Enrollment
547
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Nogales, AZ
Wade Carpenter Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Wade Carpenter Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 040553000456
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 45
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Wade Carpenter Middle School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Arizona schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Arizona schools.
- #7 of 13
- public schools in Nogales · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 87.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Wade Carpenter Middle School has class sizes larger than 81% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Wade Carpenter Middle School ranks #7 of 13 public schools in Nogales, AZ.
School address
District: Nogales Unified District (4457) · Arizona
NCES ID 040553000456 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
87.8%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+82% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Wade Carpenter Middle School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Wade Carpenter Middle School
Wade Carpenter Middle School is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Nogales, Arizona, enrolling 547 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 21:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 87.8% of students qualify for free meals, 82% above the Arizona average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 547 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 157 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #97.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (100% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 0/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 274 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 53.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Nogales Unified District (4457) spends $9,608 per pupil, 27% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 27.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Nogales's middle schools, it stands alongside Desert Shadows Middle School (784 students): Wade Carpenter Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21:1 vs 22.4:1).
Nogales Unified District (4457) also operates Nogales High School (1,774 students) and Desert Shadows Middle School (784 students) alongside Wade Carpenter 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 Wade Carpenter Middle School compares
Wade Carpenter 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 | 21:1 | ▲ 24% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 87.8% | ▲ 82% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 547 | top 34% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
547
Bigger than 67% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
87.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 82% above the Arizona average of 48.3%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21:1
students per teacher
- 24% above state mean
Top 81% in Arizona - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
53.7%
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
$9,608
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 274 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 48 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.6 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 99.8%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 99.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 0.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 0.4, Wade Carpenter Middle School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Nogales Unified District (4457), which includes Wade Carpenter Middle School.
$9,608
Per student
-27%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-42%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 15.7%
State 56.8%
Federal 27.5%
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 Wade Carpenter Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nogales High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Desert Shadows Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Francisco Vasquez De Coronado Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mary L Welty Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Wade Carpenter Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,774
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 784
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 508
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 421
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 381
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
Similar middle schools in Nogales
1 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 (~547 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Wade Carpenter Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Wade Carpenter Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Nogales Unified District (4457)'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 Wade Carpenter Middle School
How many students attend Wade Carpenter Middle School?
Wade Carpenter Middle School has 547 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Nogales, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Wade Carpenter Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Wade Carpenter Middle School is 21:1, which is 24% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 34% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Wade Carpenter Middle School?
87.8% of students at Wade Carpenter Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Wade Carpenter Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Wade Carpenter Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 99.8% of enrollment, in Nogales, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Wade Carpenter Middle School?
Wade Carpenter Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (lower 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 Wade Carpenter Middle School rank among public schools in Nogales?
By Resource Investment Index, Wade Carpenter Middle School ranks #7 of 13 public schools in Nogales, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Nogales on the city page.
Is Wade Carpenter Middle School a good school?
Wade Carpenter Middle School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Arizona schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Nogales Unified District (4457)?
Besides Wade Carpenter Middle School, Nogales Unified District (4457) also operates Nogales High School (1,774 students), Desert Shadows Middle School (784 students), and Francisco Vasquez De Coronado Elementary School (508 students). See the Nogales Unified District (4457) 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.