Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 16 schools in district

Cortina Elementary

19680 S 188TH ST, QUEEN CREEK, AZ 85142Higley Unified School District (4248) →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–08Non-Charter
702
Students
Total enrolled
$10,123
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 29% vs nat'l
17.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 11% vs nat'l
36/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 28% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 702 students in grades PK–08 in QUEEN CREEK, Arizona.
29% below average funding
District spends $10,123 per pupil, 29% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 36th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Cortina Elementary is a large elementary in QUEEN CREEK, Arizona, serving grades PK–08 with 702 students. The district invests $10,123 per student — 29% below the national average of $14,347, with a 17.0:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. With only 10% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 36/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Cortina Elementary

702
Total Students
17.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
10%
Free Lunch
41
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution364 male · 338 female
52%
48%
Male 52%Female 48%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility10%
National avg 52% · 70 students
Student Composition
70%
18%
Asian2%
White70%
Hispanic / Latino18%
Black3%
Multiracial7%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 040378002663

Academic Outcomes at Cortina Elementary

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
36
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 36th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 13th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 85142

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$10,123Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$10,123
State avg
$16,564
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$4,454
Student Support$1,923
Administration$1,215
Operations$1,518
Other$1,012
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $10,123 spent per student, an estimated $4,485 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
49%
40%
State government
48.7%
Local (property tax)
40.1%
Federal programs
11.2%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 10% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-average funding — $10,123/student, 29% less than the national average
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (36/100) — national median is 50
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
San Tan ElementaryChaparral Elementary SchoolGateway Pointe ElementaryHigley Traditional Academy
+4 more
↓
Middle
Sossaman Middle SchoolCooley Middle School
↓
High School
Higley High SchoolWilliams Field High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 08
Location—
CountyMaricopa County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictHigley Unified School District (4248) →
Phone: (480)279-7800
NCES ID: 040378002663
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in QUEEN CREEK seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Higley Unified School District (4248)
High
Higley High School
2,137 students · 08–12
12% FRL
High
Williams Field High School
2,115 students · 08–12
18% FRL
Mid
Sossaman Middle School
1,043 students · 07–08
● 36 opp13% FRL
Elem
San Tan Elementary
911 students · PK–06
13% FRL
Mid
Cooley Middle School
873 students · 06–08
24% FRL
Elem
Chaparral Elementary School
806 students · KG–08
24% FRL
Elem
Gateway Pointe Elementary
767 students · PK–08
41% FRL
Elem
Higley Traditional Academy
761 students · PK–08
19% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
19680 S 188TH ST, QUEEN CREEK, AZ 85142
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.