As one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, Arizona is constantly adding new school districts while adjusting existing ones. The constant change and upheaval mean that public school districts in the state do not perform as well as they could. However, a number of Arizona school districts truly excel in academics and other areas.

The best in the state is Catalina Foothills School District, made up of four elementary schools, two middle schools, a high school, and two specialty learning centers in the city of Tucson. CFSD’s students excel both academically and in extracurricular activities, each year earning a long list of achievements in just about every category.

Queen Creek Unified School District is the 2nd best in Arizona. Students of the large district of over 9,000 enrollment regularly earn scores significantly above state averages in the areas of language arts and math on state assessment tests. 

Ranking 3rd in Arizona is Sierra Vista Unified School District #68. Another large district with over 6,000 students, all eight of SVUSD schools hold a rating of “Highly Performing” or “Performing Plus” with the Arizona Learns system, and the district’s graduation rate is above the state average. 

Lake Havasu USD No. 1 earns the 4th spot in the ranking of Arizona’s public school districts. Encompassing eight schools in the Lake Havasu City area, the district boasts an above-average graduation rate and its students regularly outperform state and national averages in assessment tests such as the Iowa Test of Basic Skills and the SAT9.

Filling out Arizona’s top five is Sahuarita Unified Schools serving over 5,800 students of the towns of Sahuarita and Green Valley. The district’s high quality is reflected in its above-average graduation rate of 88%.

Top School Districts in Arizona, 2020

Methodology

The following variables contributed to the ranking: number of students (K-12), graduation rate, school funding per student, student to teacher ratio, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Math test, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Reading and Language test. Data from a total of 10,247 public school districts were used to compute a score for each school district. The following states were omitted due to lack of sufficient data: Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Utah, and Virginia. Note that high schools in some states have their own independent districts.