Enrollment
2,334
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Surprise, AZ
Valley Vista High School
Federal NCES profile for Valley Vista High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040269002684
👥 S:T ratio 8
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 22
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Valley Vista High School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Arizona schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Arizona.
- #8 of 14
- schools in Surprise · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 22.9:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 34.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Valley Vista High School has class sizes larger than 90% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Valley Vista High School ranks #8 of 14 schools in Surprise, AZ.
School address
District: Dysart Unified District (4243) · Arizona
NCES ID 040269002684 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
102.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.9:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+35% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
34.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-30% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Valley Vista High School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Valley Vista High School
Valley Vista High School is a large combined-grade school in Surprise, Arizona, enrolling 2,334 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 34.0% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Arizona, bigger than 99% of state schools at 2,334 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 52 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #14.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (48%) and White (32%) (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 389 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
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.
Among Surprise's public schools, it stands alongside American Leadership Academy West Foothills K-12 (2,276 students): Valley Vista High School is larger than that campus by headcount.
Dysart Unified District (4243) also operates Shadow Ridge High School (2,212 students) and Willow Canyon High School (1,901 students) alongside Valley Vista High 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 Valley Vista High School compares
Valley Vista High 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 | 34.0% | ▼ 30% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,334 | top 1% | - | - |
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.
2,334
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
34.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 30% 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.
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
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 389 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
47
in-school suspensions + 186 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 48.3%
White 32.2%
African American 9.8%
Two or More 7.4%
Asian 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 48.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.8, Valley Vista High School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 11
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Dysart Unified District (4243), which includes Valley Vista High School.
$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 Valley Vista High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Ridge High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Willow Canyon High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dysart High School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mountain View | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Canyon Ridge School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Valley Vista High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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
- Enrollment
- 1,042
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar other schools in Surprise
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 (~2,334 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Valley Vista High School's federal record.
- Compare Valley Vista High School 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 Valley Vista High School
How many students attend Valley Vista High School?
Valley Vista High School has 2,334 students enrolled. It is a public school in Surprise, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Valley Vista High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Valley Vista High 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 Valley Vista High School?
34.0% of students at Valley Vista High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Valley Vista High School?
The largest demographic group at Valley Vista High School is Hispanic or Latino at 48.3% of enrollment, in Surprise, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Valley Vista High School?
Valley Vista High School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Valley Vista High School rank among schools in Surprise?
By Resource Investment Index, Valley Vista High School ranks #8 of 14 schools in Surprise, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Surprise on the city page.
Is Valley Vista High School a good school?
Valley Vista High School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Arizona schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Arizona. 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 Valley Vista High School, Dysart Unified District (4243) also operates Shadow Ridge High School (2,212 students), Willow Canyon High School (1,901 students), and Dysart High School (1,471 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.