Public schools in Tolleson, AZ
19 open public schools with an address in Tolleson, operated by 6 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
19
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
11,491
16 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
19.9:1
Arizona median 16.7:1
Charter schools
1
2 virtual
An overview of Tolleson public schools
The federal directory lists 19 public schools in Tolleson, AZ: 10 elementary, 9 high. The 16 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 11,491 students, an average of 718 per school. The largest campus is Tolleson Union High School (2,648 students), and the largest elementary school is Country Place Elementary (900).
Tolleson Union High School District (4288) operates the most schools here (6), and 4 regular districts have at least one Tolleson campus, plus 2 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 19.9:1, 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 1 charter school, 2 virtual schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 3 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 3 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 1 of 3 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
School districts and agencies serving Tolleson
Tolleson Union High School District (4288)
Public school district
6 schools in Tolleson · 10 total
Union Elementary District (4277)
Public school district
4 schools in Tolleson
Littleton Elementary District (4278)
Public school district
3 schools in Tolleson · 10 total
West-MEC - Western Maricopa Education Center (80923)
Specialized public school district
3 schools in Tolleson · 63 total
Tolleson Elementary District (4264)
Public school district
2 schools in Tolleson · 4 total
P.L.C. Charter Schools (6235)
Independent charter agency
1 school in Tolleson
Elementary schools in Tolleson
10| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Desert Elementary School Tolleson Elementary District (4264) | PK–08 | 843 | 19.5:1 | |
| Arts Academy at Estrella Mountain P.L.C. Charter Schools (6235) · Charter | KG–08 | 895 | 19.9:1 | |
| Country Place Elementary Littleton Elementary District (4278) | PK–08 | 900 | — | |
| Dos Rios Elementary Union Elementary District (4277) | KG–08 | 614 | 18.3:1 | |
| Fine Arts Academy Littleton Elementary District (4278) | PK–08 | 811 | — | |
| Hurley Ranch Elementary Union Elementary District (4277) | KG–08 | 703 | 21:1 | |
| Porfirio H. Gonzales Elementary School Tolleson Elementary District (4264) | PK–08 | 721 | 16.9:1 | |
| Tres Rios Elementary School Littleton Elementary District (4278) | PK–08 | 713 | — | |
| Union Connects Union Elementary District (4277) · Virtual | KG–08 | 0 | — | |
| Union Elementary School Union Elementary District (4277) | PK–08 | 313 | 14.9:1 |
High schools in Tolleson
9| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James A. Green Continuing Education Academy Tolleson Union High School District (4288) | 09–12 | — | — | |
| Lighthouse Academy Tolleson Union High School District (4288) | 09–12 | — | — | |
| Sierra Linda High School Tolleson Union High School District (4288) | 09–12 | 1,911 | 23.1:1 | |
| Tolleson Union High School Tolleson Union High School District (4288) | 09–12 | 2,648 | 20.9:1 | |
| Tolleson Virtual High School Tolleson Union High School District (4288) · Virtual | 09–12 | 0 | — | |
| University High School Tolleson Union High School District (4288) | 09–12 | 416 | 23.1:1 | |
| West-MEC - Sierra Linda High School West-MEC - Western Maricopa Education Center (80923) · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 1 | — | |
| West-MEC - Tolleson Union High School West-MEC - Western Maricopa Education Center (80923) · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 2 | — | |
| West-MEC - University High School West-MEC - Western Maricopa Education Center (80923) · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | — | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White3.9%
- Hispanic79.1%
- Black11.8%
- Asian1.5%
- American Indian / Alaska Native1.4%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.5%
- Multiracial1.8%
Enrollment-weighted across 14 Tolleson schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (11,491 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Tolleson
How many public schools are in Tolleson, AZ?
The current NCES directory lists 19 open public schools with a location address in Tolleson: 10 elementary, 9 high. Together they reported 11,491 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Tolleson?
Schools with an address in Tolleson belong to 6 education agencies, led by Tolleson Union High School District (4288) (6 schools), Union Elementary District (4277) (4 schools), Littleton Elementary District (4278) (3 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Tolleson?
Tolleson Union High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Tolleson, with 2,648 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Tolleson?
Yes. 1 of the 19 public schools in Tolleson are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Arts Academy at Estrella Mountain. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Tolleson schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Tolleson public schools is 19.9:1, 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 Tolleson 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