Photo: Mark Wagner · CC BY 2.5

B⁺

Schools in Sun City West · Dysart Unified District, Peoria Unified School District

Sun City West’s public schools outscore 73% of Arizona districts

95% of Sun City West’s students graduate on time, above the Arizona average (78%). The grade covers the two public school districts serving Sun City West, from kindergarten through graduation, on state tests and graduation. Each state writes its own tests, so this is the one TownRatings grade compared within Arizona, not nationally.

#22of 139 Arizona townsK–12Where will my kid go?

From Arizona state tests taken in spring 2022, when 98% of students in the tested grades sat them, and the class of 2023’s four-year graduation rate, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Reading proficiency

44%

▲ 4 pts vs AZ 40%

2021–22

Math proficiency

40%

▲ 5 pts vs AZ 35%

2021–22

Graduate on time

95%

▲ 17 pts vs AZ 78%

class of 2023

Spent per student

$10.6K

▼ 14% vs AZ $12.3K

FY2024 · Peoria Unified

Students per teacher

18.9

AZ 17.2 · larger classes

Schools in town

57,250 students on the public path

In brief

Sun City West’s schools, in brief

Better than its incomes would predict

Among the 160 Arizona towns with household incomes within a quarter of Sun City West’s, its schools beat 92%, higher than their 73% against all the state’s districts. The grade ↓

Above the state on both counts

Reading proficiency is 44% and math 40% across both districts in spring 2022, against 40% and 35% statewide; 95% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 78%. Test scores ↓

Spending and class size

Dysart Unified District spends $10,430 per student and Peoria Unified $10,564, against $12,318 across Arizona (FY2024). Neither counts toward the grade. Districts ↓

Choice beyond the district

Alexandria Academy- the (private) is in town. Every school ↓

Written from the figures on this page. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023; each school’s own letter uses 2020–21 results.

The School Grade

What’s behind Sun City West’s grade

B⁺ Test scoresA⁻ Graduation

B+: better than 73% of Arizona school districts, #22 of 139 Arizona towns. Test scores and graduation are both above the Arizona average; graduation is the stronger of the two.

Arizona school districts we grade (577)Better than 73%

Lower resultsHigher results

Arizona towns with similar household incomes (160)Better than 92%

B⁺A⁻A fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 26,044 test results and a graduating class of 3,103 could put Sun City West anywhere from B+ to A−. The tests are from spring 2022, when 98% of Sun City West’s students in the tested grades sat them (26,107 in math, 25,981 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve Sun City West, with each school’s own grade.

53 schools teach K in Sun City West’s district. Which one depends on your address. Their grades range from C to A+, so check the specific school.

Town	Schools	Main districts
Sun City West	B⁺	Dysart Unified District PK–12 · Peoria Unified PK–12
Surprise	B⁺	Dysart Unified District PK–12 · Nadaburg Unified PK–12

Sun City West’s public schools outscore 73% of Arizona districts

Sun City West’s schools, in brief

Better than its incomes would predict

Above the state on both counts

Spending and class size

Choice beyond the district

What’s behind Sun City West’s grade

Where will my kid go?

Two districts serve Sun City West

Above the state in reading

Sun City West vs. its neighbors

Every school in Sun City West

Questions about Sun City West’s schools

Parents talk