Chandler Unified District #80 (4242)

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Chandler, Arizona - 44 schools

An equity score of 33/100 ranks Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) #224 of 437 districts in Arizona (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $9,696 per pupil, Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) ranks #418 of 634 Arizona districts by per-pupil spending (Arizona districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

43,716
Total Enrollment
44
Schools
$9,696
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) operates 44 public schools serving 43,716 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Arizona. The school portfolio breaks down into 38 combined, 6 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Maricopa County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $9,696 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 634 Arizona districts by per-pupil spending. See how Arizona compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 42.7% local, 44.2% state, and 13.1% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 33/100, ranked #224 of 437 in Arizona against a state average of 38, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 7 of 44 schools offering Advanced Placement (249 AP courses district-wide), a 549.7:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 36.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 40.5% White, 33.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Hamilton High School, with a diversity index of 75.1/100.

Its largest campus is Hamilton High School, enrolling 3,444 students (8% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Chandler Online Academy, at 294 students, a 12x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) school enrollment varies 12× across entities

Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) school enrollment ranges from 294 students (lowest) to 3,444 students (highest), a spread of 3,150 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) student-counselor ratio is 550:1 — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) chronic absenteeism rate is 36.6% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

13.1%
Federal
44.2%
State
42.7%
Local

Funding Equity

33
Equity Score
224 / 437
State Rank
38
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 44 schools in Chandler Unified District #80 (4242).

White 40.5%
Hispanic or Latino 33.7%
African American 5.2%
Asian 11.3%
Multiracial 7.0%
Other 2.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 60.1/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Chandler Unified District #80 (4242)'s schools, above the Arizona average of 47.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Hamilton High School 75.1
  2. 2 Chandler Traditional Academy - Goodman 74.2
  3. 3 Dr Howard K Conley Elementary School 71.9
  4. 4 Basha Elementary 71.7
  5. 5 Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary 70.6

Programs & Resources

7 / 44
Schools with AP
249 AP courses total
549.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
36.6%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Chandler Unified District #80 (4242)

School Enrollment
Hamilton High School
3,444
Chandler High School
3,179
Basha High School
2,826
Dr. Camille Casteel High School
2,816
Perry High School
2,373
Arizona College Prep High School
2,271
Willie & Coy Payne Jr. High
1,171
Santan Junior High School
1,085
Bogle Junior High School
1,007
Arizona College Prep Middle School
907
Chandler Traditional Academy - Independence
796
John M Andersen Jr High School
772
Riggs Elementary
770
Robert J.C. Rice Elementary School
754
Charlotte Patterson Elementary
753
Weinberg Gifted Academy
741
Hartford Sylvia Encinas Elementary
702
Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary
694
Haley Elementary
693
Chandler Traditional Academy - Liberty Campus
677
Dr Howard K Conley Elementary School
667
T. Dale Hancock Elementary School
667
Willis Junior High School
661
Knox Gifted Academy
653
Anna Marie Jacobson Elementary School
651
Chandler Traditional Academy-Humphrey
606
Basha Elementary
581
John & Carol Carlson Elementary
572
Chandler Traditional Academy - Goodman
565
Chandler Traditional Academy-Freedom
551
Santan Elementary
548
Dr. Gary and Annette Auxier Elementary School
534
Sanborn Elementary School
526
Audrey & Robert Ryan Elementary
523
Galveston Elementary School
518
Frye Elementary School
509
Ira a. Fulton Elementary
502
Shumway Leadership Academy
474
Jane D. Hull Elementary
471
Rudy G Bologna Elementary
455
John M Andersen Elementary School
406
Navarrete Elementary
389
San Marcos Elementary School
343
Chandler Online Academy
294

How Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Arizona districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Tucson Unified District (4403) Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Peoria Unified School District (4237) Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Gilbert Unified District (4239) Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Deer Valley Unified District (4246) Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Mesa Unified District (4235) Larger Higher spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Chandler Unified District #80 (4242)'s own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Arizona

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Compare Chandler Unified District #80 (4242)

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Mesa Unified District (4235) →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Chandler Unified District #80 (4242)?

Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) has 44 schools, including 38 combined, 6 middle. Total enrollment is 43,716 students.

How much does Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) spend per student?

Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) spends $9,696 per student. The district has an equity score of 33/100, ranking #224 in Arizona.

What is the demographic composition of Chandler Unified District #80 (4242)?

Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) students are 40.5% White, 33.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 5.2% African American, averaged across 44 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Chandler Unified District #80 (4242)?

Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) has an equity score of 33/100, ranking #224 out of 437 districts in Arizona.