schoolsbycounty

Apache County Schools & Education

Apache County, Arizona

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

School Score

27/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

79.9%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

79.9%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 81.0%

Per-Pupil Spending

$7,209

National avg $13,239

State avg $5,607

School Score

27/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 14/100

State Score Position

#2

of 15 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Apache County

Measured School Summary

Apache County faces educational challenges with a school score of 27/100 and a graduation rate of 79.9%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $7,209 per pupil, Apache County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 94% above the Arizona average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 1.1 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 29% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Apache County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

50 public schools and 11 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

27/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #2 of 15 Arizona counties with school score data.

Completion

79.9%

1.1 pts below the state average

Funding context

$7,209

$1,602 above the state average

School coverage

50

11 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Apache County has 50 public schools across 11 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

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Parent decision brief

What Apache County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Large multi-district county

Apache County has many school records across many districts. County averages are only the opening screen; neighborhood-level assignment and grade-band fit matter more here.

State position

#2

of 15 Arizona counties with school score data. The county score is 13 points above the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

Chinle Unified District (4158)

Elementary to high school visible

3,164 students

Elementary 5Middle 1High 1Other 1

8 listed schools in this county slice.

Window Rock Unified District (4154)

Elementary to high school visible

1,736 students

Elementary 2Middle 2High 1Other 1

6 listed schools in this county slice.

Round Valley Unified District (4155)

Elementary to high school visible

1,376 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 1

4 listed schools in this county slice.

Ganado Unified School District (4157)

Elementary to high school visible

1,158 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 1Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Chinle Unified District (4158) is the largest listed district slice, with 8 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Apache County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Apache County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Apache County, Arizona

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

Rural Schooling Across Apache County

Apache County manages 50 public schools across 11 districts, serving nearly 10,000 students. The infrastructure is evenly split between 19 elementary and 19 high schools, with 8 middle schools completing the core system. Enrollment is distributed across vast distances, primarily in rural and town settings.

Chinle Unified Leads District Enrollment

Chinle Unified is the largest district, educating 3,164 students across 8 different schools. Window Rock Unified follows with 1,736 students and 6 schools in its network. Charter schools represent a minimal presence here, making up only 2% of the county's educational options.

Small Schools in Remote Settings

Education here feels personal with an average school size of just 244 students. While Chinle High School is the largest with 920 students, 26 schools operate in rural locales and 24 in small towns. This mix ensures most students learn in intimate, community-focused environments.

School Overview

Total Schools

50

in Apache County

Reported Enrollment

9,993

50 schools reporting

School Districts

11

districts

Charter Schools

1

2% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary19
Middle8
High19
Other4

11 School Districts in Apache County

Chinle Unified District (4158)

8 schools
3,164 students

Window Rock Unified District (4154)

6 schools
1,736 students

Round Valley Unified District (4155)

4 schools
1,376 students

Ganado Unified School District (4157)

4 schools
1,158 students

St Johns Unified District (4153)

4 schools
965 students

Sanders Unified District (4156)

4 schools
616 students

Red Mesa Unified District (4159)

5 schools
481 students

Concho Elementary District (4160)

1 school
183 students

Mcnary Elementary District (4163)

1 school
124 students

Vernon Elementary District (4162)

1 school
123 students

50 Public Schools in Apache County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Level

Showing 20 of 50 matching schools

Chinle High School

Chinle Unified District (4158)

CHINLE, 86503 / Town: Remote

Record9–12High920 students

Window Rock High School

Window Rock Unified District (4154)

FORT DEFIANCE, 86504 / Town: Remote

Record9–12High571 students

Round Valley Elementary School

Round Valley Unified District (4155)

SPRINGERVILLE, 85938 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–4Primary494 students

Chinle Elementary School

Chinle Unified District (4158)

CHINLE, 86503 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary462 students

Ganado High School

Ganado Unified School District (4157)

GANADO, 86505 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High448 students

Tsehootsooi Primary Learning Center

Window Rock Unified District (4154)

FORT DEFIANCE, 86504 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–3Primary441 students

Round Valley Middle School

Round Valley Unified District (4155)

SPRINGERVILLE, 85938 / Town: Remote

Record5–8Middle428 students

Chinle Junior High School

Chinle Unified District (4158)

CHINLE, 86503 / Town: Remote

Record7–8Middle411 students

Round Valley High School

Round Valley Unified District (4155)

SPRINGERVILLE, 85938 / Town: Remote

Record9–12High410 students

Tsaile Elementary School

Chinle Unified District (4158)

CHINLE, 86503 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–8Primary390 students

Mesa View Elementary

Chinle Unified District (4158)

CHINLE, 86503 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary388 students

Tsehootsooi Intermediate Learning Center

Window Rock Unified District (4154)

FORT DEFIANCE, 86504 / Town: Remote

Record4–6Middle355 students

St Johns Middle School

St Johns Unified District (4153)

SAINT JOHNS, 85936 / Town: Remote

Record4–8Middle340 students

St Johns High School

St Johns Unified District (4153)

St Johns, 85936 / Town: Remote

Record9–12High317 students

Many Farms Elementary School

Chinle Unified District (4158)

CHINLE, 86503 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–8Primary306 students

Ganado Middle School

Ganado Unified School District (4157)

GANADO, 86505 / Rural: Remote

Record6–8Middle291 students

Coronado Elementary School

St Johns Unified District (4153)

SAINT JOHNS, 85936 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–3Primary290 students

Canyon De Chelly Elementary School

Chinle Unified District (4158)

CHINLE, 86503 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary286 students

Tsehootsooi Middle School

Window Rock Unified District (4154)

FORT DEFIANCE, 86504 / Town: Remote

Record7–8Middle259 students

Sanders Elementary School

Sanders Unified District (4156)

SANDERS, 86512 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–7Primary247 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$7,209

State avg $5,607

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Apache County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which Arizona counties have the highest graduation rates?
Santa Cruz County (90.2%), Yuma County (88.7%), and Cochise County (85.8%) currently lead Arizona among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in Arizona?
Across Arizona counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $5,607. The highest current county values are Apache County ($7,209), Gila County ($6,379), and La Paz County ($6,344). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Apache County?
Apache County has a school score of 27/100, which is a lower measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in Apache County?
The high school graduation rate in Apache County is 79.9%, which is below the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does Apache County spend per student?
Apache County spends $7,209 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Apache County, Arizona — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Apache County, Arizona?

Apache County manages 50 public schools across 11 districts, serving nearly 10,000 students. The infrastructure is evenly split between 19 elementary and 19 high schools, with 8 middle schools completing the core system. Enrollment is distributed across vast distances, primarily in rural and town settings.

What are the major school districts in Apache County, Arizona?

Chinle Unified is the largest district, educating 3,164 students across 8 different schools. Window Rock Unified follows with 1,736 students and 6 schools in its network. Charter schools represent a minimal presence here, making up only 2% of the county's educational options.

What is the school experience like in Apache County?

Education here feels personal with an average school size of just 244 students. While Chinle High School is the largest with 920 students, 26 schools operate in rural locales and 24 in small towns. This mix ensures most students learn in intimate, community-focused environments.

Counties with Similar School Profile

Santa Cruz County

Arizona

+0 pts

28/100

School score

Yuma County

Arizona

-6 pts

22/100

School score

La Paz County

Arizona

-7 pts

20/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.

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