Enrollment
404
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Tempe, AZ
Ward Traditional Academy
Federal NCES profile for Ward Traditional Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 040831003112
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 19
📋 Attendance 62
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ward Traditional Academy earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% of Arizona schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Arizona schools.
- #3 of 10
- elementary schools in Tempe · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.9:1
- small classes for Arizona
- 21.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Ward Traditional Academy has class sizes smaller than 73% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ward Traditional Academy ranks #3 of 10 elementary schools in Tempe, AZ.
School address
District: Tempe School District (4258) · Arizona
NCES ID 040831003112 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.9:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-57% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ward Traditional Academy compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ward Traditional Academy
Ward Traditional Academy is a mid-sized elementary school in Tempe, Arizona, enrolling 404 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 21.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 404 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.
Among 195 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #18, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (45%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 404 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
15.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Tempe School District (4258) also operates Connolly Middle School (923 students) and Nevitt Elementary School (712 students) alongside Ward Traditional Academy.
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 Ward Traditional Academy compares
Ward Traditional Academy on the metrics families compare, against Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.9:1 | ▼ 18% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.0% | ▼ 57% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 404 | top 51% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.9:1
Leaner classes than 58% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
404
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 57% 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
13.9:1
students per teacher
- 18% below state mean
Top 27% in Arizona - lower ratio than 73% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
15.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,917
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 404 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.2 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 45.3%
Hispanic or Latino 29.5%
Asian 9.7%
Two or More 7.4%
African American 6.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: White at 45.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.8, Ward Traditional Academy is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tempe School District (4258), which includes Ward Traditional Academy.
$11,917
Per student
-9%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 57.6%
State 29.1%
Federal 13.3%
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 Ward Traditional Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connolly Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Nevitt Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Geneva Epps Mosley Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Fees College Preparatory Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Broadmor Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ward Traditional Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 923
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 712
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 694
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 645
- Students per teacher
- 12.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 575
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar elementary 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 (~404 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ward Traditional Academy's federal record.
- Compare Ward Traditional Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Tempe School District (4258)'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 Ward Traditional Academy
How many students attend Ward Traditional Academy?
Ward Traditional Academy has 404 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Tempe, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ward Traditional Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Ward Traditional Academy is 13.9:1, which is 18% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 11% 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 Ward Traditional Academy?
21.0% of students at Ward Traditional Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ward Traditional Academy?
The largest demographic group at Ward Traditional Academy is White at 45.3% of enrollment, in Tempe, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ward Traditional Academy?
Ward Traditional Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher 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 Ward Traditional Academy rank among elementary schools in Tempe?
By Resource Investment Index, Ward Traditional Academy ranks #3 of 10 elementary schools in Tempe, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Tempe on the city page.
Is Ward Traditional Academy a good school?
Ward Traditional Academy earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% of Arizona schools. It is also more 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 Tempe School District (4258)?
Besides Ward Traditional Academy, Tempe School District (4258) also operates Connolly Middle School (923 students), Nevitt Elementary School (712 students), and Geneva Epps Mosley Middle School (694 students). See the Tempe School District (4258) 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.