
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
Rank School District City
1 Catalina Foothills Unified District (4410) Tucson
2 Queen Creek Unified District (4245) Queen Creek
3 Sierra Vista Unified District (4175) Sierra Vista
4 Lake Havasu Unified District (4368) Lake Havasu City
5 Sahuarita Unified District (4411) Sahuarita
6 Snowflake Unified District (4391) Snowflake
7 Humboldt Unified District (4469) Prescott Valley
8 Buckeye Union High School District (4284) Buckeye
9 Flowing Wells Unified District (4405) Tucson
10 Prescott Unified District (4466) Prescott
11 Avondale Elementary District (4272) Avondale
12 Palominas Elementary District (4180) Hereford
13 Thatcher Unified District (4219) Thatcher
14 Fountain Hills Unified District (4247) Fountain Hills
15 Saddle Mountain Unified School District (4254) Tonopah
16 Joseph City Unified District (4388) Joseph City
17 Maricopa Unified School District (4441) Maricopa
18 Douglas Unified District (4174) Douglas
19 Tanque Verde Unified District (4408) Tucson
20 Valley Union High School District (4190) Elfrida
21 St Johns Unified District (4153) Saint Johns
22 Kingman Unified School District (79598) Kingman
23 Santa Cruz Valley Unified District (4458) Rio Rico
24 Morenci Unified District (4230) Morenci
25 Safford Unified District (4218) Safford
26 Yucca Elementary District (4377) Yucca
27 St David Unified District (4173) Saint David
28 Chino Valley Unified District (4474) Chino Valley
29 Alpine Elementary District (4161) Alpine
30 Kirkland Elementary District (4480) Kirkland
31 Benson Unified School District (79226) Benson
32 Colorado City Unified District (4370) Colorado City
33 Patagonia Union High School District (4462) Patagonia
34 Round Valley Unified District (4155) Springerville
35 Aguila Elementary District (4249) Aguila
36 Apache Junction Unified District (4443) Apache Junction
37 Colorado River Union High School District (4381) Bullhead City
38 Ajo Unified District (4409) Ajo
39 Nadaburg Unified School District (4252) Wittmann
40 Owens School District No.6 (4373) Wikieup
41 Show Low Unified District (4393) Show Low
42 Solomon Elementary District (4222) Solomon
43 Continental Elementary District (4416) Green Valley
44 Santa Cruz Elementary District (4459) Nogales
45 Payson Unified District (4209) Payson
46 Winslow Unified District (4387) Winslow
47 Sedona-Oak Creek Jusd #9 (4467) Sedona
48 Grand Canyon Unified District (4194) Grand Canyon Village
49 Tombstone Unified District (4168) Tombstone
50 Blue Ridge Unified School District No. 32 (4397) Lakeside
51 Wickenburg Unified District (4236) Wickenburg
52 Duncan Unified District (4228) Duncan
53 Page Unified District (4196) Page
54 Ganado Unified School District (4157) Ganado
55 Tonto Basin Elementary District (4215) Tonto Basin
56 Altar Valley Elementary District (4418) Tucson
57 Miami Unified District (4211) Miami
58 Mingus Union High School District (4488) Cottonwood
59 Kayenta Unified School District #27 (4396) Kayenta
60 Parker Unified School District (4510) Parker
61 Pima Unified District (4220) Pima
62 Globe Unified District (4208) Globe
63 Bisbee Unified District (4169) Bisbee
64 Mcneal Elementary District (4181) Mcneal
65 Holbrook Unified District (4389) Holbrook
66 Beaver Creek Elementary District (4481) Rimrock
67 Mammoth-San Manuel Unified District (4439) San Manuel
68 Camp Verde Unified District (4470) Camp Verde
69 Maine Consolidated School District (4199) Parks
70 Willcox Unified District (4170) Willcox
71 Bagdad Unified District (4468) Bagdad
72 Fredonia-Moccasin Unified District (4195) Fredonia
73 Hayden-Winkelman Unified District (4212) Winkelman
74 Williams Unified District (4193) Williams
75 Double Adobe Elementary District (4179) Mcneal
76 Tuba City Unified School District #15 (4197) Tuba City
77 Oracle Elementary District (4444) Oracle
78 Pinon Unified District (4390) Pinon
79 Pima Accommodation District (4401) Tucson
80 Naco Elementary District (4176) Naco
81 Red Mesa Unified District (4159) Teec Nos Pos
82 Coolidge Unified District (4442) Coolidge
83 Gila Bend Unified District (4238) Gila Bend
84 Antelope Union High School District (4506) Wellton
85 Window Rock Unified District (4154) Fort Defiance
86 Fort Thomas Unified District (4221) Fort Thomas
87 Sanders Unified District (4156) Sanders
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.
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