Enrollment
1,014
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Buckeye, AZ
Verrado Heritage Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Verrado Heritage Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 13/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 040438003478
👥 S:T ratio 4
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 5
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Verrado Heritage Elementary School earns 13/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of Arizona schools.
- #6 of 6
- schools in Buckeye · Resource Index
- 13
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.1:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 18.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Verrado Heritage Elementary School has class sizes larger than 92% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Verrado Heritage Elementary School ranks #6 of 6 schools in Buckeye, AZ.
School address
District: Litchfield Elementary District (4281) · Arizona
NCES ID 040438003478 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.1:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+42% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
18.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-63% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Verrado Heritage Elementary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Verrado Heritage Elementary School
Verrado Heritage Elementary School is a lower-poverty, large combined-grade school in Buckeye, Arizona, enrolling 1,014 students.
Class loads run heavy: 24.1:1 is larger than about 92% of Arizona schools and 42% above the 17:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 18.0% free-meal eligibility runs 63% below the Arizona average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Arizona, bigger than 91% of state schools at 1,014 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 2,064 Arizona schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 188 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #182, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (43%) and Hispanic or Latino (42%) (diversity index 63/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Litchfield Elementary District (4281) spends $8,750 per pupil, 33% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Buckeye's public schools, it stands alongside Blue Horizons Elementary School (976 students): Verrado Heritage Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (24.1:1 vs 26.4:1).
Litchfield Elementary District (4281) also operates Belen Soto Elementary School (1,123 students) and Western Sky Middle School (952 students) alongside Verrado Heritage 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 Verrado Heritage Elementary School compares
Verrado Heritage 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 | 24.1:1 | ▲ 42% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 18.0% | ▼ 63% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,014 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.1:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,014
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
18.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 63% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
24.1:1
students per teacher
- 42% above state mean
Top 92% in Arizona - lower ratio than 8% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
38.0%
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
$8,750
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
33
in-school suspensions + 15 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.7 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 42.9%
Hispanic or Latino 42.1%
Two or More 7.2%
African American 5.3%
Asian 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 42.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.0, Verrado Heritage Elementary School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Litchfield Elementary District (4281), which includes Verrado Heritage Elementary School.
$8,750
Per student
-33%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-47%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.8%
State 50.0%
Federal 13.2%
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 Verrado Heritage Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belen Soto Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Western Sky Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Verrado Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Wigwam Creek Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Verrado Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Verrado Heritage Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,123
- Students per teacher
- 25.5:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
- Enrollment
- 952
- Students per teacher
- 23.2:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 847
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 782
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 731
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
Similar other schools in Buckeye
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Blue Horizons Elementary School
Standard public school
976 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
Marionneaux Elementary School
Standard public school
697 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Desert Sunset Elementary School
Standard public school
648 students 21.6:1 students per teacher
Sequoia Pathfinder Academy at Verrado Way and I-10
Standard public school
602 students
Festival Foothills Elementary School
Standard public school
262 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
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 (~1,014 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Verrado Heritage Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Verrado Heritage Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Litchfield Elementary District (4281)'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 Verrado Heritage Elementary School
How many students attend Verrado Heritage Elementary School?
Verrado Heritage Elementary School has 1,014 students enrolled. It is a public school in Buckeye, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Verrado Heritage Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Verrado Heritage Elementary School is 24.1:1, which is 42% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 54% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Verrado Heritage Elementary School?
18.0% of students at Verrado Heritage Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Verrado Heritage Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Verrado Heritage Elementary School is White at 42.9% of enrollment, in Buckeye, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Verrado Heritage Elementary School?
Verrado Heritage Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 13/100 (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 Verrado Heritage Elementary School rank among schools in Buckeye?
By Resource Investment Index, Verrado Heritage Elementary School ranks #6 of 6 schools in Buckeye, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Buckeye on the city page.
Is Verrado Heritage Elementary School a good school?
Verrado Heritage Elementary School earns 13/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% 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 Litchfield Elementary District (4281)?
Besides Verrado Heritage Elementary School, Litchfield Elementary District (4281) also operates Belen Soto Elementary School (1,123 students), Western Sky Middle School (952 students), and Verrado Elementary School (847 students). See the Litchfield Elementary District (4281) 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.