Gila Bend Unified District (4238)

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, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Gila Bend, Arizona - 2 schools

An equity score of 57/100 ranks Gila Bend Unified District (4238) #80 of 437 districts in Arizona (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,062 per pupil, Gila Bend Unified District (4238) ranks #205 of 633 Arizona districts by per-pupil spending (Arizona districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

467
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$13,062
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Gila Bend Unified District (4238) operates 2 public schools serving 467 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Arizona. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 1 high schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. 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 $13,062 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 633 Arizona districts by per-pupil spending. See how Arizona compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 71.0% local, 12.8% state, and 16.2% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 57/100, ranked #80 of 437 in Arizona against a state average of 38, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

and 64.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 68.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.3% White, 1.3% Asian across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Gila Bend Elementary, enrolling 309 students (64% of the district's total enrollment).

Gila Bend Elementary accounts for 64.2% of all Gila Bend Unified District (4238) student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Gila Bend Unified District (4238) a distant remainder — means Gila Bend Unified District (4238)-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: combined. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Because it contains a majority of the affected population, enrollment-weighted aggregates will sit closer to this entity's reported fields than to those of smaller peers; an unweighted entity count answers a different question.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Gila Bend Unified District (4238) reports 100.0% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share is above 87.5%, so economic need is widespread across the measured student population. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Gila Bend Unified District (4238) chronic absenteeism rate is 64.0% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

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 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 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

16.2%
Federal
12.8%
State
71.0%
Local

Funding Equity

57
Equity Score
80 / 437
State Rank
38
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 2 schools in Gila Bend Unified District (4238).

White 6.3%
Hispanic or Latino 68.5%
Asian 1.3%
Multiracial 1.8%
Other 21.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

64.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Gila Bend Unified District (4238)

School Enrollment
Gila Bend Elementary
309
Gila Bend High School
172

How Gila Bend Unified District (4238) Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Arizona districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Daisy Education Corporation Dba Sonoran Science Ac (89915) Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Reid Traditional Schools' Painted Rock Academy Inc (91317) Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Pathfinder Charter School Foundation (79024) Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Clarkdale-Jerome Elementary District (4486) Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Compass High School Inc. (79467) Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Gila Bend Unified District (4238)'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.

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Gila Bend Unified District (4238)

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 Gila Bend Unified District (4238)?

Gila Bend Unified District (4238) has 2 schools, including 1 combined, 1 high. Total enrollment is 467 students.

How much does Gila Bend Unified District (4238) spend per student?

Gila Bend Unified District (4238) spends $13,062 per student. The district has an equity score of 57/100, ranking #80 in Arizona.

What is the demographic composition of Gila Bend Unified District (4238)?

Gila Bend Unified District (4238) students are 68.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.3% White, 1.3% Asian, 0.1% African American, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Gila Bend Unified District (4238)?

Gila Bend Unified District (4238) has an equity score of 57/100, ranking #80 out of 437 districts in Arizona.