Public + private high schools, every state.
1,032
high schools (public + private)
930
public (348 districts)
102
private (NCES PSS)
98,662
public grade‑12 students (seniors, latest year)

AZ public HS enrollment trend

Across the 343,713 students enrolled in AZ brick-and-mortar public high schools in 2021, the state contracted -0.8% by 2024 (340,961 students, -2,752 net). That's the demographic tide every individual school is fighting or riding.

Charter share of public HS enrollment (latest year): 14.2% (48,364 of 340,961 students). Virtual / nonclassroom-based schools excluded.

🗺️ State context · NAEP 2024

How does AZ compare nationally?

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only test given the same way to students in every state — making it the benchmark for state-to-state academic comparison. Below, this state's 8th-grade averages and where it sits on the 50-state distribution.

8th-grade math
273
0 vs national avg (273)
8th-grade reading
257
-3 vs national avg (260)
national avg AZ Math → Reading → 260 290 245 275

Each dot is one state's 2024 NAEP 8th-grade averages. AZ is highlighted in gold. Dashed lines mark national averages — being upper-right of both = above national in both subjects. Source: NAEP State Snapshot Reports. NAEP doesn't produce per-school scores — this is state-level context.

Where the students are

Top 10 cities by public-HS enrollment

PHOENIX 104 HS 57,220
TUCSON 80 HS 35,800
MESA 30 HS 22,268
GLENDALE 28 HS 18,254
GILBERT 20 HS 15,318
CHANDLER 19 HS 13,196
SURPRISE 13 HS 9,602
TEMPE 13 HS 9,544
PEORIA 12 HS 9,042
AVONDALE 8 HS 8,475

School-size distribution

Public, classroom-based · grades 9–12, latest year

Fastest-growing high schools
public, classroom-based · grade 9–12 · 2021→2024
Eastpointe High School
Eastpointe High School Inc. (78833)
211→605 +186.7%
Crismon High School
Queen Creek Unified District (4245)
443→1,195 +169.8%
American Leadership Academy West Foothills K-12
American Leadership Academy Inc. (4348)
340→791 +132.6%
Desert Sunrise High School
Maricopa Unified School District (4441)
615→1,261 +105.0%
Somerton High School
Yuma Union High School District (4507)
304→608 +100.0%
EVIT - East Valley Institute of Technology
East Valley Institute of Technology (4516)
153→300 +96.1%
Arizona College Prep High School
Chandler Unified District #80 (4242)
1,225→2,271 +85.4%
American Leadership Academy of Applied Technologies
American Leadership Academy Inc. (4348)
275→432 +57.1%
A+ Charter Schools
A+ Charter Schools (1000166)
160→236 +47.5%
Santa Cruz Valley Union High School
Santa Cruz Valley Union High School District (4454)
272→399 +46.7%
Fastest-shrinking high schools
public, classroom-based · grade 9–12 · 2021→2024
Arizona Preparatory Academy
North Star Charter School Inc. (79701)
1,499→233 -84.5%
Ombudsman - Charter Valencia
Ombudsman Educational Services Ltd.a subsidiary (4323)
430→205 -52.3%
American Leadership Academy Anthem K-6
American Leadership Academy Inc. (4348)
489→253 -48.3%
International Commerce High School - Phoenix
International Commerce Secondary Schools Inc. (4334)
308→202 -34.4%
Flagstaff Arts And Leadership Academy
Flagstaff Arts And Leadership Academy (4202)
151→101 -33.1%
Learning Foundation and Performing Arts Gilbert
CAFA Inc. dba Learning Foundation and Performing (90327)
237→163 -31.2%
BASIS Flagstaff
BASIS Charter Schools Inc. (90862)
170→118 -30.6%
Maricopa High School
Maricopa Unified School District (4441)
2,628→1,840 -30.0%
Fountain Hills High School
Fountain Hills Unified District (4247)
481→347 -27.9%
Sweetwater Community School
Paradise Valley Unified District (4241)
220→161 -26.8%

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