schoolsbycounty

Gila County Schools & Education

Gila County, Arizona

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

School Score

15/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

76.1%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

76.1%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 81.0%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,379

National avg $13,239

State avg $5,607

School Score

15/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 14/100

State Score Position

#9

of 15 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Gila County

Measured School Summary

Gila County faces educational challenges with a school score of 15/100 and a graduation rate of 76.1%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $6,379 per pupil, Gila County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 4% above the Arizona average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 4.9 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 14% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Gila 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

36 public schools and 12 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

15/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #9 of 15 Arizona counties with school score data.

Completion

76.1%

4.9 pts below the state average

Funding context

$6,379

$772 above the state average

School coverage

36

12 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

Gila County has 36 public schools across 12 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 Gila 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.

Review-carefully county

Gila County has a lower measured county-level school signal. Use the school table to look for specific districts or grade bands that may differ from the county average.

State position

#9

of 15 Arizona counties with school score data. The county score is roughly in line with 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.

Payson Unified District (4209)

Elementary to high school visible

2,291 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 2Other 0

5 listed schools in this county slice.

Globe Unified District (4208)

Elementary to high school visible

1,706 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 1

4 listed schools in this county slice.

San Carlos Unified District (4210)

Elementary to high school visible

1,404 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 2Other 1

5 listed schools in this county slice.

Miami Unified District (4211)

Elementary and high visible

933 students

Elementary 2Middle 0High 1Other 2

5 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Cobre Valley Institute of Technology District (79391) 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 Gila County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Gila 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 Gila 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.

Small-Town Schooling in Gila County

Gila County manages 36 public schools across 12 districts for its 7,734 students. The network includes 16 high schools and 11 elementary schools, reflecting a strong focus on finishing secondary education. Most schools are situated in rugged, rural, or small-town environments.

Payson and Miami Unified Districts

Payson Unified is the primary district, serving 2,291 students across 5 schools. Miami Unified also plays a vital role, supporting 933 students in the region. Charter schools are less common here, accounting for only 5.6% of the county's total school count.

Tight-Knit Campuses in Rural Arizona

Average school size is modest at 276 students, providing a personalized feel for most learners. Payson High School is the largest campus with 790 students, while 20 schools are located in strictly rural areas. These settings foster strong community ties between students, teachers, and local families.

School Overview

Total Schools

36

in Gila County

Reported Enrollment

7,734

36 schools reporting

School Districts

12

districts

Charter Schools

2

6% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary11
Middle4
High16
Other5

12 School Districts in Gila County

Payson Unified District (4209)

5 schools
2,291 students

Globe Unified District (4208)

4 schools
1,706 students

San Carlos Unified District (4210)

5 schools
1,404 students

Miami Unified District (4211)

5 schools
933 students

Destiny School Inc. (6258)

1 school
340 students

Hayden-Winkelman Unified District (4212)

2 schools
314 students

Pine Strawberry Elementary District (4214)

1 school
96 students

Tonto Basin Elementary District (4215)

1 school
84 students

Liberty High School (4216)

1 school
61 students

Young Elementary District (4213)

2 schools
47 students

36 Public Schools in Gila 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 36 matching schools

Payson High School

Payson Unified District (4209)

PAYSON, 85547 / Town: Remote

Record9–12High790 students

Copper Rim Elementary School

Globe Unified District (4208)

GLOBE, 85501 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–5Primary765 students

Rice Elementary School

San Carlos Unified District (4210)

SAN CARLOS, 85550 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–5Primary642 students

Julia Randall Elementary School

Payson Unified District (4209)

PAYSON, 85547 / Town: Remote

Record2–5Primary576 students

Globe High School

Globe Unified District (4208)

GLOBE, 85501 / Town: Remote

Record9–12High498 students

Miami Junior Senior High School

Miami Unified District (4211)

MIAMI, 85539 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–12High495 students

Rim Country Middle School

Payson Unified District (4209)

PAYSON, 85547 / Town: Remote

Record6–8Middle493 students

Canyon Day Junior High School

Whiteriver Unified District (4394)

WHITERIVER, 85941 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle437 students

Payson Elementary School

Payson Unified District (4209)

PAYSON, 85547 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–2Primary432 students

High Desert Middle School

Globe Unified District (4208)

GLOBE, 85501 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle407 students

San Carlos High School

San Carlos Unified District (4210)

SAN CARLOS, 85550 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High393 students

Destiny School

Destiny School Inc. (6258)

GLOBE, 85501 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–8Charter340 students

San Carlos Middle School

San Carlos Unified District (4210)

SAN CARLOS, 85550 / Town: Remote

Record6–8Middle322 students

Dr. Charles A. Bejarano Elementary School

Miami Unified District (4211)

MIAMI, 85539 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–2Primary238 students

Leonor Hambly K-8

Hayden-Winkelman Unified District (4212)

WINKELMAN, 85192 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–8Primary221 students

Lee Kornegay Intermediate School

Miami Unified District (4211)

MIAMI, 85539 / Rural: Fringe

Record3–5Primary200 students

Pine Strawberry Elementary School

Pine Strawberry Elementary District (4214)

PINE, 85544 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–8Primary96 students

Hayden High School

Hayden-Winkelman Unified District (4212)

WINKELMAN, 85192 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High93 students

Tonto Basin Elementary

Tonto Basin Elementary District (4215)

TONTO BASIN, 85553 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–8Primary84 students

Liberty High School

Liberty High School (4216)

GLOBE, 85501 / Town: Remote

Record7–12Charter61 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,379

State avg $5,607

Compare Nearby Counties

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

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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 Gila County?
Gila County has a school score of 15/100, 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 Gila County?
The high school graduation rate in Gila County is 76.1%, 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 Gila County spend per student?
Gila County spends $6,379 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 Gila County, Arizona — FAQ

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

Gila County manages 36 public schools across 12 districts for its 7,734 students. The network includes 16 high schools and 11 elementary schools, reflecting a strong focus on finishing secondary education. Most schools are situated in rugged, rural, or small-town environments.

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

Payson Unified is the primary district, serving 2,291 students across 5 schools. Miami Unified also plays a vital role, supporting 933 students in the region. Charter schools are less common here, accounting for only 5.6% of the county's total school count.

What is the school experience like in Gila County?

Average school size is modest at 276 students, providing a personalized feel for most learners. Payson High School is the largest campus with 790 students, while 20 schools are located in strictly rural areas. These settings foster strong community ties between students, teachers, and local families.

Counties with Similar School Profile

Greenlee County

Arizona

+0 pts

15/100

School score

Cochise County

Arizona

+1 pts

15/100

School score

Coconino County

Arizona

+2 pts

17/100

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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