Public schools in Nogales, AZ
18 open public schools with an address in Nogales, operated by 7 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
18
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
6,393
18 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
16.9:1
Arizona median 16.7:1
Charter schools
4
1 virtual
An overview of Nogales public schools
The federal directory lists 18 public schools in Nogales, AZ: 9 elementary, 2 middle, 6 high, 1 combined or other. The 18 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 6,393 students, an average of 355 per school. The largest campus is Nogales High School (1,774 students), and the largest elementary school is Francisco Vasquez De Coronado Elementary School (508).
Nogales Unified District (4457) operates the most schools here (11), and 2 regular districts have at least one Nogales campus, plus 5 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 16.9:1, similar to 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 4 charter schools, 1 virtual school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 5 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 1 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 1 of 5 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
School districts and agencies serving Nogales
Nogales Unified District (4457)
Public school district
11 schools in Nogales
Pima County JTED (89380)
Specialized public school district
2 schools in Nogales · 56 total
Educational Options Foundation (90201)
Independent charter agency
1 school in Nogales · 2 total
Kaizen Education Foundation dba Colegio Petite Pho (92989)
Independent charter agency
1 school in Nogales
Mexicayotl Academy Inc. (4463)
Independent charter agency
1 school in Nogales · 2 total
Pinnacle Education-Kino Inc. (81009)
Independent charter agency
1 school in Nogales
Santa Cruz Elementary District (4459)
Public school district
1 school in Nogales
Elementary schools in Nogales
9| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A J Mitchell Elementary School Nogales Unified District (4457) | KG–05 | 301 | 16.7:1 | |
| Challenger Elementary School Nogales Unified District (4457) | KG–05 | 380 | 15.8:1 | |
| Colegio Petite Arizona Kaizen Education Foundation dba Colegio Petite Pho (92989) · Charter | KG–05 | 258 | 16.1:1 | |
| Francisco Vasquez De Coronado Elementary School Nogales Unified District (4457) | KG–05 | 508 | 19.5:1 | |
| Lincoln Elementary School Nogales Unified District (4457) | PK–05 | 421 | 17.5:1 | |
| Little Red Schoolhouse Santa Cruz Elementary District (4459) | PK–08 | 131 | 14.2:1 | |
| Mary L Welty Elementary School Nogales Unified District (4457) | KG–05 | 381 | 20.1:1 | |
| Mexicayotl Charter School Mexicayotl Academy Inc. (4463) · Charter | KG–08 | 168 | 12:1 | |
| Robert Bracker Elementary Nogales Unified District (4457) | KG–05 | 272 | 17:1 |
Middle schools in Nogales
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desert Shadows Middle School Nogales Unified District (4457) | 06–08 | 784 | 23.1:1 | |
| Wade Carpenter Middle School Nogales Unified District (4457) | 06–08 | 547 | 21.9:1 |
High schools in Nogales
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EdOptions Preparatory Academy Educational Options Foundation (90201) · Charter · Alternative School | 07–12 | 88 | 10.4:1 | |
| Nogales High School Nogales Unified District (4457) | 09–12 | 1,774 | 23.7:1 | |
| PCJTED - Nogales high School Pima County JTED (89380) · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 0 | — | |
| PCJTED - Pierson High School Pima County JTED (89380) · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 0 | — | |
| Pierson High School Nogales Unified District (4457) · Alternative School | 07–12 | 119 | 14.9:1 | |
| Pinnacle Charter High School Pinnacle Education-Kino Inc. (81009) · Charter · Alternative School | 09–12 | 52 | 2.1:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Nogales
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NUSD Online Nogales Unified District (4457) · Virtual | KG–12 | 209 | 52.3:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White0.3%
- Hispanic99.3%
- Black0%
- Asian0.3%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial0%
Enrollment-weighted across 16 Nogales schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (6,393 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Nogales
How many public schools are in Nogales, AZ?
The current NCES directory lists 18 open public schools with a location address in Nogales: 9 elementary, 2 middle, 6 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 6,393 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Nogales?
Schools with an address in Nogales belong to 7 education agencies, led by Nogales Unified District (4457) (11 schools), Pima County JTED (89380) (2 schools), Educational Options Foundation (90201) (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 Nogales?
Nogales High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Nogales, with 1,774 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Nogales?
Yes. 4 of the 18 public schools in Nogales are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Colegio Petite Arizona, EdOptions Preparatory Academy, Mexicayotl Charter School. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Nogales schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Nogales public schools is 16.9:1, similar to 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 Nogales 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