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Vail Unified District

Public school districtGrades PK–12

Serves Tucson.

Tucson’s School Grade B better than 64% of Arizona school districts

Students
15,011
Schools
24
Spent per student
$10,173
AZ $12,318
Students per teacher
17:1
Debt
$87M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Vail Unified District

  • Its letter, A: results better than 85% of Arizona districts
  • Math proficiency 27 pts above the state
  • Reading proficiency 22 pts above the state
  • Graduation rate 14 pts above the state
  • Spends 17% less per student than the AZ average
  • 17 students per teacher
  • Enrollment up 10% since 2020–21
  • Debt of $87M, about $5,793 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

A: better than 85% of the 577 Arizona school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math well above the state, 2021–22
A
GraduationFour-year graduation well above the state, class of 2023
A−
The town it serves, and its School Grade

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Tucson. Grade by grade →

PK–557 elementary schoolsTucson Unified District
6–829 middle schoolsTucson Unified District
9–1215 high schoolsTucson Unified District

Test scores vs. AZ

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency62%
State average 34.8% · 7,605 students tested
Reading / language arts62%
State average 40.4% · 7,569 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)92%
State average 77.8% · 1,096 in the class

100% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$10,173 per student · 17% below AZ
Spending
Classroom instruction 51%Support & administration 45%Other 4%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 30%State 58%Federal 12%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
13,642’20
14,258’21
14,533’22
14,831’23
15,011’24

Up 10% since 2020–21.

Students
White 46%Hispanic 40%Two or more races 8%Black 4%Asian 2%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%

Schools in the district

24 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Arizona’s other public schools.

Esmond Station School
Elementary · Grades PK–8 · Tucson
A+
741 students20:1
Ocotillo Ridge Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Vail
A+
723 students14:1
Senita Valley Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–8 · Tucson
A+
709 students19:1
Copper Ridge Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Corona de Tucson
A−
366 students17:1
Vail Inclusive Preschool
Prekindergarten · Grades PK · Vail
151 students
Vail Inclusive Preschool Mica Mountain
Prekindergarten · Grades PK · Tucson
72 students
Desert Willow Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Tucson
A−
811 students18:1
Acacia Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Vail
A−
783 students20:1
Mesquite Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Tucson
A+
640 students17:1
Sycamore Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Corona de Tucson
A−
640 students15:1
Vail Academy & High School
Other · Grades K–12 · Tucson
A
625 students6:1
Cottonwood Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Tucson
A−
570 students18:1
Civano Community K-8 School
Elementary · Grades K–8 · Tucson
A−
145 students12:1
Vail Innovation Center
Other · Grades K–12 · Tucson
A−
61 students6:1
Old Vail Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Vail
A−
811 students20:1
Desert Sky Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Tucson
A−
743 students20:1
Rincon Vista Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Tucson
B+
712 students21:1
Corona Foothills Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Corona de Tucson
A−
619 students20:1
Vail Blended Learning
High · Grades 6–12 · Tucson
A
72 students
Cienega High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Vail
A−
1,881 students18:1
Mica Mountain High
High · Grades 9–12 · Tucson
B+
1,319 students
Empire High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Tucson
A
886 students22:1
Andrada Polytechnic High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Tucson
B
836 students19:1
Pantano High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Vail
95 students10:1

Left off: 1 school reporting no students for 2024–25.

Nearby districts

Compare spending and schools next door.

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within Arizona.