PHX Reporter

Of the many ethnicities represented in Arizona districts, the most prevalent among students enrolled in Maricopa County districts in the 2022-23 school year was Latino, according to the Arizona Department of Education.

Of the 749,534 students attending school districts within Maricopa County, 46.3% were Latino. White students were the second largest ethnicity in Maricopa County districts (36%).

In the previous school year, Latino students were also the most common group in Maricopa County districts, representing 45.8% of the student body.

Mobile Elementary District had the most even distribution of races among county districts, which included 40% Latino students and 40% white students.

In the 2022-23 school year, the total number of students enrolled in school districts in the county dropped 0.9% when compared to the previous year.

The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Maricopa County.

A 2023 study from Scholaroo.com ranked Arizona last out of all U.S. states in terms of educational success, giving the state poor marks for school quality, student success, and teacher-to-student ratio.

Additionally, WalletHub claimed Arizona’s school system ranked among the worst across the U.S. for class size, performance, funding, safety, and instructors’ credentials.

District	Most prevalent ethnicity	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Enrollment
Agua Fria Union High School District	Latino	51.1%	9,631
Aguila Elementary District	Latino	91.1%	123
Alhambra Elementary District	Latino	78.2%	9,967
Arlington Elementary District	Latino	64.9%	279
Avondale Elementary District	Latino	66.2%	5,889
Balsz Elementary District	Latino	61.6%	2,139
Buckeye Elementary District	Latino	64.5%	5,708
Buckeye Union High School District	Latino	60.1%	5,414
Cartwright Elementary District	Latino	89.5%	14,092
Cave Creek Unified District	White	78.7%	4,488
Chandler Unified District #80	White	46.6%	43,521
Creighton Elementary District	Latino	83%	5,076
Deer Valley Unified District	White	63.7%	33,185
Dysart Unified District	Latino	42.7%	23,134
Fountain Hills Unified District	White	57.7%	1,189
Fowler Elementary District	Latino	82.2%	3,811
Gila Bend Unified District	Latino	67.8%	469
Gilbert Unified District	White	58.1%	33,210
Glendale Elementary District	Latino	72%	9,239
Glendale Union High School District	Latino	61.8%	16,533
Higley Unified School District	White	61.8%	12,851
Isaac Elementary District	Latino	92.8%	4,914
Kyrene Elementary District	White	39.5%	14,366
Laveen Elementary District	Latino	63.1%	7,766
Liberty Elementary District	Latino	56.3%	4,448
Litchfield Elementary District	Latino	46.2%	10,855
Littleton Elementary District	Latino	78.1%	5,873
Madison Elementary District	White	44.4%	5,832
Mesa Unified District	Latino	46.6%	57,909
Mobile Elementary District	Latino	40%	30
Morristown Elementary District	White	65.7%	143
Murphy Elementary District	Latino	89%	1,231
Nadaburg Unified School District	White	53.2%	1,219
Osborn Elementary District	Latino	62.5%	2,520
Palo Verde Elementary District	Latino	67.9%	446
Paloma School District	Latino	86.6%	112
Paradise Valley Unified District	White	52%	27,913
Pendergast Elementary District	Latino	75.3%	8,245
Peoria Unified School District	White	48%	36,506
Phoenix Elementary District	Latino	77.6%	5,148
Phoenix Union High School District	Latino	81.3%	27,898
Queen Creek Unified District	White	65.4%	13,771
Riverside Elementary District	Latino	71.2%	820
Roosevelt Elementary District	Latino	80.7%	7,149
Saddle Mountain Unified School District	Latino	60.7%	3,140
Scottsdale Unified District	White	61.6%	21,136
Sentinel Elementary District	Latino	92.1%	38
Tempe School District	Latino	51.8%	10,724
Tempe Union High School District	Latino	41%	12,639
Tolleson Elementary District	Latino	81.8%	2,853
Tolleson Union High School District	Latino	78.6%	13,741
Union Elementary District	Latino	71%	1,684
Washington Elementary School District	Latino	55%	19,278
Wickenburg Unified District	White	53.8%	1,314
Wilson Elementary District	Latino	83.2%	1,077