Maricopa Unified School District (4441)

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.

Maricopa, Arizona - 11 schools

An equity score of 28/100 ranks Maricopa Unified School District (4441) #268 of 437 districts in Arizona (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $9,227 per pupil, Maricopa Unified School District (4441) ranks #483 of 634 Arizona districts by per-pupil spending (Arizona districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

8,731
Total Enrollment
11
Schools
$9,227
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Maricopa Unified School District (4441) operates 11 public schools serving 8,731 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Arizona. The school portfolio breaks down into 8 combined, 2 middle, 1 high schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly 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 Pinal County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $9,227 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 21.7% local, 65.3% state, and 13.0% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 28/100, ranked #268 of 437 in Arizona against a state average of 38, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 11 schools offering Advanced Placement (13 AP courses district-wide), a 547:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 43.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 46.3% Hispanic or Latino, 23.6% White, 15.6% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Desert Sunrise High School, with a diversity index of 71.1/100.

Its largest campus is Maricopa High School, enrolling 1,840 students (19% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Maricopa Virtual Academy, at 140 students, a 13x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Maricopa High School accounts for 19.2% of all Maricopa Unified School District (4441) student enrollment

That concentration means Maricopa Unified School District (4441)-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

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

Maricopa Unified School District (4441) school enrollment varies 13× across entities

Maricopa Unified School District (4441) school enrollment ranges from 140 students (lowest) to 1,840 students (highest), a spread of 1,700 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

Maricopa Unified School District (4441) student-counselor ratio is 547:1 — 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

Maricopa Unified School District (4441) chronic absenteeism rate is 43.3% — 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 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

13.0%
Federal
65.3%
State
21.7%
Local

Funding Equity

28
Equity Score
268 / 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 11 schools in Maricopa Unified School District (4441).

White 23.6%
Hispanic or Latino 46.3%
African American 15.6%
Asian 2.3%
Multiracial 8.0%
Other 4.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 69.2/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Maricopa Unified School District (4441)'s schools, above the Arizona average of 47.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Desert Sunrise High School 71.1
  2. 2 Saddleback Elementary School 70.6
  3. 3 Maricopa Wells Middle School 70.2
  4. 4 Desert Wind Middle School 70.2
  5. 5 Pima Butte Elementary School 70.1

Programs & Resources

1 / 11
Schools with AP
13 AP courses total
547:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
43.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Maricopa Unified School District (4441)

School Enrollment
Maricopa High School
1,840
Desert Sunrise High School
1,261
Santa Cruz Elementary School
941
Maricopa Wells Middle School
940
Butterfield Elementary School
920
Desert Wind Middle School
898
Maricopa Elementary School
883
Saddleback Elementary School
811
Santa Rosa Elementary School
527
Pima Butte Elementary School
407
Maricopa Virtual Academy
140

How Maricopa Unified School District (4441) Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Arizona districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Flagstaff Unified District (4192) Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Florence Unified School District (4437) Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Yuma Elementary District (4499) Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Pendergast Elementary District (4283) Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Glendale Elementary District (4271) Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Maricopa Unified School District (4441)'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 Maricopa Unified School District (4441)

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 Maricopa Unified School District (4441)?

Maricopa Unified School District (4441) has 11 schools, including 8 combined, 1 high, 2 middle. Total enrollment is 8,731 students.

How much does Maricopa Unified School District (4441) spend per student?

Maricopa Unified School District (4441) spends $9,227 per student. The district has an equity score of 28/100, ranking #268 in Arizona.

What is the demographic composition of Maricopa Unified School District (4441)?

Maricopa Unified School District (4441) students are 46.3% Hispanic or Latino, 23.6% White, 15.6% African American, 2.3% Asian, averaged across 11 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Maricopa Unified School District (4441)?

Maricopa Unified School District (4441) has an equity score of 28/100, ranking #268 out of 437 districts in Arizona.