📊 What this ranking measures
Rankings are based on academic achievement — the share of students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments (AASA 2025), ranked against other districts in the same state — not on spending, district size, or staffing. See full methodology →
All 53 Rated Districts in Maricopa County, AZ
Sorted by rating, then state percentile
| County Rank | District | District Office | Rating | State Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Scottsdale Unified District | Scottsdale | 9/10 Excellent | 85th |
| #2 | Higley Unified District | Gilbert | 9/10 Excellent | 83rd |
| #3 | Cave Creek Unified District | Cave Creek | 9/10 Excellent | 82nd |
| #4 | Chandler Unified District | Chandler | 9/10 Excellent | 81st |
| #5 | Gilbert Unified District | Gilbert | 8/10 Good | 79th |
| #6 | Deer Valley Unified District | Phoenix | 8/10 Good | 77th |
| #7 | Queen Creek Unified District | Queen Creek | 8/10 Good | 76th |
| #8 | Madison Elementary District | Phoenix | 8/10 Good | 74th |
| #9 | Paradise Valley Unified District | Phoenix | 8/10 Good | 74th |
| #10 | Tempe Union High School District | Tempe | 8/10 Good | 73rd |
| #11 | Kyrene Elementary District | Tempe | 8/10 Good | 70th |
| #12 | Litchfield Elementary District | Litchfield Park | 8/10 Good | 70th |
| #13 | Dysart Unified District | Surprise | 7/10 Good | 67th |
| #14 | Peoria Unified School District | Peoria | 7/10 Good | 65th |
| #15 | Glendale Union High School District | Glendale | 7/10 Good | 61st |
| #16 | Fountain Hills Unified District | Fountain Hills | 6/10 Average | 54th |
| #17 | Liberty Elementary District | Buckeye | 6/10 Average | 54th |
| #18 | Mesa Unified District | Mesa | 6/10 Average | 53rd |
| #19 | Agua Fria Union High School District | Avondale | 6/10 Average | 51st |
| #20 | Laveen Elementary District | Laveen | 6/10 Average | 51st |
| #21 | Aguila Elementary District | Aguila | 5/10 Average | 48th |
| #22 | Morristown Elementary District | Morristown | 5/10 Average | 48th |
| #23 | Avondale Elementary District | Avondale | 5/10 Average | 47th |
| #24 | Buckeye Union High School District | Buckeye | 5/10 Average | 46th |
| #25 | Tempe School District | Tempe | 5/10 Average | 43rd |
| #26 | Washington Elementary District | Glendale | 5/10 Average | 42nd |
| #27 | Nadaburg Unified School District | Wittmann | 5/10 Average | 40th |
| #28 | Palo Verde Elementary District | Palo Verde | 5/10 Average | 40th |
| #29 | Buckeye Elementary District | Buckeye | 4/10 Below Average | 38th |
| #30 | Alhambra Elementary District | Phoenix | 4/10 Below Average | 32nd |
| #31 | Tolleson Elementary District | Tolleson | 4/10 Below Average | 32nd |
| #32 | Wickenburg Unified District | Wickenburg | 4/10 Below Average | 32nd |
| #33 | Paloma School District | Gila Bend | 4/10 Below Average | 31st |
| #34 | Saddle Mountain Unified School District | Tonopah | 4/10 Below Average | 31st |
| #35 | Arlington Elementary District | Arlington | 3/10 Below Average | 28th |
| #36 | Phoenix Elementary District | Phoenix | 3/10 Below Average | 28th |
| #37 | Riverside Elementary District | Phoenix | 3/10 Below Average | 28th |
| #38 | Pendergast Elementary District | Phoenix | 3/10 Below Average | 27th |
| #39 | Tolleson Union High School District | Tolleson | 3/10 Below Average | 27th |
| #40 | Glendale Elementary District | Glendale | 3/10 Below Average | 26th |
| #41 | Littleton Elementary District | Cashion | 3/10 Below Average | 25th |
| #42 | Cartwright Elementary District | Phoenix | 3/10 Below Average | 21st |
| #43 | Osborn Elementary District | Phoenix | 3/10 Below Average | 21st |
| #44 | Roosevelt Elementary District | Phoenix | 2/10 Poor | 17th |
| #45 | Wilson Elementary District | Phoenix | 2/10 Poor | 17th |
| #46 | Isaac Elementary District | Phoenix | 2/10 Poor | 15th |
| #47 | Murphy Elementary District | Phoenix | 2/10 Poor | 15th |
| #48 | Phoenix Union High School District | Phoenix | 2/10 Poor | 14th |
| #49 | Fowler Elementary District | Phoenix | 2/10 Poor | 13th |
| #50 | Union Elementary District | Tolleson | 2/10 Poor | 10th |
| #51 | Balsz Elementary District | Phoenix | 1/10 Poor | 9th |
| #52 | Creighton Elementary District | Phoenix | 1/10 Poor | 9th |
| #53 | Gila Bend Unified District | Gila Bend | 1/10 Poor | 2nd |
Best School Districts in Maricopa County, Arizona (2026)
This page lists the 53 public school districts headquartered in Maricopa County, Arizona that have a SchoolDistrictFinder rating, scored using AASA 2025 state assessment data. The county rank is simply their order here; the state percentile compares each district with every rated district in Arizona, which is how the 1–10 rating is set. Ratings are not comparable with districts in other states.
Districts are placed in the county of their NCES directory listing. A district's boundaries can cross county lines, and a home in Maricopa County may be served by a district headquartered next door — search your address or zip code to confirm.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best-rated school district in Maricopa County, Arizona? ▼
Among the 53 rated districts in Maricopa County, Arizona, the highest-rated is Scottsdale Unified District (Scottsdale), rated 9/10 (Excellent) and in the 85th percentile of Arizona districts on AASA 2025 reading and math proficiency.
How are these rankings calculated? ▼
Each district's rating comes from the share of its students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments (AASA 2025), percentile-ranked against all rated districts in Arizona and converted to a 1–10 scale. Full methodology here.