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #104.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (47%) and White (44%) (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 341 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 72.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Marana Unified District (4404) spends $9,931 per pupil, 24% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 168 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 512 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Tucson's middle schools, it stands alongside Apollo Middle School (480 students): Tortolita Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.7:1 vs 14.1:1).
Marana Unified District (4404) also operates Marana High School (2,437 students) and Mountain View High School (1,827 students) alongside Tortolita Middle 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 Tortolita Middle School compares
Tortolita Middle 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 | 17.7:1 | ▲ 4% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 34.9% | ▼ 28% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 512 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.7:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
512
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
34.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% 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
17.7:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 61% in Arizona - lower ratio than 39% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
72.9%
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
$9,931
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
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 341 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
82
in-school suspensions + 86 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 16.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 32.8 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 46.7%
White 44.3%
Two or More 4.1%
African American 2.7%
Asian 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 46.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.3, Tortolita Middle School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Marana Unified District (4404), which includes Tortolita Middle School.
$9,931
Per student
-24%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.4%
State 43.4%
Federal 14.2%
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 Tortolita Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marana High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mountain View High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dove Mountain K-8 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Marana Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Twin Peaks Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Tortolita Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,437
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,827
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,004
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 941
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 886
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar middle schools in Tucson
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~512 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Tortolita Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Tortolita Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Marana Unified District (4404)'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 Tortolita Middle School
How many students attend Tortolita Middle School?
Tortolita Middle School has 512 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Tucson, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Tortolita Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Tortolita Middle School is 17.7:1, which is 4% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 13% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Tortolita Middle School?
34.9% of students at Tortolita Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Tortolita Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Tortolita Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 46.7% of enrollment, in Tucson, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Tortolita Middle School?
Tortolita Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical 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 Tortolita Middle School rank among middle schools in Tucson?
By Resource Investment Index, Tortolita Middle School ranks #18 of 25 middle 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 middle schools in Tucson on the city page.
Is Tortolita Middle School a good school?
Tortolita Middle School earns 33/100 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 Marana Unified District (4404)?
Besides Tortolita Middle School, Marana Unified District (4404) also operates Marana High School (2,437 students), Mountain View High School (1,827 students), and Dove Mountain K-8 (1,004 students). See the Marana Unified District (4404) 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.