PHX Reporter

Of the many ethnicities represented in Arizona districts, the most prevalent among students enrolled in Maricopa County districts in the 2023-24 school year was Latino, according to the Arizona Department of Education.

Of the 730,613 students attending school districts within Maricopa County, 46.8% were Latino. White students were the second largest ethnicity in Maricopa County districts (34.9%).

In the previous school year, Latino students were also the most common group in Maricopa County districts, representing 46.3% of the student body.

Mobile Elementary District had the most even distribution of races among county districts, which included 37.5% white students and 34.4% Latino students.

In the 2023-24 school year, the total number of students enrolled in school districts in the county dropped 2.5% 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	52.5%	9,974
Aguila Elementary District	Latino	90.4%	146
Alhambra Elementary District	Latino	78.2%	9,877
Arlington Elementary District	Latino	62.5%	299
Avondale Elementary District	Latino	66.6%	5,959
Balsz Elementary District	Latino	62.3%	2,091
Buckeye Elementary District	Latino	66.5%	5,790
Buckeye Union High School District	Latino	61%	5,520
Cartwright Elementary District	Latino	89.6%	13,468
Cave Creek Unified District	White	78.8%	4,216
Chandler Unified District #80	White	44.6%	42,515
Creighton Elementary District	Latino	83.9%	4,902
Deer Valley Unified District	White	61.5%	32,795
Dysart Unified District	Latino	43.6%	23,138
Fountain Hills Unified District	White	55.3%	1,147
Fowler Elementary District	Latino	81.2%	3,519
Gila Bend Unified District	Latino	67.8%	521
Gilbert Unified District	White	57%	32,418
Glendale Elementary District	Latino	72%	8,853
Glendale Union High School District	Latino	62.7%	16,318
Higley Unified School District	White	60.2%	12,843
Isaac Elementary District	Latino	93.2%	4,837
Kyrene Elementary District	White	38.1%	13,759
Laveen Elementary District	Latino	63.8%	7,729
Liberty Elementary District	Latino	56.9%	4,437
Litchfield Elementary District	Latino	47.2%	10,734
Littleton Elementary District	Latino	77.2%	5,951
Madison Elementary District	White	43.7%	5,865
Mesa Unified District	Latino	47.2%	57,311
Mobile Elementary District	White	37.5%	32
Morristown Elementary District	White	63.2%	144
Murphy Elementary District	Latino	90%	1,132
Nadaburg Unified School District	White	52.1%	1,402
Osborn Elementary District	Latino	63%	2,430
Palo Verde Elementary District	Latino	69.4%	480
Paloma School District	Latino	87.6%	121
Paradise Valley Unified District	White	51.4%	27,060
Pendergast Elementary District	Latino	75.1%	8,239
Peoria Unified School District	White	46.8%	35,490
Phoenix Elementary District	Latino	76.9%	5,049
Phoenix Union High School District	Latino	81.4%	26,753
Queen Creek Unified District	White	64.1%	14,474
Riverside Elementary District	Latino	72.2%	812
Roosevelt Elementary District	Latino	79.3%	7,236
Saddle Mountain Unified School District	Latino	63.4%	3,245
Scottsdale Unified District	White	60.2%	20,898
Tempe School District	Latino	51.8%	10,268
Tempe Union High School District	Latino	41.9%	12,005
Tolleson Elementary District	Latino	81.9%	2,839
Tolleson Union High School District	Latino	78.5%	13,785
Union Elementary District	Latino	72.3%	1,663
Washington Elementary School District	Latino	56.3%	18,755
Wickenburg Unified District	White	52.3%	1,244
Wilson Elementary District	Latino	81.7%	975