NCES CCD 2024-25 70 schools AZ

Best-Resourced Schools in Gilbert, AZ

70 public K-12 schools in Gilbert from NCES Common Core of Data: enrollment, grade span, demographics, and Civil Rights Data Collection statistics for every active campus.

70
Schools
53,155
Students
37.3/100
Avg Resource Index
16.4:1
Avg Student-Teacher Ratio

National city placement

Large, fragmented school market

According to NCES CCD 2024-25, Gilbert has more public-school enrollment than 98% of the 4,487 US cities in this directory. Gilbert is among the largest city school systems in this directory by enrollment, but its campuses are divided among 19 districts. That combination matters: citywide averages blend separate budgets, staffing policies, attendance boundaries, and program rules. For a family comparing schools here, the district column is as important as the city average; two nearby campuses may answer to different boards and draw on different F-33 funding pools.

Combined-grade campuses shape the local portfolio

50 of Gilbert's 70 listed schools use NCES's combined or “other” grade-level classification. Citywide averages therefore blend campuses serving unusually broad or nonstandard grade spans with conventional elementary, middle, and high schools. Grade configuration is a first-order comparison here, not a minor label.

Governance mix is central to a fair comparison

21 of 70 listed Gilbert campuses are reported as charters, so district-run and charter records occupy substantial shares of the same city view. They may follow different governance, enrollment, and program structures even when their mailing city matches. The 55-point gap between American Leadership Academy Gilbert North K-12 and Eduprize School Gilbert should be read within that context, not as a single-system league table. Check charter status and district affiliation before comparing two nearby schools, and verify current admissions rules with the operator.

City enrollment
Top 2%
School count
Top 2%
Resource Index average
34th percentile
Teacher staffing
39th percentile

Gilbert school enrollment varies 1496× across entities

Gilbert school enrollment ranges from 2 students (lowest) to 2,992 students (highest), a spread of 2,990 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. Per-school staffing and program breadth can differ sharply at opposite ends of that enrollment range, so the city average should not be treated as a typical campus.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Gilbert operates 19 school districts — one of the single most fragmented governance structures in the country

Each school district has independent budgeting, hiring, and service delivery authority, and the sheer count here puts it in the extreme tail of fragmentation nationally. The fragmentation reflects historical patterns of inter-municipal boundary lines that pre-date modern city growth, students in different parts of the same city can attend different districts with different per-pupil spending, calendars, and graduation requirements. Per-region variation is largest in fragmented systems because each school district sets its own budget, contracts, and priorities without higher-level coordination above the regulatory floor.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Gilbert student-teacher ratio is 16.4:1 — near the typical range (US average ~15.7) — citywide staffing is neither unusually lean nor unusually crowded by this measure

student-teacher ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE classroom teachers against total enrollment, push-in specialists, English-language aides, special-education co-teachers, and counselors are not included in most reporting Variation between sub-units within Gilbert is typically wider than the Gilbert-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data, Public School Universe

21 of Gilbert's 70 listed schools are charters

30% of the city's listed public-school campuses are reported as charter schools in NCES CCD. Charter status identifies a different governance arrangement; it does not establish admissions availability, academic quality, or the share of city students enrolled in those campuses. Open each school record to compare enrollment and staffing directly.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

# School Score
1. American Leadership Academy Gilbert North K-12 70
2. American Leadership Academy Gilbert K-6 70
3. American Leadership Academy Gilbert South K-6 70
4. Arizona Connections Academy 53
5. Elona P. Cooley Early Child Development Center 53
6. Gilbert Classical Academy 7-12 50
7. Neely Traditional Academy 49
8. Ashland Elementary 49
9. Highland Park Elementary 48
10. Benjamin Franklin Charter School - Gilbert 48
11. Playa Del Rey Elementary School 47
12. Ball Charter Schools (Val Vista) 47
13. Sonoma Ranch Elementary School 46
14. Quartz Hill Elementary 45
15. Pioneer Elementary School 45
16. Benjamin Franklin Charter School - Power 44
17. Carol Rae Ranch Elementary 44
18. Bridges Elementary School 43
19. Patterson Elementary School 43
20. Gps Global Academy 43
21. Val Vista Lakes Elementary School 42
22. Burk Elementary School 42
23. Mesquite Jr High School 41
24. San Tan Elementary 40
25. Towne Meadows Elementary School 40
26. Spectrum Elementary 40
27. Gilbert Elementary School 40
28. Coronado Elementary School 40
29. Power Ranch Elementary 40
30. Islands Elementary School 40
31. Finley Farms Elementary 39
32. Gilbert High School 38
33. Greenfield Elementary School 38
34. Centennial Elementary School 38
35. Oak Tree Elementary 38
36. Chaparral Elementary School 37
37. Robert J.C. Rice Elementary School 36
38. Higley Traditional Academy 36
39. Legacy Traditional School ? Gilbert 35
40. San Tan Charter School 35
41. Weinberg Gifted Academy 35
42. Higley Virtual Academy 35
43. Highland High School 34
44. Perry High School 34
45. Campo Verde High School 34
46. Gateway Pointe Elementary 34
47. Cooley Middle School 32
48. Settlers Point Elementary 32
49. Mesquite High School 31
50. Higley High School 30

Showing top 50 of 70 schools.

Most racially and ethnically mixed schools in Gilbert

Ranked by the Simpson student-body diversity index (0-100) from NCES race and ethnicity data, where higher means a more evenly mixed student body. It measures mix, not quality.

  1. 1 Desert Hills High School 73.0/100
  2. 2 Legacy Traditional School ? Gilbert 71.8/100
  3. 3 Learning Foundation and Performing Arts Warner 71.6/100
  4. 4 Spectrum Elementary 71.1/100
  5. 5 Gilbert Classical Academy 7-12 70.6/100

What do families ask about schools in Gilbert?

Which Gilbert school has the highest Resource Investment Index?

American Leadership Academy Gilbert North K-12 has the highest Resource Investment Index among the Gilbert schools in this federal-data comparison at 70/100. The index summarizes reported staffing, counseling, gifted-program, and attendance inputs; it is not an academic rating.

How many schools are in Gilbert, AZ?

Gilbert has 70 public schools with a total enrollment of 53,155 students. 21 are charter schools. Average student-teacher ratio: 16.4:1.

Other Cities in Arizona

Side-by-side: Compare any two schools or districts in Arizona →

Data from NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 and Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22. The Resource Investment Index uses reported student-teacher ratio, counselor access, gifted programs, and attendance; it is not an academic rating. Cities must include at least five schools to be listed. This public-data comparison is for informational purposes: verify current enrollment, attendance boundaries, and programs with the school district before acting. See the guide to understanding NCES data.