Pinal Today

There were 1,217 African American students enrolled in Maricopa Unified School District schools in the 2022-23 school year, 16.7% more than the previous year, according to the Arizona Department of Education.

Data showed that Maricopa Unified School District welcomed 8,697 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, African American students comprised 14% of the student body to be the third most represented ethnicity in the district.

Maricopa Unified School District roughly covers schools within Pinal County and has a main office in Maricopa.

Among the 11 schools in Maricopa Unified School District, Maricopa High School recorded the highest enrollment of African American students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 308 students.

In 2022 Arizona had roughly one teacher for every 19 students, compared to the national average of one teacher for 16 students. Teachers handling a higher number of students was found to have negative consequences for students’ school performance.

WalletHub claimed Arizona’s school system ranked among the worst across U.S. for class size, performance, funding, safety, and instructors’ credentials.

Year	Total District Enrollment	Total African American Students	African American %
2021	7,671	956	12.5%
2022	8,053	1,043	13%
2023	8,697	1,217	14%