Enrollment
952
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Goodyear, AZ
Western Sky Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Western Sky Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 12/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 040438001547
👥 S:T ratio 7
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Western Sky Middle School earns 12/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Arizona schools.
- 12
- Resource Index · Lower
- 23.2:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 15.9%
- free-lunch eligible
- 952
- students enrolled
Western Sky Middle School has class sizes larger than 90% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Litchfield Elementary District (4281) · Arizona
NCES ID 040438001547 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.2:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+36% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
15.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-67% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Western Sky Middle School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Western Sky Middle School
Western Sky Middle School is a lower-poverty, large elementary school in Goodyear, Arizona, enrolling 952 students.
Class loads run heavy: 23.2:1 is larger than about 90% of Arizona schools and 36% above the 17:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 15.9% free-meal eligibility runs 67% below the Arizona average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Arizona, bigger than 90% of state schools at 952 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 2,064 Arizona schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 193 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #188, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (44%) and White (39%) (diversity index 64/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.5% 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.
Litchfield Elementary District (4281) also operates Belen Soto Elementary School (1,123 students) and Verrado Heritage Elementary School (1,014 students) alongside Western Sky 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 Western Sky Middle School compares
Western Sky 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 | 23.2:1 | ▲ 36% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 15.9% | ▼ 67% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 952 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.2:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
952
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
15.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 67% 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
23.2:1
students per teacher
- 36% 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.
Engagement
44.5%
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
100
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.9 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 44.4%
White 38.8%
Two or More 7.1%
African American 6.4%
Asian 2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 44.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.2, Western Sky Middle 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 Western Sky Middle 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 Western Sky Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belen Soto Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Verrado Heritage Elementary 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 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Western Sky Middle 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
- 1,014
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
- 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 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 (~952 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Western Sky Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Western Sky Middle 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 Western Sky Middle School
How many students attend Western Sky Middle School?
Western Sky Middle School has 952 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Goodyear, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Western Sky Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Western Sky Middle School is 23.2:1, which is 36% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 48% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Western Sky Middle School?
15.9% of students at Western Sky Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Western Sky Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Western Sky Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 44.4% of enrollment, in Goodyear, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Western Sky Middle School?
Western Sky Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 12/100 (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).
Is Western Sky Middle School a good school?
Western Sky Middle School earns 12/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% 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 Western Sky Middle School, Litchfield Elementary District (4281) also operates Belen Soto Elementary School (1,123 students), Verrado Heritage Elementary School (1,014 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.