Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 19 schools in district

Palm Valley Elementary

2801 N 135TH AVE, GOODYEAR, AZ 85395Litchfield Elementary District (4281) →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–08Non-Charter
671
Students
Total enrolled
$9,792
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 32% vs nat'l
20.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 32% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 671 students in grades PK–08 in GOODYEAR, Arizona.
32% below average funding
District spends $9,792 per pupil, 32% less than the national average of $14,347.
20.3 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is near the national average of 15.4:1.
About This School

Palm Valley Elementary is a large elementary in GOODYEAR, Arizona, serving grades PK–08 with 671 students. The district invests $9,792 per student — 32% below the national average of $14,347, with a 20.3:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 32% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Palm Valley Elementary

671
Total Students
20.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
32%
Free Lunch
33
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 Distribution331 male · 340 female
49%
51%
Male 49%Female 51%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility32%
National avg 52% · 214 students
Student Composition
33%
46%
8%
Asian4%
White33%
Hispanic / Latino46%
Black8%
Multiracial7%
Native American1%
Pacific Islander1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 040438001420

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$9,792Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$9,792
State avg
$16,564
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$4,309
Student Support$1,861
Administration$1,175
Operations$1,469
Other$979
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $9,792 spent per student, an estimated $4,338 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
50%
37%
State government
50.0%
Local (property tax)
36.8%
Federal programs
13.2%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-average funding — $9,792/student, 32% less than the national average
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Verrado Heritage Elementary SchoolBelen Soto Elementary SchoolVerrado Elementary SchoolLitchfield Elementary School
+7 more
↓
Middle
Western Sky Middle SchoolWigwam Creek Middle SchoolVerrado Middle SchoolL. Thomas Heck Middle School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 08
Location—
CountyMaricopa County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictLitchfield Elementary District (4281) →
Phone: (623)535-6400
NCES ID: 040438001420
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in GOODYEAR 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 Litchfield Elementary District (4281)
Elem
Verrado Heritage Elementary School
1,017 students · PK–08
23% FRL
Elem
Belen Soto Elementary School
997 students · PK–08
18% FRL
Mid
Western Sky Middle School
954 students · 05–08
22% FRL
Elem
Verrado Elementary School
867 students · PK–06
20% FRL
Mid
Wigwam Creek Middle School
785 students · 05–08
● 38 opp47% FRL
Elem
Litchfield Elementary School
707 students · PK–08
● 38 opp22% FRL
Elem
Dreaming Summit Elementary
702 students · PK–06
● 38 opp45% FRL
Mid
Verrado Middle School
675 students · 05–08
21% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
2801 N 135TH AVE, GOODYEAR, AZ 85395
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.