Mesa Unified District (4235) is Arizona's third-largest school district, serving 55,600 students across 85 schools in Maricopa County. The district maintains a student-teacher ratio of 15.6:1 with 3,554 teachers on staff.
Academically, Mesa's proficiency rates fall slightly below state averages. Math proficiency stands at 31.0% compared to the state average of 32.4%, while reading proficiency is 38.0% against the state average of 40.2%. However, the district's graduation rate of 85.1% significantly exceeds Arizona's state average of 67.3%, with a corresponding dropout rate of 3.1%.
The student population reflects significant economic and linguistic diversity. Approximately 51.7% of students qualify as economically disadvantaged, 12.0% are English learners, and 17.7% receive special education services. Racially, the district is 48.1% Hispanic, 37.0% White, 4.7% Black, and 1.1% Asian.
A notable financial consideration is that Mesa's per-pupil spending of $12,254 falls considerably below the state average of $16,140, a difference of approximately $3,886 per student. This funding gap may influence resource availability across the district's schools. Despite the above-average graduation rate, the below-average proficiency metrics alongside below-average per-pupil spending suggest potential challenges in academic achievement relative to resource levels available in comparable Arizona districts.
This summary was generated by AI from public data sources. Last updated May 5, 2026.
This data is aggregated from state and federal public datasets. While we believe it is accurate, we always recommend confirming it on the corresponding state or federal site. See Data Notes for more.
Total Students
55,600
Schools
85
Per-Pupil Spending
$12,254
Data Sources: NCES Common Core of Data, NCES F-33 Finance Survey, EDFacts
Federal Data Year: 2024-25
State Data Year: 2024-25
Note: Some data may be unavailable for certain districts or years. Proficiency rates reflect state-specific assessment standards.
Math Proficiency
31.0%
Staff counts are Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) from NCES 2024-25 data.
Source: Arizona Department of Education, 2024-25 School Year. Letter grades represent LEA-level accountability ratings. AASA/AzSCI assessment data, AZELLA for EL students, and 4-year graduation rates by subgroup.