Public schools in Maricopa, AZ
22 open public schools with an address in Maricopa, operated by 9 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
22
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
13,974
22 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
18.4:1
Arizona median 16.7:1
Charter schools
6
1 virtual
An overview of Maricopa public schools
The federal directory lists 22 public schools in Maricopa, AZ: 8 elementary, 2 middle, 7 high, 5 combined or other. The 22 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 13,974 students, an average of 635 per school. The largest campus is Maricopa High School (1,840 students), and the largest elementary school is Santa Cruz Elementary School (941).
Maricopa Unified School District (4441) operates the most schools here (13), and 2 regular districts have at least one Maricopa campus, plus 7 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 18.4:1, higher than the statewide school median of 16.7:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 6 charter schools, 1 virtual school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 4 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 1 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 1 of 4 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
School districts and agencies serving Maricopa
Maricopa Unified School District (4441)
Public school district
13 schools in Maricopa
Central Arizona Valley Institute of Technology (79385)
Specialized public school district
2 schools in Maricopa · 10 total
A+ Charter Schools (1000166)
Independent charter agency
1 school in Maricopa
Edkey Inc. - Sequoia Pathway Academy (92226)
Independent charter agency
1 school in Maricopa
GAR LLC dba Student Choice High School (78997)
Independent charter agency
1 school in Maricopa · 4 total
Heritage Academy Maricopa Inc. (1002080)
Independent charter agency
1 school in Maricopa
Leading Edge Academy Maricopa (90637)
Independent charter agency
1 school in Maricopa
Legacy Traditional School - Maricopa (88360)
Independent charter agency
1 school in Maricopa
Mobile Elementary District (4253)
Public school district
1 school in Maricopa
Elementary schools in Maricopa
8| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butterfield Elementary School Maricopa Unified School District (4441) | PK–05 | 920 | 15.7:1 | |
| Leading Edge Academy Maricopa Leading Edge Academy Maricopa (90637) · Charter | KG–08 | 872 | 15.6:1 | |
| Maricopa Elementary School Maricopa Unified School District (4441) | PK–06 | 883 | 15.8:1 | |
| Mobile Elementary School Mobile Elementary District (4253) | KG–08 | 28 | 8:1 | |
| Pima Butte Elementary School Maricopa Unified School District (4441) | PK–05 | 407 | 16:1 | |
| Saddleback Elementary School Maricopa Unified School District (4441) | PK–06 | 811 | 13.2:1 | |
| Santa Cruz Elementary School Maricopa Unified School District (4441) | PK–06 | 941 | 18.1:1 | |
| Santa Rosa Elementary School Maricopa Unified School District (4441) | PK–06 | 527 | 17.6:1 |
Middle schools in Maricopa
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desert Wind Middle School Maricopa Unified School District (4441) | 06–08 | 898 | 21:1 | |
| Maricopa Wells Middle School Maricopa Unified School District (4441) | 06–08 | 940 | 20.4:1 |
High schools in Maricopa
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ Charter Schools A+ Charter Schools (1000166) · Charter | 06–12 | 370 | 16.9:1 | |
| CAVIT - Desert Sunrise High School Central Arizona Valley Institute of Technology (79385) · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 0 | — | |
| CAVIT - Maricopa Unified Central Arizona Valley Institute of Technology (79385) · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 0 | — | |
| Desert Sunrise High School Maricopa Unified School District (4441) | 09–12 | 1,261 | 23.2:1 | |
| Heritage Academy Maricopa Heritage Academy Maricopa Inc. (1002080) · Charter | 06–12 | 937 | 18.7:1 | |
| Maricopa High School Maricopa Unified School District (4441) | 06–12 | 1,840 | 21.5:1 | |
| Student Choice High School - Maricopa GAR LLC dba Student Choice High School (78997) · Charter · Alternative School | 09–12 | 162 | 54:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Maricopa
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legacy Traditional School - Maricopa Legacy Traditional School - Maricopa (88360) · Charter | KG–10 | 1,363 | 48.7:1 | |
| Maricopa Virtual Academy Maricopa Unified School District (4441) · Virtual | KG–12 | 140 | 20.9:1 | |
| Saddleback Preschool Maricopa Unified School District (4441) | PK–PK | 0 | — | |
| Santa Rosa Preschool Maricopa Unified School District (4441) | PK–PK | 0 | — | |
| Sequoia Pathway Academy Edkey Inc. - Sequoia Pathway Academy (92226) · Charter | KG–12 | 674 | 37.4:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White26.5%
- Hispanic44.4%
- Black15.3%
- Asian2.1%
- American Indian / Alaska Native3.3%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.7%
- Multiracial7.7%
Enrollment-weighted across 18 Maricopa schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (13,974 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Maricopa
How many public schools are in Maricopa, AZ?
The current NCES directory lists 22 open public schools with a location address in Maricopa: 8 elementary, 2 middle, 7 high, 5 combined or other. Together they reported 13,974 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Maricopa?
Schools with an address in Maricopa belong to 9 education agencies, led by Maricopa Unified School District (4441) (13 schools), Central Arizona Valley Institute of Technology (79385) (2 schools), A+ Charter Schools (1000166) (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Maricopa?
Maricopa High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Maricopa, with 1,840 students in 2024–25 (grades 06–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Maricopa?
Yes. 6 of the 22 public schools in Maricopa are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including A+ Charter Schools, Heritage Academy Maricopa, Leading Edge Academy Maricopa. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Maricopa schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Maricopa public schools is 18.4:1, higher than the Arizona school median of 16.7:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Maricopa guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Arizona cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Arizona cities