Paradise Valley Unified District (4241)

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.

Phoenix, Arizona - 44 schools

An equity score of 48/100 ranks Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) #136 of 437 districts in Arizona (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $11,154 per pupil, Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) ranks #292 of 634 Arizona districts by per-pupil spending (Arizona districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

27,919
Total Enrollment
44
Schools
$11,154
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) operates 44 public schools serving 27,919 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Arizona. The school portfolio breaks down into 33 combined, 6 middle, 5 elementary 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 $11,154 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 634 Arizona districts by per-pupil spending. See how Arizona compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 57.8% local, 27.3% state, and 14.9% 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 48/100, ranked #136 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.

Academic infrastructure includes 7 of 44 schools offering Advanced Placement (99 AP courses district-wide), a 436.8:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 49.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 49.0% White, 36.4% Hispanic or Latino, 4.0% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Paradise Valley High School, with a diversity index of 68.0/100.

Its largest campus is Pinnacle High School, enrolling 2,430 students (9% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Roadrunner School, at 70 students, a 35x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) school enrollment varies 35× across entities

Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) school enrollment ranges from 70 students (lowest) to 2,430 students (highest), a spread of 2,360 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity, the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. 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

Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) student-counselor ratio is 437:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) chronic absenteeism rate is 49.6% — 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?

14.9%
Federal
27.3%
State
57.8%
Local

Funding Equity

48
Equity Score
136 / 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 44 schools in Paradise Valley Unified District (4241).

White 49.0%
Hispanic or Latino 36.4%
African American 4.0%
Asian 3.8%
Multiracial 5.4%
Other 1.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 51.3/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Paradise Valley Unified District (4241)'s schools, above the Arizona average of 47.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Paradise Valley High School 68.0
  2. 2 Cactus View Elementary School 67.5
  3. 3 Hidden Hills Elementary School 63.7
  4. 4 Roadrunner School 63.4
  5. 5 Sunrise Middle School 63.3

Programs & Resources

7 / 44
Schools with AP
99 AP courses total
436.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
49.6%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Paradise Valley Unified District (4241)

School Enrollment
Pinnacle High School
2,430
Paradise Valley High School
1,900
Horizon High School
1,767
North Canyon High School
1,560
Shadow Mountain High School
1,080
Mountain Trail Middle School
835
Desert Shadows Middle School
791
Fireside Elementary School
693
Greenway Middle School
646
Sky Crossing Elementary School
628
Boulder Creek Elementary School
621
Explorer Middle School
607
Campo Bello Elementary School
596
Palomino Primary School
590
Desert Trails Elementary School
590
Eagle Ridge Elementary School
569
Sonoran Sky Elementary School
567
Desert Shadows Elementary School
554
Vista Verde Middle School
544
Indian Bend Elementary School
539
North Ranch Elementary School
535
Quail Run Elementary School
533
Cactus View Elementary School
508
Mercury Mine Elementary School
506
Shea Middle School
476
Pinnacle Peak Preparatory
474
Echo Mountain Primary School
450
Copper Canyon Elementary School
446
Sandpiper Elementary School
429
Liberty Elementary School
421
Desert Cove Elementary School
414
Grayhawk Elementary School
408
Wildfire Elementary School
394
Sunrise Middle School
390
Palomino Intermediate School
383
Whispering Wind Academy
376
Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School
371
Sunset Canyon School
366
Larkspur Elementary School
353
Echo Mountain Intermediate School
346
Hidden Hills Elementary School
259
Sweetwater Community School
165
Pvonline
127
Roadrunner School
70

How Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Arizona districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Phoenix Union High School District (4286) Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Dysart Unified District (4243) Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Deer Valley Unified District (4246) Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Gilbert Unified District (4239) Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Scottsdale Unified District (4240) Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Paradise Valley Unified District (4241)'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 Paradise Valley Unified District (4241)

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 Paradise Valley Unified District (4241)?

Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) has 44 schools, including 33 combined, 6 middle, 5 elementary. Total enrollment is 27,919 students.

How much does Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) spend per student?

Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) spends $11,154 per student. The district has an equity score of 48/100, ranking #136 in Arizona.

What is the demographic composition of Paradise Valley Unified District (4241)?

Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) students are 49.0% White, 36.4% Hispanic or Latino, 4.0% African American, 3.8% Asian, averaged across 44 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Paradise Valley Unified District (4241)?

Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) has an equity score of 48/100, ranking #136 out of 437 districts in Arizona.