Safford Unified District (4218)

SAFFORD, Arizona — 7 schools

2,943
Total Enrollment
7
Schools
$11,369
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Safford Unified District (4218) operates 7 public schools serving 2,943 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Arizona. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 high, 2 elementary, 1 other, 1 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 2,907 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Graham County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,369 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 18.8% local, 66.4% state, and 14.8% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $60,761 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 36/100, ranked #216 of 439 in Arizona against a state average of 38 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

a 889.3:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 59.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 56.2% Hispanic or Latino, 39.1% White, 1.1% African American across the district's schools.

Safford High School accounts for 28.5% of all Safford Unified District (4218) student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Safford Unified District (4218)-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. 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

Safford Unified District (4218) school enrollment varies 25× across entities

Safford Unified District (4218) school enrollment ranges from 33 students (lowest) to 828 students (highest), a spread of 795 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

Safford Unified District (4218) student-counselor ratio is 889:1 — 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

Safford Unified District (4218) chronic absenteeism rate is 59.1% — 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?

14.8%
Federal
66.4%
State
18.8%
Local

Funding Equity

36
Equity Score
216 / 439
State Rank
38
State Average

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

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Graham County county, where this district is located.

$887
Studio/mo
$991
1 BR/mo
$1,244
2 BR/mo
$1,669
3 BR/mo
$2,087
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$60,761
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 7 schools in Safford Unified District (4218).

White 39.1%
Hispanic or Latino 56.2%
African American 1.1%
Multiracial 1.8%
Other 1.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

889.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
59.1%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Safford Unified District (4218)

School Enrollment
Safford High School
828
Ruth Powell Elementary School
575
Dorothy Stinson School
539
Lafe Nelson School
471
Safford Middle School
375
Mt Graham High School
86
Henry Dunkerson Pathways Academy
33

Nearby Districts in Arizona

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Safford Unified District (4218)?

Safford Unified District (4218) has 7 schools, including 3 high, 1 other, 2 elementary, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 2,943 students.

How much does Safford Unified District (4218) spend per student?

Safford Unified District (4218) spends $11,369 per student. The district has an equity score of 36/100, ranking #216 in Arizona.

What is the average teacher salary in Safford Unified District (4218)?

The average teacher salary in Safford Unified District (4218) is $60,761 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Safford Unified District (4218)?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Graham County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Safford Unified District (4218)?

Safford Unified District (4218) students are 56.2% Hispanic or Latino, 39.1% White, 1.1% African American, 0.1% Asian, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Safford Unified District (4218)?

Safford Unified District (4218) has an equity score of 36/100, ranking #216 out of 439 districts in Arizona. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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Federal

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