Sunnyside Unified School District

Listed by NCES as Sunnyside Unified District (4407) (district ID 0408170)

Public school district · Pima County · Arizona · NCES district ID 0408170

Sunnyside Unified School District spent $10,153 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, below the middle: 62% of the other Arizona districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 spent more (median $10,493). Its 22 schools enrolled 14,086 students in 2024-25; 55.7% of its revenue came from the state. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $10,538 per student, up 5.4% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year). Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 76% (Arizona: 77.8%).

NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 · Census Bureau school finances 2023-24 · NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · method

Spending per student among Arizona districts of similar size

Current spending per student excludes construction and debt. The 9 districts closest to Sunnyside Unified in enrollment (12,664 to 14,533 students) and Sunnyside Unified itself.

Current spending per student, Arizona districts closest in size to Sunnyside Unified, FY23Cartwright School District #83 $11,949; Tempe Union High $11,252; Marana Unified School District 6 $10,680; Tolleson Union High $10,581; Kyrene Elementary $10,500; Sunnyside Unified $10,153; Vail $10,071; Higley Unified School District 60 $9,611; Queen Creek Unified District (4245) $9,137; American Leadership Academy $8,818; State median, 1,000+ students $10,493.6k8k10k12k14kCartwright School District #83$11,949Tempe Union High$11,252Marana Unified School District…$10,680Tolleson Union High$10,581Kyrene Elementary$10,500Sunnyside Unified$10,153Vail$10,071Higley Unified School District…$9,611Queen Creek Unified District (…$9,137American Leadership Academy$8,818State median, 1,000+ students $10,493
Current spending per student, Arizona districts closest in size to Sunnyside Unified, FY23Cartwright School District #83 $11,949; Tempe Union High $11,252; Marana Unified School District 6 $10,680; Tolleson Union High $10,581; Kyrene Elementary $10,500; Sunnyside Unified $10,153; Vail $10,071; Higley Unified School District 60 $9,611; Queen Creek Unified District (4245) $9,137; American Leadership Academy $8,818; State median, 1,000+ students $10,493.6k8k10k12k14kCartwright School District #83$11,949Tempe Union High$11,252Marana Unified School District 6$10,680Tolleson Union High$10,581Kyrene Elementary$10,500Sunnyside Unified$10,153Vail$10,071Higley Unified School District 60$9,611Queen Creek Unified District (4245)$9,137American Leadership Academy$8,818State median, 1,000+ students $10,493
Current spending per student, Arizona districts closest in size to Sunnyside Unified, FY23Cartwright School District #83 $11,949; Tempe Union High $11,252; Marana Unified School District 6 $10,680; Tolleson Union High $10,581; Kyrene Elementary $10,500; Sunnyside Unified $10,153; Vail $10,071; Higley Unified School District 60 $9,611; Queen Creek Unified District (4245) $9,137; American Leadership Academy $8,818; State median, 1,000+ students $10,493.6k10k14kCartwright School District #83$11,949Tempe Union High$11,252Marana Unified School District 6$10,680Tolleson Union High$10,581Kyrene Elementary$10,500Sunnyside Unified$10,153Vail$10,071Higley Unified School District 60$9,611Queen Creek Unified District (4245)$9,137American Leadership Academy$8,818State median, 1,000+ students $10,493
Current spending per student, Arizona districts closest in size to Sunnyside Unified, FY23Cartwright School District #83 $11,949; Tempe Union High $11,252; Marana Unified School District 6 $10,680; Tolleson Union High $10,581; Kyrene Elementary $10,500; Sunnyside Unified $10,153; Vail $10,071; Higley Unified School District 60 $9,611; Queen Creek Unified District (4245) $9,137; American Leadership Academy $8,818; State median, 1,000+ students $10,493.6k10k14kCartwright School District #83$11,949Tempe Union High$11,252Marana Unified School District 6$10,680Tolleson Union High$10,581Kyrene Elementary$10,500Sunnyside Unified$10,153Vail$10,071Higley Unified School District 60$9,611Queen Creek Unified District (4245)$9,137American Leadership Academy$8,818State median, 1,000+ students $10,493

Where the money came from

$195,511,000 in revenue: 55.7% state, 14.3% local and 30.0% federal. Total spending including $20,976,000 of capital outlay was $170,248,000, or $11,891 per student; the figure above leaves capital out.

Sunnyside Unified School District revenue by source, fiscal year 2022-23State $108,835,000; Local $28,014,000; Federal $58,662,000; total $195,511,000.
  • State$108,835,000 56%
  • Local$28,014,000 14%
  • Federal$58,662,000 30%

Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures for elementary and secondary education divided by fall membership; the state median covers 157 districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022. Revenue by source (TOTALREV, TFEDREV, TSTREV, TLOCREV).

Enrollment fell from 2022-23 to 2024-25

14,541 students in 2022-23, 14,144 students in 2023-24, 13,979 students in 2024-25, counted across the schools that reported each year.

Sunnyside Unified School District enrollment by school year2022-23: 14,541, 2023-24: 14,144, 2024-25: 13,97905k10k15k2022-2314,5412023-2414,1442024-2513,979
Sunnyside Unified School District enrollment by school year2022-23: 14,541, 2023-24: 14,144, 2024-25: 13,97905k10k15k2022-2314,5412023-2414,1442024-2513,979
Sunnyside Unified School District enrollment by school year2022-23: 14,541, 2023-24: 14,144, 2024-25: 13,97905k10k15k2022-2314,5412023-2414,1442024-2513,979
Sunnyside Unified School District enrollment by school year2022-23: 14,541, 2023-24: 14,144, 2024-25: 13,97905k10k15k2022-2314,5412023-2414,1442024-2513,979

Teachers and students per teacher

School yearStudentsTeachers (FTE)Per teacher
2022-2314,541741.019.6
2023-2414,144725.819.5
2024-2513,979746.218.7

Source: NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25; sums over the schools reporting each year.

$48,903,000 in teacher salaries in fiscal year 2022-23, $3,416 per student

Sunnyside Unified School District booked $48,903,000 of teacher salaries in its 2022-23 finance report and counted 741 full-time teachers in its Common Core of Data district staff file for 2022-23 (the school files behind the staffing figures on this page count teachers separately, so the two can differ), or $65,995 of salary spending per teacher. That is more than 61 in 100 Arizona districts with a figure (state median $62,248, 172 districts). It is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, so the result can differ widely from the average salary the district publishes (its salary schedule gives pay); benefits are left out, and states book salaries differently, so compare districts within one state. For pay, the National Education Association put the average Arizona teacher salary at $54,580 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).

ProgramTeacher salariesShare
Regular programs$39,852,00081.5%
Special education$6,217,00012.7%
Vocational$1,766,0003.6%
Other programs$1,068,0002.2%

Teacher salaries per student, fiscal years 2018-19 to 2022-23

The district's teacher salary bill divided by its fall enrollment each year: $2,787 in 2018-19, $2,993 in 2019-20, $2,808 in 2020-21, $3,300 in 2021-22, $3,416 in 2022-23.

Sunnyside Unified School District teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $2,787, 2019-20: $2,993, 2020-21: $2,808, 2021-22: $3,300, 2022-23: $3,41601k2k3k4k2018-19$2,7872019-20$2,9932020-21$2,8082021-22$3,3002022-23$3,416
Sunnyside Unified School District teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $2,787, 2019-20: $2,993, 2020-21: $2,808, 2021-22: $3,300, 2022-23: $3,41601k2k3k4k2018-19$2,7872019-20$2,9932020-21$2,8082021-22$3,3002022-23$3,416
Sunnyside Unified School District teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $2,787, 2019-20: $2,993, 2020-21: $2,808, 2021-22: $3,300, 2022-23: $3,41601k2k3k4k2018-19$2,7872019-20$2,9932020-21$2,8082021-22$3,3002022-23$3,416
Sunnyside Unified School District teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $2,787, 2019-20: $2,993, 2020-21: $2,808, 2021-22: $3,300, 2022-23: $3,41601k2k3k4k2018-19$2,7872019-20$2,9932020-21$2,8082021-22$3,3002022-23$3,416

Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal years 2019 to 2023: teacher salaries in regular, special, vocational and other programs (Z35 to Z38) and fall membership (V33); NCES Common Core of Data LEA staff file 2022-23, teachers (full-time equivalent).

State test results, 2021-22

In 2021-22, the students tested in Sunnyside Unified School District scored proficient or above: 20% in reading and 14% in math, against 40.4% in reading and 34.8% in math across Arizona. Each state writes its own test and sets its own proficiency bar, so compare these within Arizona, not across states.

Students proficient or above, 2021-22
SubjectThis districtArizonaStudents tested
Reading and language arts20%40.4%7,528
Math14%34.8%7,553

Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2021-22, all students, from ED Data Express (the Data Rescue Project archive; ED has no 2022-23 result for this district): ED shows district results as ranges (for example 20-24%) to protect small groups.

Graduation rate, class of 2023

76% of the 1,102 students in Sunnyside Unified School District's class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 77.8% across Arizona. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out, and counts those who earned a regular diploma by 2023. Every state computes it the same way under federal law, though each sets its own diploma requirements.

Four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rate, class of 2023
This districtArizona
Four-year graduation rate76%77.8%
Students in the class1,10293,470

Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates 2022-23, all students, from ED Data Express: ED shows district rates as ranges (for example 90-94%) and leaves out small classes.

14 elementary schools, 7,081 students

SchoolStudentsPer teacherFree lunchTitle I, 2021‑22
Sierra 2-8 School80115.079.0%Schoolwide program
Elvira Elementary School64220.068.9%Schoolwide program
Los Amigos Elementary School61316.372.9%Schoolwide program
Craycroft Elementary School58621.768.0%Schoolwide program
Drexel Elementary School51521.086.9%Schoolwide program
Gallego Primary Fine Arts Magnet50319.355.9%Schoolwide program
Liberty Elementary School49021.671.8%Schoolwide program
Mission Manor Elementary School47513.071.9%Schoolwide program
Los Ninos Elementary School45615.678.8%Schoolwide program
Rivera Elementary45419.078.0%Schoolwide program
Esperanza Elementary School43716.876.9%Schoolwide program
Santa Clara Elementary School42215.177.0%Schoolwide program
The other 2 elementary schools
SchoolStudentsPer teacherFree lunchTitle I, 2021‑22
Summit View Elementary40316.280.9%Schoolwide program
Ocotillo Early Learning Elementary School28411.972.8%Schoolwide program

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.

4 middle schools, 2,273 students

SchoolStudentsPer teacherFree lunchTitle I, 2021‑22
Gallego Intermediate Fine Arts Magnet School76821.351.0%Schoolwide program
Challenger Middle School59019.571.9%Schoolwide program
Apollo Middle School48014.577.8%Schoolwide program
Billy Lane Lauffer Middle School43519.458.9%Schoolwide program

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.

3 high schools, 4,625 students

SchoolStudentsPer teacherFree lunchTitle I, 2021‑22
Sunnyside High School2,25823.662.0%Schoolwide program
Desert View High School2,10220.859.0%Schoolwide program
STAR Academic High School26521.765.0%Schoolwide program

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.

1 other school, 107 students

SchoolStudentsPer teacherFree lunchTitle I, 2021‑22
Sunnyside Online Success Academy107not reportednot reportedEligible, no program

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.

One more school on file: small, closed or in an earlier directory

These records carry fewer federal fields than a full school page needs, so each is summarized here with what NCES reports.

Sunnyside Online Success Academy

School in Tucson; open in 2024-25; 107 students.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 and earlier directories: the last year each school was listed, its students and its teachers.

Contact Sunnyside Unified School District

Source: NCES Common Core of Data, local education agency directory 2024-25. Enrollment, boundaries and school assignment are the district's to confirm.

What to look at next about Sunnyside Unified School District

  1. Arizona districts by spending per studentSunnyside Unified School District ranks 97 of 157 Arizona districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 on current spending per student in fiscal year 2022-23 ($10,153).#97 of 157
  2. Every school district in ArizonaSunnyside Unified School District is the number 13 by size of 661 Arizona districts, with 14,541 students in fall 2022 (F-33).#13 of 661
  3. Glendale Union High School DistrictThe next larger Arizona district: 16,535 students in fall 2022, $10,875 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$10,875
  4. Vail School DistrictThe next smaller Arizona district: 14,533 students in fall 2022, $10,071 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$10,071
  5. Compare Sunnyside Unified School District with Glendale Union High School DistrictEnrollment, spending, revenue sources and schools, side by side.
  6. Sunnyside High School, its largest high school2,258 students in 2024-25, 23.6 per teacher.2,258
  7. Teacher salary spending across ArizonaSunnyside Unified School District spent $65,995 in salaries per full-time teacher in fiscal year 2022-23 (state median $62,248); spending, not a salary.$65,995
  8. Find the school district for an addressA home's district decides which public schools it can enroll in.

Source: NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 (spending per student and fall 2022 membership; ranks among the state's districts that reported them); NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (schools).

Questions about Sunnyside Unified School District

  1. How many schools and students are in Sunnyside Unified School District?
    22 schools were open in 2024-25 (14 elementary, 4 middle, 3 high, 1 other), enrolling 14,086 students, according to the NCES Common Core of Data.
  2. How much does Sunnyside Unified School District spend per student?
    $10,153 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), which leaves out construction and debt; the Arizona median for districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 is $10,493 and the U.S. figure is $16,260. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $10,538 per student, up 5.4% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year).
  3. Where does Sunnyside Unified School District's money come from?
    $195,511,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2022-23: 55.7% state, 14.3% local and 30.0% federal (NCES F-33).
  4. How many children in Sunnyside Unified School District live in poverty?
    The Census Bureau estimates that 4,503 of the 17,111 children aged 5 to 17 living within the district's boundaries in 2024, 26.3%, were in families in poverty (Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). It is a model-based estimate for everyone living in the district, not a count of its students; the free-meal shares in the school tables are counts of enrolled students.
  5. How much does Sunnyside Unified School District spend on teacher salaries?
    $48,903,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), or $3,416 per student. Divided by the 741 full-time teachers in the NCES Common Core of Data for 2022-23 that is $65,995 per teacher, more than 61 in 100 Arizona districts (state median $62,248). That is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, and the result can differ widely from the average salary a district publishes. The district's salary schedule gives pay. For pay, the National Education Association put the average Arizona teacher salary at $54,580 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).
  6. How do students in Sunnyside Unified School District do on state tests?
    In 2021-22, the students tested in Sunnyside Unified School District scored proficient or above: 20% in reading and 14% in math, against 40.4% in reading and 34.8% in math across Arizona. Arizona's own test sets what proficient means, so results compare within the state, not across states. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22.
  7. What is the graduation rate in Sunnyside Unified School District?
    76% of the 1,102 students in Sunnyside Unified School District's class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 77.8% across Arizona. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23.
  8. What is Sunnyside Unified School District's NCES district ID?
    0408170. Each of its schools' 12-digit NCES IDs begins with these seven digits.

Reading these figures: how to choose a school district, what Title I means and what an absenteeism rate means. They are for information and are not a substitute for the school's or district's own records.

Sources

Every federal file behind this record
  • NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25: directory, membership, staff and lunch files. nces.ed.gov
  • NCES Common Core of Data, 2021-22 school characteristics: Title I status. nces.ed.gov
  • Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021-22: AP courses, gifted programs, counselors, discipline. civilrightsdata.ed.gov
  • EDFacts, 2022-23: chronic absenteeism. ed.gov
  • EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23: the class of 2023 for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
  • EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22: reading and math proficiency for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
  • NCES Digest of Education Statistics, table 211.60 (2021-22): the state's average teacher salary, from the National Education Association. nces.ed.gov
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024: children aged 5 to 17 and those in families in poverty, by school district. census.gov
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2023-24: per pupil current spending for 2023-24 and 2022-23. census.gov
  • NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, fiscal year 2022-23: district spending and revenue. nces.ed.gov
  • U.S. Census Bureau geocoder and TIGER school districts: the district boundary used by the district finder. census.gov

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances Per pupil current spending by school system · FY 2023-24

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey Revenue and expenditures by district · FY 2022-23

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership, staff and lunch files · 2024-25

Compiled from official source data by .