What are the largest school districts in Arizona?

Mesa Unified District (4235) (55,821 students), Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) (41,421 students), Tucson Unified District (4403) (40,316 students) have the most students in the latest NCES count.

How much does Arizona spend per student?

Districts in Arizona that report finance data spent an average of $12,256 per student on current operations, weighted by enrollment.

What does per-pupil spending include?

It is current spending for elementary and secondary education divided by fall enrollment, as published by the Census Bureau. It includes instruction, support services such as transportation and administration, and other day-to-day costs. It leaves out capital outlay for buildings and interest on debt.

Why do some districts have no spending or poverty figures?

Charter districts, education service agencies and other special agencies often do not report finance data separately, and Census SAIPE estimates child poverty only for geographic school districts. Values are also hidden for districts with fewer than 50 students, where a per-pupil figure can swing widely.

Checked Oct 22, 2026

Arizona School Districts

Public school districts and education agencies

Districts and agencies: 660
Students: 1,097,769; Fall enrollment
Spending per student: $12,256; Average of reporting districts
Largest district: Mesa Unified District (4235); 55,821 students

Enrollment and school counts come from the NCES Common Core of Data. Spending comes from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of School System Finances, and child poverty from Census SAIPE model estimates. Per-pupil spending is current spending (salaries, benefits, supplies and services), not construction or debt, and is shown only for districts with at least 50 students.

Largest 200 districts

Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.

District	Students	Schools	Per student	Child poverty
Mesa Unified District (4235)	55,821	82	$12,066	13.2%
Chandler Unified District #80 (4242)	41,421	48	$11,211	6.4%
Tucson Unified District (4403)	40,316	90	$13,666	19.8%
Peoria Unified School District (4237)	34,436	44	$10,564	9.6%
Deer Valley Unified District (4246)	32,265	41	$11,444	7.4%
Gilbert Unified District (4239)	31,560	38	$10,767	5.9%
Paradise Valley Unified District (4241)	26,183	45	$12,111	8.5%
Phoenix Union High School District (4286)	25,800	21	$14,043	17.5%
Dysart Unified District (4243)	23,078	24	$10,430	9.8%
Scottsdale Unified District (4240)	20,682	30	$12,000	5.6%
Washington Elementary School District (4260)	18,816	33	$12,834	18.8%
Glendale Union High School District (4285)	16,040	11	$11,218	16.1%
American Leadership Academy Inc. (4348)	15,291	14	Not reported	Not reported
Queen Creek Unified District (4245)	15,065	15	$9,135	4.1%
Vail Unified District (4413)	15,011	24	$10,173	5.6%
Sunnyside Unified District (4407)	13,979	22	$10,538	26.3%
Tolleson Union High School District (4288)	13,931	8	$11,615	13.5%
Cartwright Elementary District (4282)	13,436	23	$11,521	23.1%
Kyrene Elementary District (4267)	13,313	26	$10,909	6.5%
Marana Unified District (4404)	12,845	20	$11,510	8.9%
Higley Unified School District (4248)	12,387	16	$9,745	5.1%
Tempe Union High School District (4287)	11,726	8	$12,138	8.9%
Amphitheater Unified District (4406)	11,277	22	$12,711	14.4%
Yuma Union High School District (4507)	11,217	8	$10,484	18.0%
Litchfield Elementary District (4281)	10,755	19	$10,366	7.8%
Agua Fria Union High School District (4289)	10,089	6	$11,001	8.3%
Tempe School District (4258)	10,045	23	$13,467	17.4%
Alhambra Elementary District (4280)	9,742	16	$14,234	25.8%
Maricopa Unified School District (4441)	9,568	13	$10,575	11.0%
Yuma Elementary District (4499)	9,102	19	$12,255	22.0%
Florence Unified School District (4437)	8,731	14	$11,126	10.1%
Flagstaff Unified District (4192)	8,595	16	$12,505	11.2%
Glendale Elementary District (4271)	8,580	14	$12,135	21.9%
Laveen Elementary District (4276)	8,111	10	$10,150	15.1%
Pendergast Elementary District (4283)	8,098	12	$11,154	16.9%
Roosevelt Elementary District (4279)	7,057	20	$15,568	20.9%
Kingman Unified School District (79598)	6,996	13	$9,542	20.1%
Casa Grande Elementary District (4446)	6,630	14	$11,141	14.7%
Primavera Virtual Academy (79461)	6,378	1	Not reported	Not reported
Sahuarita Unified District (4411)	6,335	10	$9,423	8.6%
Buckeye Elementary District (4269)	6,221	8	$10,727	12.5%
Littleton Elementary District (4278)	6,206	10	$10,556	13.2%
Academy of Mathematics and Science South Inc. (90878)	6,167	6	Not reported	Not reported
Avondale Elementary District (4272)	6,000	9	$11,325	14.2%
Madison Elementary District (4270)	5,864	8	$11,143	10.1%
Crane Elementary District (4501)	5,727	12	$10,138	15.5%
Nogales Unified District (4457)	5,696	11	$10,071	30.2%
Buckeye Union High School District (4284)	5,650	5	$10,769	9.1%
Portable Practical Educational Preparation Inc. ( (87405)	5,431	2	Not reported	Not reported
Lake Havasu Unified District (4368)	5,228	9	$10,220	16.4%
Flowing Wells Unified District (4405)	5,225	11	$11,365	25.3%
Gadsden Elementary District (4505)	5,196	10	$11,626	37.2%
Humboldt Unified District (4469)	5,159	12	$10,096	9.6%
Catalina Foothills Unified District (4410)	5,088	8	$10,061	4.6%
Isaac Elementary District (4259)	4,929	13	$17,689	26.5%
Creighton Elementary District (4263)	4,835	10	$14,974	19.3%
Leman Academy of Excellence Inc. (92730)	4,594	7	Not reported	Not reported
Liberty Elementary District (4266)	4,547	7	$10,678	9.4%
Sierra Vista Unified District (4175)	4,043	11	$12,527	13.1%
Phoenix Elementary District (4256)	3,963	15	$19,555	25.4%
Casa Grande Union High School District (4453)	3,938	3	$12,440	11.7%
J O Combs Unified School District (4445)	3,934	10	$10,266	7.4%
ASU Preparatory Academy Digital (522074)	3,850	1	Not reported	Not reported
Cave Creek Unified District (4244)	3,821	8	$10,334	3.6%
Prescott Unified District (4466)	3,712	9	$10,826	8.4%
Fowler Elementary District (4273)	3,645	8	$10,781	20.3%
Santa Cruz Valley Unified District (4458)	3,612	5	$10,243	20.1%
Douglas Unified District (4174)	3,608	9	$12,234	28.8%
Benjamin Franklin Charter School - Queen Creek (4355)	3,321	4	Not reported	Not reported
Saddle Mountain Unified School District (4254)	3,265	6	$10,996	11.8%
The Odyssey Preparatory Academy Inc. (90287)	3,091	4	Not reported	Not reported
EDUPRIZE Schools Inc. (89412)	3,052	3	Not reported	Not reported
Paragon Management Inc. (5180)	2,988	3	Not reported	Not reported
Somerton Elementary District (4500)	2,986	8	$10,854	29.7%
Tolleson Elementary District (4264)	2,930	4	$12,025	20.3%
Chinle Unified District (4158)	2,910	8	$20,865	36.0%
Safford Unified District (4218)	2,874	6	$10,752	19.5%
Snowflake Unified District (4391)	2,830	7	$8,545	21.9%
Coolidge Unified District (4442)	2,815	6	$11,137	15.9%
Osborn Elementary District (4262)	2,518	7	$14,169	19.3%
Apache Junction Unified District (4443)	2,440	6	$11,851	12.6%
Show Low Unified District (4393)	2,398	8	$10,430	17.6%
GAR LLC dba Student Choice High School (78997)	2,389	4	Not reported	Not reported
Edkey Inc. - Sequoia Choice Schools (4329)	2,313	2	Not reported	Not reported
Page Unified School District #8 (4196)	2,269	6	$13,703	22.0%
Whiteriver Unified District (4394)	2,231	5	$13,569	38.3%
Chino Valley Unified District (4474)	2,227	4	$11,391	7.3%
Tanque Verde Unified District (4408)	2,212	4	$10,611	4.1%
Bullhead City School District (4378)	2,191	6	$11,584	28.6%
Payson Unified District (4209)	2,144	5	$12,001	16.7%
Legacy Traditional School - Surprise (92879)	2,108	2	Not reported	Not reported
Pima County Accommodation School District (4401)	2,058	1	$6,655	Not reported
Arizona Community Development Corporation (79947)	1,988	3	Not reported	Not reported
Balsz Elementary District (4268)	1,936	6	$18,176	24.0%
Arizona Connections Academy Charter School Inc. (87407)	1,891	1	Not reported	Not reported
Colorado River Union High School District (4381)	1,847	3	$11,043	19.8%
Winslow Unified District (4387)	1,825	5	$11,675	22.7%
Holbrook Unified District (4389)	1,806	5	$14,474	29.2%
Thatcher Unified District (4219)	1,801	5	$8,900	13.2%
Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487)	1,765	6	$12,825	12.4%
Ombudsman Educational Services Ltd.a subsidiary (4323)	1,736	8	Not reported	Not reported
Parker Unified School District (4510)	1,707	6	$13,525	19.1%
Window Rock Unified District (4154)	1,705	7	$17,999	37.9%
Arizona Education Solutions (90758)	1,688	2	Not reported	Not reported
Globe Unified District (4208)	1,644	4	$11,154	16.9%
Harvest Power Community Development Group Inc. (79501)	1,643	2	Not reported	Not reported
Nadaburg Unified School District (4252)	1,641	4	$10,708	10.2%
Vista College Preparatory Inc. (91948)	1,632	5	Not reported	Not reported
Union Elementary District (4277)	1,630	4	$11,687	15.6%
Blue Ridge Unified School District No. 32 (4397)	1,628	5	$12,427	21.4%
Camp Verde Unified District (4470)	1,615	5	$11,435	11.3%
Heritage Academy Gateway Inc. (92519)	1,556	1	Not reported	Not reported
Kayenta Unified School District #27 (4396)	1,544	4	$21,287	44.6%
Morenci Unified District (4230)	1,536	3	$11,765	7.3%
ThrivePoint High School Inc. (79059)	1,489	7	Not reported	Not reported
Legacy Traditional School - Casa Grande (92199)	1,486	1	Not reported	Not reported
San Carlos Unified District (4210)	1,438	5	$18,909	36.7%
Tuba City Unified School District #15 (4197)	1,381	6	$19,412	25.5%
Legacy Traditional School - Maricopa (88360)	1,363	1	Not reported	Not reported
Kingman Academy Of Learning (4383)	1,352	4	Not reported	Not reported
Legacy Traditional School - Avondale (91135)	1,346	1	Not reported	Not reported
Legacy Traditional School - Phoenix (873957)	1,323	1	Not reported	Not reported
Fit Kids Inc. dba Champion Schools (78783)	1,322	3	Not reported	Not reported
Benson Unified School District (79226)	1,287	5	$11,519	19.3%
Legacy Traditional School - Northwest Tucson (91137)	1,284	1	Not reported	Not reported
Legacy Traditional School - Glendale (850100)	1,280	1	Not reported	Not reported
Toltec School District (4450)	1,270	3	$10,025	11.1%
Mohave Valley Elementary District (4379)	1,241	4	$10,818	19.7%
Round Valley Unified District (4155)	1,237	4	$13,176	22.3%
Legacy Traditional School - West Surprise (1000560)	1,231	1	Not reported	Not reported
Pan-American Elementary Charter (79578)	1,221	1	Not reported	Not reported
Mingus Union High School District (4488)	1,202	2	$11,543	10.1%
Maryvale Preparatory Academy (90861)	1,192	1	Not reported	Not reported
BASIS Charter Schools Inc. (90842)	1,185	1	Not reported	Not reported
Career Success Schools (79047)	1,145	4	Not reported	Not reported
Legacy Traditional School - Chandler (91133)	1,135	1	Not reported	Not reported
Center for Academic Success Inc. (4191)	1,125	5	Not reported	Not reported
Willcox Unified District (4170)	1,088	3	$12,517	19.9%
Archway Classical Academy Scottsdale (90857)	1,079	1	Not reported	Not reported
Wickenburg Unified District (4236)	1,079	5	$12,263	10.9%
Fountain Hills Unified District (4247)	1,072	5	$14,798	6.5%
Empower College Prep (91277)	1,070	2	Not reported	Not reported
Legacy Traditional School - East Mesa (834265)	1,066	1	Not reported	Not reported
Academy of Mathematics and Science Inc. (92768)	1,063	1	Not reported	Not reported
Success School (79453)	1,049	1	Not reported	Not reported
Murphy Elementary District (4265)	1,040	2	$12,415	30.0%
Pima Unified District (4220)	1,033	4	$10,927	11.6%
Anthem Preparatory Academy (90532)	1,031	1	Not reported	Not reported
BASIS Charter Schools Inc. (81078)	1,023	1	Not reported	Not reported
BASIS Charter Schools Inc. (90841)	1,021	1	Not reported	Not reported
Pinon Unified District (4390)	1,019	3	$23,962	52.0%
Baboquivari Unified School District #40 (4412)	1,018	6	$19,881	7.2%
Legacy Traditional School - Laveen Village (91763)	988	1	Not reported	Not reported
Ganado Unified School District (4157)	980	4	$18,146	39.2%
Arizona Autism Charter Schools Inc. (91958)	967	6	Not reported	Not reported
Edkey Inc. - Pathfinder Academy (81045)	962	3	Not reported	Not reported
Legacy Traditional School - Gilbert (92047)	960	1	Not reported	Not reported
Legacy Traditional School - North Chandler (850101)	952	1	Not reported	Not reported
Heritage Academy Maricopa Inc. (1002080)	937	1	Not reported	Not reported
Roosevelt Preparatory Academy (92704)	934	1	Not reported	Not reported
Miami Unified District (4211)	929	5	$11,575	25.0%
Legacy Traditional School - Queen Creek (92610)	922	1	Not reported	Not reported
San Tan Montessori School Inc. (89798)	914	1	Not reported	Not reported
Heritage Academy Inc. (4336)	902	2	Not reported	Not reported
Scottsdale Preparatory Academy (89756)	898	1	Not reported	Not reported
Archway Classical Academy Trivium (90915)	895	1	Not reported	Not reported
P.L.C. Charter Schools (6235)	895	1	Not reported	Not reported
BASIS Charter Schools Inc. (91949)	894	1	Not reported	Not reported
Heritage Elementary School (81076)	884	2	Not reported	Not reported
Trivium Preparatory Academy (90859)	882	1	Not reported	Not reported
Juniper Tree Academy (79064)	881	1	Not reported	Not reported
Tombstone Unified District (4168)	874	3	$13,285	20.2%
Leading Edge Academy Maricopa (90637)	872	1	Not reported	Not reported
St Johns Unified District (4153)	870	4	$12,286	30.5%
Desert Heights Charter Schools (81099)	868	1	Not reported	Not reported
Wilson Elementary District (4261)	854	2	$15,909	29.5%
Ridgeline Academy Inc. (4301)	849	1	Not reported	Not reported
The Paideia Academies Inc (91250)	845	2	Not reported	Not reported
The Grande Innovation Academy (92978)	834	2	Not reported	Not reported
Kaizen Education Foundation dba Mission Heights Pr (90548)	817	2	Not reported	Not reported
Riverside Elementary District (4257)	804	4	$14,358	18.8%
Horizon Community Learning Center Inc. (92620)	797	1	Not reported	Not reported
BASIS Charter Schools Inc. (934316)	792	1	Not reported	Not reported
BASIS Charter Schools Inc. (6361)	785	1	Not reported	Not reported
BASIS Charter Schools Inc. (91280)	781	1	Not reported	Not reported
Veritas Preparatory Academy (80992)	781	1	Not reported	Not reported
Fort Huachuca Accommodation District (4167)	774	3	$14,869	2.7%
Edkey Inc. dba Sequoia Charter School (6446)	764	1	Not reported	Not reported
Daisy Education Corporation dba Sonoran Science Ac (79049)	758	2	Not reported	Not reported
LEAD Charter Schools (79967)	757	4	Not reported	Not reported
BASIS Charter Schools Inc. (91309)	753	1	Not reported	Not reported
Legacy Traditional School-San Tan (1001927)	749	1	Not reported	Not reported
Math and Science Success Academy Inc. (89852)	745	1	Not reported	Not reported
Portable Practical Educational Preparation Inc. ( (4431)	740	6	Not reported	Not reported
Academy Del Sol Inc. (90199)	729	2	Not reported	Not reported
Kaizen Education Foundation dba El Dorado High Sch (4342)	720	2	Not reported	Not reported
Archway Classical Academy Veritas (90916)	716	1	Not reported	Not reported
Chandler Preparatory Academy (88299)	716	1	Not reported	Not reported
Imagine Charter Elementary at Desert West Inc. (88367)	714	1	Not reported	Not reported
Archway Classical Academy North Phoenix (91758)	713	1	Not reported	Not reported

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Frequently asked questions

What are the largest school districts in Arizona?: Mesa Unified District (4235) (55,821 students), Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) (41,421 students), Tucson Unified District (4403) (40,316 students) have the most students in the latest NCES count.
How much does Arizona spend per student?: Districts in Arizona that report finance data spent an average of $12,256 per student on current operations, weighted by enrollment.
What does per-pupil spending include?: It is current spending for elementary and secondary education divided by fall enrollment, as published by the Census Bureau. It includes instruction, support services such as transportation and administration, and other day-to-day costs. It leaves out capital outlay for buildings and interest on debt.
Why do some districts have no spending or poverty figures?: Charter districts, education service agencies and other special agencies often do not report finance data separately, and Census SAIPE estimates child poverty only for geographic school districts. Values are also hidden for districts with fewer than 50 students, where a per-pupil figure can swing widely.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data; U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances and SAIPE · Last updated 10/22/2026