Santa Cruz County Schools & Education
Santa Cruz County, Arizona
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
28/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
90.2%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
90.2%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 81.0%
Per-Pupil Spending
$4,869
National avg $13,239
State avg $5,607
School Score
28/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 14/100
State Score Position
#1
of 15 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Santa Cruz County
Measured School Summary
Despite a lower school score of 28/100, Santa Cruz County maintains a strong graduation rate of 90.2%, suggesting effective student support systems.
Funding Context
At $4,869 per pupil, Santa Cruz County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 96% above the Arizona average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 9.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 13% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Santa Cruz 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
31 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
28/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #1 of 15 Arizona counties with school score data.
Completion
90.2%
9.2 pts above the state average
Funding context
$4,869
$738 below the state average
School coverage
31
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
Santa Cruz County has 31 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.
What Santa Cruz 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
Santa Cruz 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
#1
of 15 Arizona counties with school score data. The county score is 14 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.
Nogales Unified District (4457)
Elementary to high school visible
5,687 students
11 listed schools in this county slice.
Santa Cruz Valley Unified District (4458)
Elementary to high school visible
3,673 students
6 listed schools in this county slice.
Kaizen Education Foundation dba Colegio Petite Pho (92989)
Elementary school only in this slice
275 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
Santa Cruz Elementary District (4459)
Elementary school only in this slice
183 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
District reality check
Nogales Unified District (4457) is the largest listed district slice, with 11 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 Santa Cruz County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz 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.
Focused Education in Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County operates a streamlined system of 31 public schools serving 10,542 students. These schools are organized into 12 districts, with a strong focus on elementary and high school levels.
Outperforming State and National Graduation Rates
Santa Cruz County boasts an impressive 90.2% graduation rate, far exceeding the state average of 81% and the national benchmark of 87%. It achieves these results despite a per-pupil expenditure of $4,869, which is below the state average.
Nogales Unified Leads the Region
Nogales Unified District is the county's largest, educating 5,687 students across 11 schools. Charter schools represent about 19.4% of the local options, providing specialized choices for families in the area.
Town-Centered Learning with High Enrollment
Education is concentrated in town settings, where 21 of the 31 schools are located. Nogales High School is the county's largest campus, serving 1,796 students and acting as a central community hub.
School Overview
Total Schools
31
in Santa Cruz County
Reported Enrollment
10,542
31 schools reporting
School Districts
12
districts
Charter Schools
6
19% of total
School Level Breakdown
12 School Districts in Santa Cruz County
Nogales Unified District (4457)
GuideSanta Cruz Valley Unified District (4458)
GuideEducational Options Foundation (90201)
Kaizen Education Foundation dba Colegio Petite Pho (92989)
Mexicayotl Academy Inc. (4463)
Santa Cruz Elementary District (4459)
Sonoita Elementary District (4461)
Patagonia Elementary District (4460)
Patagonia Union High School District (4462)
Santa Cruz Valley Opportunities in Education Inc. (79066)
31 Public Schools in Santa Cruz County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 3 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 31 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nogales High School | Profile | Nogales Unified District (4457) | NOGALES, 85621Town: Remote | 9–12 | High | 1,796 |
| Rio Rico High School | Profile | Santa Cruz Valley Unified District (4458) | Rio Rico, 85648Town: Remote | 9–12 | High | 1,414 |
| Calabasas School | Profile | Santa Cruz Valley Unified District (4458) | RIO RICO, 85648Town: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 1,006 |
| Desert Shadows Middle School | Record | Nogales Unified District (4457) | Nogales, 85621Rural: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 760 |
| Wade Carpenter Middle School | Record | Nogales Unified District (4457) | NOGALES, 85621Town: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 576 |
| Francisco Vasquez De Coronado Elementary School | Record | Nogales Unified District (4457) | NOGALES, 85621Town: Remote | KG–5 | Primary | 515 |
| Coatimundi Middle School | Record | Santa Cruz Valley Unified District (4458) | RIO RICO, 85648Town: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 473 |
| Lincoln Elementary School | Record | Nogales Unified District (4457) | NOGALES, 85621Town: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 438 |
| San Cayetano Elementary School | Record | Santa Cruz Valley Unified District (4458) | RIO RICO, 85648Rural: Fringe | KG–5 | Primary | 393 |
| Mountain View School | Record | Santa Cruz Valley Unified District (4458) | RIO RICO, 85648Town: Remote | KG–5 | Primary | 387 |
| Challenger Elementary School | Record | Nogales Unified District (4457) | NOGALES, 85621Town: Remote | KG–5 | Primary | 374 |
| Mary L Welty Elementary School | Record | Nogales Unified District (4457) | NOGALES, 85621Town: Remote | KG–5 | Primary | 364 |
| A J Mitchell Elementary School | Record | Nogales Unified District (4457) | NOGALES, 85621Town: Remote | KG–5 | Primary | 314 |
| Colegio Petite Arizona | Record | Kaizen Education Foundation dba Colegio Petite Pho (92989) | Phoenix, 85020Town: Remote | KG–5 | Charter | 275 |
| Robert Bracker Elementary | Record | Nogales Unified District (4457) | NOGALES, 85621Rural: Fringe | KG–5 | Primary | 266 |
| Little Red Schoolhouse | Record | Santa Cruz Elementary District (4459) | NOGALES, 85621Rural: Fringe | PK–8 | Primary | 183 |
| Mexicayotl Charter School | Record | Mexicayotl Academy Inc. (4463) | NOGALES, 85621Town: Remote | KG–8 | Charter | 166 |
| Elgin Elementary School | Record | Sonoita Elementary District (4461) | ELGIN, 85611Rural: Distant | PK–8 | Primary | 149 |
| NUSD Online | Record | Nogales Unified District (4457) | Nogales, 85621Town: Remote | KG–12 | Virtual | 142 |
| Pierson High School | Record | Nogales Unified District (4457) | NOGALES, 85621Town: Remote | 9–12 | Alternative | 142 |
Nogales High School
Nogales Unified District (4457)
NOGALES, 85621 / Town: Remote
Rio Rico High School
Santa Cruz Valley Unified District (4458)
Rio Rico, 85648 / Town: Remote
Calabasas School
Santa Cruz Valley Unified District (4458)
RIO RICO, 85648 / Town: Remote
Desert Shadows Middle School
Nogales Unified District (4457)
Nogales, 85621 / Rural: Fringe
Wade Carpenter Middle School
Nogales Unified District (4457)
NOGALES, 85621 / Town: Remote
Francisco Vasquez De Coronado Elementary School
Nogales Unified District (4457)
NOGALES, 85621 / Town: Remote
Coatimundi Middle School
Santa Cruz Valley Unified District (4458)
RIO RICO, 85648 / Town: Remote
Lincoln Elementary School
Nogales Unified District (4457)
NOGALES, 85621 / Town: Remote
San Cayetano Elementary School
Santa Cruz Valley Unified District (4458)
RIO RICO, 85648 / Rural: Fringe
Mountain View School
Santa Cruz Valley Unified District (4458)
RIO RICO, 85648 / Town: Remote
Challenger Elementary School
Nogales Unified District (4457)
NOGALES, 85621 / Town: Remote
Mary L Welty Elementary School
Nogales Unified District (4457)
NOGALES, 85621 / Town: Remote
A J Mitchell Elementary School
Nogales Unified District (4457)
NOGALES, 85621 / Town: Remote
Colegio Petite Arizona
Kaizen Education Foundation dba Colegio Petite Pho (92989)
Phoenix, 85020 / Town: Remote
Robert Bracker Elementary
Nogales Unified District (4457)
NOGALES, 85621 / Rural: Fringe
Little Red Schoolhouse
Santa Cruz Elementary District (4459)
NOGALES, 85621 / Rural: Fringe
Mexicayotl Charter School
Mexicayotl Academy Inc. (4463)
NOGALES, 85621 / Town: Remote
Elgin Elementary School
Sonoita Elementary District (4461)
ELGIN, 85611 / Rural: Distant
NUSD Online
Nogales Unified District (4457)
Nogales, 85621 / Town: Remote
Pierson High School
Nogales Unified District (4457)
NOGALES, 85621 / Town: Remote
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$4,869
State avg $5,607
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Santa Cruz County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Arizona counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Arizona?
How should I read the school score in Santa Cruz County?
What is the graduation rate in Santa Cruz County?
How much does Santa Cruz County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Santa Cruz County, Arizona — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Santa Cruz County, Arizona?
Santa Cruz County operates a streamlined system of 31 public schools serving 10,542 students. These schools are organized into 12 districts, with a strong focus on elementary and high school levels.
How do schools in Santa Cruz County perform academically?
Santa Cruz County boasts an impressive 90.2% graduation rate, far exceeding the state average of 81% and the national benchmark of 87%. It achieves these results despite a per-pupil expenditure of $4,869, which is below the state average.
What are the major school districts in Santa Cruz County, Arizona?
Nogales Unified District is the county's largest, educating 5,687 students across 11 schools. Charter schools represent about 19.4% of the local options, providing specialized choices for families in the area.
What is the school experience like in Santa Cruz County?
Education is concentrated in town settings, where 21 of the 31 schools are located. Nogales High School is the county's largest campus, serving 1,796 students and acting as a central community hub.
Counties with Similar School Profile
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.