Public education in Arizona

K-12 education in Arizona

Education facts

State superintendent: Thomas C. Horne

Number of students: 970,751

Number of teachers: 49,841

Teacher/pupil ratio: 1:19

Number of school districts: 230

Number of schools: 1,590

Graduation rate: 78%

Per-pupil spending: $8,785

See also

Arizona Department of Education • List of school districts in Arizona • Arizona • School boards portal

Public education in the United States Public education in Arizona Glossary of education terms

Note: The statistics on this page are mainly from government sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. Figures given were the most recent as of June 2015.

The Arizona public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2022 Arizona had 970,751 students enrolled in a total of 1,590 schools in 261 school districts. There were 49,841 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 19 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. In 2020, Arizona spent on average $8,785 per pupil.^[1] The state's graduation rate was 78 percent in the 2018-2019 school year.^[2]

General information

See also: General comparison table for education statistics in the 50 states and Education spending per pupil in all 50 states

The following chart shows how Arizona compares to the national level for the most recent years for which data is available.

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Academic performance

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Education terms
For more information on education policy terms, see this article.
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NAEP scores

See also: NAEP scores by state

The National Center for Education Statistics provides state-by-state data on student achievement levels in mathematics and reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The chart below presents the percentage of fourth and eighth grade students that scored at or above proficient in reading and math during school year 2012-2013. Compared to three neighboring states (Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah), Arizona students fared worse across the board than those in Nevada and Utah, but better than those in New Mexico.^[3]

Graduation, ACT and SAT scores

See also: Graduation rates by groups in state and ACT and SAT scores in the United States

The following table shows the graduation rates and average composite ACT and SAT scores for Arizona and surrounding states during the 2012-2013 school year. All statements made in this section refer to that school year.^[3][4][5]

In the United States, public schools reported graduation rates that averaged to about 81.4 percent. About 54 percent of all students in the country took the ACT, while 50 percent reported taking the SAT. The average national composite scores for those tests were 20.9 out of a possible 36 for the ACT, and 1498 out of a possible 2400 for the SAT.^[6]

Arizona schools reported a graduation rate of 75.1 percent, ranking in the bottom 20 percent nationwide.

In Arizona, more students took the ACT than the SAT, earning an average ACT score of 19.6.

Dropout rate

See also: Public high school dropout rates by state for a full comparison of dropout rates by group in all states

The high school event dropout rate indicates the proportion of students who were enrolled at some time during the school year and were expected to be enrolled in grades nine through 12 in the following school year but were not enrolled by October 1 of the following school year. Students who have graduated, transferred to another school, died, moved to another country, or who are out of school due to illness are not considered dropouts. The average public high school event dropout rate for the United States remained constant at 3.3 percent for both school year 2010–2011 and school year 2011–2012. The event dropout rate for Arizona was higher than the national average at 5 percent in the 2010-2011 school year, and 5.9 percent in the 2011-2012 school year.^[7]

Educational choice options

See also: School choice in Arizona

School choice options in Arizona included charter schools, tax credits (individual and corporate), online learning programs and inter-district and intra-district open enrollment policies. In addition, about 4.60 percent of school-age children in the state attended private schools in the 2011-2012 academic year, and 2.67 percent were homeschooled in 2012-2013.

Developments

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020)

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Media coverage and commentary
U.S. Supreme Court 2019-2020 term
Blaine Amendment (U.S. Constitution)
Blaine amendments in state constitutions
School choice on the ballot
Education on the ballot

See also: Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue

On June 30, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which concerned whether the government can exclude religious institutions from student-aid programs. The case related to Article X, Section 6 of the Montana Constitution, also known as Montana’s Blaine Amendment.^[8]

In its 5-4 opinion, the court held that the application of Article X, Section 6 violated the free exercise clause of the U.S. Constitution. The majority held Article X, Section 6 barred religious schools and parents who wished to send their children to those schools from receiving public benefits because of the religious character of the school.^[9]

The case addressed the tension between the free exercise and Establishment clauses of the U.S. Constitution—where one guarantees the right of individuals' free exercise of religion and the other guarantees that the state won't establish a religion—and the intersections of state constitutions with state law and with the U.S. Constitution.

Arizona is one of the states with a Blaine Amendment.

Education funding and expenditures

See also: Arizona state budget and finances

Breakdown of expenditures by function in fiscal year 2013
Source: National Association of State Budget Officers

According to the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), states spent an average of 19.8 percent of their total budgets on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. In addition, the United States Census Bureau found that approximately 45.6 percent of the country's school system revenue came from state sources, while about 45.3 percent came from local sources. The remaining portion of school system revenue came from federal sources.^[10][11]

Arizona spent approximately 18.6 percent of its budget on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. The state school systems' revenue came primarily from local funds. When compared to its neighboring states, Arizona was the only state to receive the majority of its revenue from local funds.

Revenue breakdowns

See also: Public school system revenues in the U.S. to compare all states.

According to the United States Census Bureau, public school system revenues totaled approximately $598 billion in fiscal year 2013.^[11]

In Arizona, the primary source of school system revenue came from local funding, at nearly $4 billion. Overall, Arizona school systems generated more revenue than those of any of its neighboring states.

Expenditure breakdowns

See also: Public school system expenditures in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, public school system expenditures totaled approximately $602 billion in fiscal year 2012.^[12]

Public education expenditures in Arizona totaled approximately $9.2 billion in fiscal year 2012. Arizona reported significantly greater total public education expenditures than its neighboring states.

Personnel salaries

See also: Public school teacher salaries in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average national salary for classroom teachers in public elementary and secondary schools declined by 1.3 percent from the 1999-2000 school year to the 2012-2013 school year. During the same period in Arizona, the average salary decreased by 1.1 percent.^[14]

Organizations

State agencies

See also: Arizona Department of Education

The Arizona Department of Education is responsible for "providing for the students of Arizona a uniform public school system kindergarten schools, common schools, high schools and normal schools."^[15]

The Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction is an elected state official tasked with the following responsibilities:^[15]

• "Superintend the schools of this state."
• "Request the auditor general to investigate when necessary the accounts of school monies kept by any state, county or district officer."
• "Subject to supervision by the state board of education, apportion to the several counties the monies to which each county is entitled for the year. Apportionment shall be made as provided in chapter 9 of this title."
• "Direct the work of all employees of the board who shall be employees of the department of education."
• "Execute, under the direction of the state board of education, the policies which have been decided upon by the state board."
• "Direct the performance of executive, administrative or ministerial functions by the department of education or divisions or employees thereof."

The Arizona State Board of Education is responsible for "regulating the conduct of the public school system." The board is composed of 11 members, including the following:^[16]

• Superintendent of Public Instruction
• The president of a state university or college
• The president or chancellor of a community college
• Four lay members
• The owner or administrator of a charter school
• A high school superintendent
• A classroom teacher
• A county school superintendent

Members are appointed by the governor to four-year terms (with the exception of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, who is elected by the state's citizens).^[16]

Unions

In 2012 the Fordham Institute and Education Reform Now assessed the power and influence of state teacher unions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Their rankings were based on 37 different variables in five broad areas: resources and membership, involvement in politics, scope of bargaining, state policies and perceived influence. Arizona ranked 51st overall for union power and influence, or "weakest," which was in the fifth of five tiers.^[17]

Government sector lobbying

See also: Arizona government sector lobbying

The main education government sector lobbying organization is the Arizona School Boards Association.

Other taxpayer-funded lobbyists for state public schools included

• Arizona Association of County School Superintendents
• Arizona School Boards Association
• Arizona School Administrators Association

Transparency

On June 25, 2009, an Arizona Senate committee approved SB 1172, which would have allowed the state education department to collect data on students who could not prove that they were U.S. citizens. According to the bill, schools or districts that did not provide the information would be denied funding. The American Civil Liberties Union, however, said that they would file suit if the bill became law. The ACLU argued that the bill violated federal law (which bans collecting data with the intent of denying enrollment). Sen. Russell Pearce said that the bill was merely an effort to increase transparency. "All this is asking for is data. We passed a lot of bills out of here about transparency and disclosure this year. This is along the same line as that -- it says simply that the taxpayer has a right to know," he said.^[18]

The bill did not become law in the 2009 legislative session, though some lobbyists said that they expected the bill would return for debate in the next session.^[19]

Studies and reports

State Budget Solutions education study

See also: State spending on education v. academic performance (2012)

State Budget Solutions examined national trends in education from 2009 to 2011, including state-by-state analysis of education spending, graduation rates and average ACT scores. The study showed that the states that spent the most did not have the highest average ACT test scores, nor did they have the highest average graduation rates. A summary of the study is available here. The full report can be accessed here.

Quality Counts 2014

See also: Education Week survey

Education Week, a publication that reports on many education issues throughout the country, began using an evaluation system in 1997 to grade each state on various elements of education performance. This system, called Quality Counts, uses official data on performance from each state to generate report cards for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report card in 2014 used six different categories:

1. Chance for success
2. K-12 achievement
3. Standards, assessments and accountability
4. The teaching profession
5. School finance
6. Transitions and alignment

Each of these six categories had a number of other elements that received individual scores. Those scores were then averaged and used to determine the final score in each category. Every state received two types of scores for each of the six major categories: A numerical score out of 100 and a letter grade based on that score. Education Week used the score for the first category, "chance for success," as the value for ranking each state and the District of Columbia. The average grade received in the entire country was 77.3, or a C+ average. The country's highest average score was in the category of "standards, assessments and accountability" at 85.3, or a B average. The lowest average score was in "K-12 achievement", at 70.2, or a C- average.

Arizona received a score of 70.2, or a C- average in the "chance for success" category. This was below the national average. The state's highest score was in "standards, assessments and accountability" at 87.6, or a B+ average. The lowest score was in "the teaching profession" at 62.4, or a D- average. With the exception of the standards, assessments and accountability category, Arizona performed below the country's average in every category. The chart below displays the scores of Arizona and its surrounding states.^[20]

Note: Click on a column heading to sort the data.

School districts

See also: School board elections portal

District types

Arizona contains multiple types of school districts, including: common school districts, joint common school districts, joint technological education districts, joint unified school districts, unified school districts and union high school districts.^[21]

School board composition

School board members are generally elected by residents of the school district. If there is a vacancy on the school board, the county school superintendent has the right to appoint a member to the school board. The term of the appointment will be until the next regular election for school board members, and then a member will be elected by residents of the school district.^[22] School boards must have at least three members, but school districts can increase the school board to five members. School board members serve four-year terms.^[23]

Term limits

Arizona does not limit the number of terms a school board member may serve.^[24]

Elections

See also: Arizona school board elections, 2024

The table below contains links to all school board elections covered by Ballotpedia in 2024 in this state. This list may not include all school districts with elections in 2024. Ballotpedia's coverage includes all school districts in the 100 largest cities by population and the 200 largest school districts by student enrollment.

Editor's note: Some school districts choose to cancel the primary election, or both the primary and general election, if the number of candidates who filed does not meet a certain threshold. The table below does not reflect which primary or general elections were canceled. Please click through to each school district's page for more information.

Path to the ballot

To qualify for the ballot as a school board candidate, an individual must be:^[25]

• A resident of the school district for at least one year
• A registered voter in Arizona

Candidates cannot be employed by the school district they are running to represent, cannot be a current member of another school board and cannot be related to a member of the school board who has served in the last four years.^[25]

Campaign finance

Before accepting contributions, making expenditures, distributing campaign literature or circulating petitions, candidates must file a Statement of Organization form or a $500 Threshold Exemption Statement with the county elections department. The $500 Threshold Exemption Statement can only be filed if a candidate does not intend on spending or accepting contributions in excess of $500, including the candidate's own money. If funds are received or spent in excess of $500 after filing the $500 Threshold Exemption Statement, the candidate must file a Statement of Organization within 10 days. If a candidate files a Statement of Organization, he or she must file regular campaign finance reports with the county elections department.^[26][27][28]

Recent legislation

The following is a list of recent education bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Arizona state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.

Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.

Education ballot measures

See also: Education on the ballot and List of Arizona ballot measures

Ballotpedia has tracked the following statewide ballot measures relating to education.

1. Arizona Proposition 104, Exemption of Funds for Education Expenditure Limitations Amendment (2002)
2. Arizona Proposition 105, State Board of Education Amendment (2004)
3. Arizona Proposition 203, Tobacco Taxes for Early Childhood Education Initiative (2006)
4. Arizona Proposition 300, Permanent State School Fund Earnings for Classroom Fund Measure (2002)
5. Arizona Proposition 102, State Licensing of Technology Amendment (2004)
6. Arizona Proposition 203, English Language Education for Public Schools Initiative (2000)
7. Arizona Proposition 106, Increase Maximum School District Debt Limit Amendment (1992)
8. Arizona Proposition 301, Sales Tax for Education Initiative (2000)
9. Arizona Proposition 103, Classroom Improvement Program Amendment (1990)
10. Arizona Proposition 102, Department of Public Schools Amendment (September 1953)
11. Arizona Proposition 100, Teachers' Exchange Program Amendment (September 1956)
12. Arizona Proposition 200, Arizona State University Initiaitve (1958)
13. Arizona Proposition 103, State School Fund Amendment (1964)
14. Arizona Proposition 104, State Board of Education Reorganization Amendment (1982)
15. Arizona Proposition 101, Education Board Composition Amendment (1964)
16. Arizona Proposition 100, University Faculty Exemptions Amendment (1960)
17. Arizona Proposition 102, State Board of Education Amendment (1976)
18. Arizona Proposition 103, Governor's Appointments of Regents to Universities Amendment (1976)
19. Arizona Proposition 103, School District Debt Limit Amendment (1974)
20. Arizona Proposition 300, Prohibit Education Financial Assistance and In-State Tuition for Non-Citizens Measure (2006)
21. Arizona Proposition 103, Removal of School Attendance Requirement for State Money Amendment (September 1953)
22. Arizona Measure Nos. 306-307, State Aid for Public Education Initiative (1940)
23. Arizona Measure Nos. 102-103, Uniform Public School System Amendment (1922)
24. Arizona Measure Nos. 304-305, Physical Education in Public Schools Referendum (1928)
25. Arizona Measure Nos. 104-105, Election of State Board of Education Amendment (September 1950)
26. Arizona Measure Nos. 304-305, Excise Tax for School Maintenance Initiative (September 1950)
27. Arizona Measure Nos. 104-105, Increase Salaries of Teachers and Public Officials Amendment (1920)
28. Arizona Measure Nos. 102-103, State Maintenance of Public Schools Amendment (September 1950)
29. Arizona Measure Nos. 318-319, Prohibition of Racially Segregated Schools Initiaitve (1950)
30. Arizona Proposition 101, Increase in School District Spending Limit Amendment (1986)
31. Arizona Proposition 100, Increase of Public School Debt Amendment (1978)
32. Arizona Proposition 302, Termination of Early Childhood Development and Health Board Amendment (2010)
33. Arizona Proposition 305, Expansion of Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Referendum (2018)

In the news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Arizona education policy. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

See also

• Historical public education information in Arizona
• Arizona state budget and finances
• Arizona Department of Education
• List of school districts in Arizona
• School choice in Arizona
• Charter schools in Arizona
• Arizona
• Education Policy in the U.S.

External links

• Arizona Department of Education
• Arizona State Board of Education
• Arizona School District Websites
• Arizona Academic Standards
• Arizona School Report Cards
• Arizona School Finance
• Arizona State Board for Charter Schools

Additional reading

• Education Commission of the States, "Open Enrollment: 50-State Report," accessed July 8, 2009
• Arizona Capitol Times, "Supreme Court: School strip search unconstitutional," June 25, 2009
• Arizona Central, "Law tracking illegal students fails, but could return," July 1, 2009

Footnotes

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