- Pine Strawberry Elementary School — 1.2 mi · Grades PK–8 · 97 students
| Metric | Pine Strawberry Elementary District | National Average | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student Enrollment | 96 | 3,544 | ↓ Smaller than avg |
| Number of Schools | 1 | 7 | Varies by district |
| Per-Pupil Spending | $35,027/yr | $17,619/yr | Small district — per-pupil varies |
| District Type | Public School District | Public District | — |
| Overall Rating | 8/10 — Good | — | Above average |
| District | Rating | Percentile | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pine Strawberry Elementary District (this district) | 8/10 | 76th | 96 |
| Payson Unified District | 5/10 | 41st | 2,318 |
| Camp Verde Unified District | 3/10 | 29th | 1,582 |
| Beaver Creek Elementary District | 4/10 | 33rd | 340 |
About Pine Strawberry Elementary District
Pine Strawberry Elementary District is the public school district assigned to zip code 85544 in Pine, Arizona. Serving students from Pre-K–8th, this district is the primary public education system for families living in and around zip code 85544. The sections below cover the district’s resources, scale, rating, and everything families need to know about enrollment and school assignment.
Funding and Resources
Pine Strawberry Elementary District spent $35,027 per pupil in FY2024, well above the Arizona state average of $12,003 and well above the national average of $17,619 (US Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances). Per-pupil spending directly affects teacher compensation, class sizes, elective course offerings, technology access, and the depth of student support services — making it one of the most meaningful structural indicators of district capacity.
District Scale and Program Breadth
At 1 schools serving grades Pre-K–8th, Pine Strawberry Elementary District qualifies as a small, community-focused district serving students from Pre-K–8th. The district enrolls approximately 96 students in total. Small districts often benefit from tighter community cohesion, more personalized teacher-student relationships, and stronger parental involvement. The trade-off is narrower program variety: fewer elective courses, specialized tracks, or extracurricular options than larger systems offer.
Understanding the 8/10 Rating
With a rating of 8/10 (above average), Pine Strawberry Elementary District ranks among Arizona’s above average-rated school systems. Our ratings are based on state assessment results — the share of students scoring proficient or above in reading and math, as reported in Arizona’s AASA/ACT/MSAA combined assessments (2025 school year). We average each district’s reading and math proficiency, then rank it against other districts in the same state to produce a 1–10 score. Because Arizona is compared only against itself, the rating reflects how this district performs relative to its in-state peers.
⚠️ Small-district caveat. Pine Strawberry Elementary District enrolls 96 students. A percentile rank drawn from so few test-takers is statistically unstable — it can move several points from one year to the next on normal variation alone, and a single class of students can swing it. Treat this rating as a rough signal rather than a precise ranking, and look at the school-level detail below before drawing conclusions.
Pine Strawberry Elementary District earns an above-average rating, with reading and math proficiency rates stronger than most other districts in Arizona. Above-average districts generally show solid and consistent academic results across their schools. Families considering this area will find a district with meaningful academic strengths. Research the specific schools assigned to your address — even above-average districts have variation between individual buildings.
Enrollment for Families in Zip Code 85544
Children in zip code 85544 are assigned to Pine Strawberry Elementary District for public school enrollment, covering grades Pre-K–8th. School assignments are address-specific — your elementary, middle, and high school placements depend on your exact street address within zip code 85544, not just your neighborhood. Two homes on opposite ends of the same zip code may be assigned to different schools within the same district.
To confirm your specific school assignments, contact Pine Strawberry Elementary District at the number listed on the district website or visit the district’s official website. Typical enrollment documents include proof of address, a government-issued birth certificate, immunization records, and any existing school records or IEP documentation. If your child has an IEP or 504 plan, bring that documentation to enrollment — Arizona districts are required to continue services within a reasonable period. Fall enrollment windows typically open in late winter or early spring; contact the district for exact dates and required steps.
School Districts and Home Values in Pine
For families considering a purchase in the Pine area, district assignment matters financially. Because Pine Strawberry Elementary District serves zip code 85544, buyers should factor school district quality into their overall evaluation of homes in zip code 85544. District boundaries are address-specific — verify the exact district assignment for any property you’re seriously considering rather than assuming based on the neighborhood. A single block can place two adjacent homes in different districts with different ratings and different annual property tax implications.
Use the property tax estimator on this page to calculate estimated annual tax obligations based on your target purchase price. In Arizona, property taxes are a primary funding source for public schools — your tax payments directly support Pine Strawberry Elementary District programs and staff. Understanding both district quality and the associated tax burden is essential financial due diligence before committing to any home in zip code 85544.
Data Sources and Accuracy
All district information on this page is sourced from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024–2025, the U.S. Department of Education’s annual census of all public school districts — the same dataset used by researchers, journalists, and policymakers to analyze American public education. District boundaries, school assignments and phone numbers are updated annually when NCES publishes new data, typically in spring; per-pupil spending comes from the US Census Bureau's Annual Survey of School System Finances, released about two years after the fiscal year it covers. Always verify your specific school assignment and enrollment requirements directly with Pine Strawberry Elementary District before making any housing or enrollment decision based on zip code 85544 data.