Can I use Pinal County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Pinal County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Pinal County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Pinal County?

Start with the 139 listed public schools and 44 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

How does Pinal County compare with nearby school counties?

Pinal County appears in the Phoenix area comparison with Maricopa County, AZ and Yavapai County, AZ. Use that regional guide to compare county school score, graduation rate, and spending before narrowing to individual districts and schools.

Pinal County Schools & Education

Name: Pinal County, Arizona Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Pinal County, Arizona

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

School Score

4/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

78.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

78.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 81.0%

Per-Pupil Spending

$4,792

National avg $13,239

State avg $5,607

School Score

4/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 14/100

State Score Position

#14

of 15 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Pinal County

Measured School Summary

Pinal County faces educational challenges with a school score of 4/100 and a graduation rate of 78.0%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $4,792 per pupil, Pinal County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 69% below the Arizona average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 3.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 15% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Pinal 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

139 public schools and 44 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

4/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #14 of 15 Arizona counties with school score data.

Completion

78.0%

3.0 pts below the state average

Funding context

$4,792

$815 below the state average

School coverage

139

44 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

Pinal County has 139 public schools across 44 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.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Pinal 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.

Choice-program county

Pinal County has a visible charter, magnet, or virtual-school layer in NCES records. The practical question is eligibility, lottery timing, and transportation, not just whether a school appears nearby.

State position

#14

of 15 Arizona counties with school score data. The county score is 10 points below 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.

Florence Unified School District (4437)

Elementary and high visible

9,090 students

Elementary 8Middle 0High 3Other 3

14 listed schools in this county slice.

Maricopa Unified School District (4441)

Elementary to high school visible

8,731 students

Elementary 6Middle 2High 1Other 4

13 listed schools in this county slice.

Casa Grande Elementary District (4446)

Elementary and middle visible

6,579 students

Elementary 10Middle 3High 0Other 1

14 listed schools in this county slice.

J O Combs Unified School District (4445)

Elementary to high school visible

4,401 students

Elementary 6Middle 1High 2Other 1

10 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Casa Grande Elementary District (4446) is the largest listed district slice, with 14 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 Pinal County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Pinal 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?

Comparison context

Compare Pinal County With Nearby School Markets

Pinal County appears in curated regional school comparisons where parents commonly weigh county lines, housing tradeoffs, commute, and district boundaries before narrowing to individual schools.

Phoenix area

Maricopa County vs Pinal County vs Yavapai County Schools

This guide helps parents compare the Phoenix core county with surrounding county alternatives when housing budget or commute changes the search radius.

Compared with

Maricopa County, AZ and Yavapai County, AZ

Current leader

Yavapai County, AZ at 7/100

Graduation-rate leader: Yavapai County, AZ at 79.6%

Open regional guide Open interactive comparison

Education Overview

About Schools in Pinal 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.

Rapid Growth Across Pinal’s 139 Schools

Pinal County serves 62,525 students through a mix of 139 public schools across 44 districts. The landscape includes 62 elementary schools and a growing number of K-12 'other' configurations to meet local demand.

Graduation Success and Funding Realities

The county maintains a 78% graduation rate, approaching the Arizona state average but remaining behind the national 87% benchmark. Expenditure per pupil is among the lowest in the state at $4,792, trailing the state average by over $800.

Florence and Maricopa District Leadership

Florence Unified and Maricopa Unified are the heavy hitters, serving roughly 9,000 students each. Nearly 24% of the county's schools are charters, including the massive American Leadership Academy Ironwood K12 with 2,230 students.

A Mix of Rural Roots and Large Suburbs

Pinal County schools are larger than average at 517 students per campus. While 50 schools remain in rural locales, the suburban sectors feature large high schools like Maricopa High, which serves over 2,100 students.

School Overview

Total Schools

139

in Pinal County

Reported Enrollment

62,525

139 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

24% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary62

Middle13

High47

Other17

44 School Districts in Pinal County

Florence Unified School District (4437)

Maricopa Unified School District (4441)

Casa Grande Elementary District (4446)

J O Combs Unified School District (4445)

Casa Grande Union High School District (4453)

Apache Junction Unified District (4443)

5 schools

3,021 students

Coolidge Unified District (4442)

6 schools

2,585 students

Legacy Traditional School - Casa Grande (92199)

1 school

1,543 students

Legacy Traditional School - Maricopa (88360)

1 school

1,268 students

Toltec School District (4450)

3 schools

1,133 students

139 Public Schools in Pinal County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 13 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

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

Search schools

Level

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Showing 20 of 139 matching schools

Public schools in Pinal County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
American Leadership Academy Ironwood K12	Profile	American Leadership Academy Inc. (4348)	CHANDLER, 85286Rural: Fringe	KG–12	Charter	2,230
Maricopa High School	Profile	Maricopa Unified School District (4441)	MARICOPA, 85139Town: Distant	6–12	High	2,188
Casa Grande Union High School	Profile	Casa Grande Union High School District (4453)	CASA GRANDE, 85122City: Small	9–12	High	2,132
Vista Grande High School	Profile	Casa Grande Union High School District (4453)	CASA GRANDE, 85122City: Small	9–12	High	1,790
Eduprize School	Profile	Eduprize Schools LLC (89412)	QUEEN CREEK, 85142Rural: Fringe	KG–8	Charter	1,643
Legacy Traditional School - Casa Grande	Profile	Legacy Traditional School - Casa Grande (92199)	MARICOPA, 85138City: Small	KG–8	Charter	1,543
Poston Butte High School	Profile	Florence Unified School District (4437)	FLORENCE, 85132Rural: Fringe	7–12	High	1,393
Combs High School	Profile	J O Combs Unified School District (4445)	San Tan Valley, 85140Rural: Fringe	8–12	High	1,356
Legacy Traditional School - Maricopa	Profile	Legacy Traditional School - Maricopa (88360)	CHANDLER, 85286Rural: Fringe	KG–10	Charter	1,268
Legacy Traditional School - Queen Creek	Profile	Legacy Traditional School - Queen Creek (92610)	CHANDLER, 85286Suburb: Large	KG–8	Charter	1,119
Apache Junction High School	Profile	Apache Junction Unified District (4443)	Apache Junction, 85120Suburb: Large	9–12	High	999
American Leadership Academy Anthem K-6	Profile	American Leadership Academy Inc. (4348)	Florence, 85312Rural: Fringe	KG–12	Charter	959
Maricopa Wells Middle School	Profile	Maricopa Unified School District (4441)	MARICOPA, 85139Town: Distant	6–8	Middle	934
Heritage Academy Maricopa	Record	Heritage Academy Inc. (4336)	MESA, 85210Town: Distant	6–12	Charter	883
Sequoia Pathway Academy	Record	Edkey Inc. - Sequoia Pathway Academy (92226)	MESA, 85204Town: Distant	KG–12	Charter	843
The Grande Innovation	Record	The Grande Innovation Academy (92978)	CASA GRANDE, 85122City: Small	KG–8	Charter	827
San Tan Foothills High School	Record	Florence Unified School District (4437)	QUEEN CREEK, 85142Rural: Fringe	7–12	High	824
Desert Wind Middle School	Record	Maricopa Unified School District (4441)	MARICOPA, 85139Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	817
Walker Butte K-8	Record	Florence Unified School District (4437)	FLORENCE, 85132Suburb: Large	PK–8	Primary	813
Leading Edge Academy Maricopa	Record	Leading Edge Academy Maricopa (90637)	GILBERT, 85296Town: Distant	KG–8	Charter	804

American Leadership Academy Ironwood K12

American Leadership Academy Inc. (4348)

CHANDLER, 85286 / Rural: Fringe

ProfileKG–12Charter2,230 students

Maricopa High School

Maricopa Unified School District (4441)

MARICOPA, 85139 / Town: Distant

Profile6–12High2,188 students

Casa Grande Union High School

Casa Grande Union High School District (4453)

CASA GRANDE, 85122 / City: Small

Profile9–12High2,132 students

Vista Grande High School

Casa Grande Union High School District (4453)

CASA GRANDE, 85122 / City: Small

Profile9–12High1,790 students

Eduprize School

Eduprize Schools LLC (89412)

QUEEN CREEK, 85142 / Rural: Fringe

ProfileKG–8Charter1,643 students

Legacy Traditional School - Casa Grande

Legacy Traditional School - Casa Grande (92199)

MARICOPA, 85138 / City: Small

ProfileKG–8Charter1,543 students

Poston Butte High School

Florence Unified School District (4437)

FLORENCE, 85132 / Rural: Fringe

Profile7–12High1,393 students

Combs High School

J O Combs Unified School District (4445)

San Tan Valley, 85140 / Rural: Fringe

Profile8–12High1,356 students

Legacy Traditional School - Maricopa

Legacy Traditional School - Maricopa (88360)

CHANDLER, 85286 / Rural: Fringe

ProfileKG–10Charter1,268 students

Legacy Traditional School - Queen Creek

Legacy Traditional School - Queen Creek (92610)

CHANDLER, 85286 / Suburb: Large

ProfileKG–8Charter1,119 students

Apache Junction High School

Apache Junction Unified District (4443)

Apache Junction, 85120 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High999 students

American Leadership Academy Anthem K-6

American Leadership Academy Inc. (4348)

Florence, 85312 / Rural: Fringe

ProfileKG–12Charter959 students

Maricopa Wells Middle School

Maricopa Unified School District (4441)

MARICOPA, 85139 / Town: Distant

Profile6–8Middle934 students

Heritage Academy Maricopa

Heritage Academy Inc. (4336)

MESA, 85210 / Town: Distant

Record6–12Charter883 students

Sequoia Pathway Academy

Edkey Inc. - Sequoia Pathway Academy (92226)

MESA, 85204 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–12Charter843 students

The Grande Innovation

The Grande Innovation Academy (92978)

CASA GRANDE, 85122 / City: Small

RecordKG–8Charter827 students

San Tan Foothills High School

Florence Unified School District (4437)

QUEEN CREEK, 85142 / Rural: Fringe

Record7–12High824 students

Desert Wind Middle School

Maricopa Unified School District (4441)

MARICOPA, 85139 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle817 students

Walker Butte K-8

Florence Unified School District (4437)

FLORENCE, 85132 / Suburb: Large

RecordPK–8Primary813 students

Leading Edge Academy Maricopa

Leading Edge Academy Maricopa (90637)

GILBERT, 85296 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–8Charter804 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$4,792

State avg $5,607

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Pinal 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.

View Schools

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 Pinal County?

Pinal County has a school score of 4/100, 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 Pinal County?

The high school graduation rate in Pinal County is 78.0%, 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 Pinal County spend per student?

Pinal County spends $4,792 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 Pinal County, Arizona — FAQ

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

How do schools in Pinal County perform academically?

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

What is the school experience like in Pinal County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Maricopa County

Arizona

+1 pts

5/100

School score

Pima County

Arizona

-3 pts

2/100

School score

Mohave County

Arizona

+3 pts

7/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 2026Reviewed 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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