Ralph Waldo Emerson Elementary School

Ralph Waldo Emerson Elementary School operates as a low-enrollment primary school in PHOENIX, Arizona, overseen by Phoenix Elementary District (4256). Current enrollment sits at 189 students spanning grades pre-K through 8. Compared to the state average of about 451 students per school, that is 58% smaller than typical.

Across the 12 schools in Phoenix Elementary District (4256) (3,963 students total), Ralph Waldo Emerson Elementary School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Demographically, Ralph Waldo Emerson Elementary School shows that the largest single group is Hispanic, at 66% of enrollment; the rest is composed of 12% White, 7% Black, 6% multiracial, 5% Native American. By comparison, Maricopa County as a whole is about 31% Hispanic, so the school skews meaningfully more Hispanic than its surroundings.

Looking at the economic backdrop, The school currently runs with 22 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 8.6:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 17.0:1 average.

Across the wider county, census data for Maricopa County shows median household income runs about $89,300, roughly 37% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 8%. In all, Maricopa County runs 1352 public schools (combined enrollment of about 725,139 students), of which Ralph Waldo Emerson Elementary School is one.

Kaizen Education Foundation dba Summit High School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.2 miles from this campus. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

Geographically, the school is in an urban area.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count decreased 55%: 416 students in 2018 compared to 189 in 2025. The Hispanic share of enrollment fell from 82% to 66% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio tightened from 15.7:1 in 2018 to 8.6:1 today.

On the community side, members of the Ralph Waldo Emerson Elementary School community share and discuss enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. The community welcomes input from current and former families.