Best Schools in Santa Cruz County, AZ
Santa Cruz County, AZ has 34 public schools (6 high, 4 middle, 21 elementary) serving 12,334 students. On average they score 30% on state proficiency tests against a projected 20%, so schools in Santa Cruz County greatly exceed expectations. Rankings below compare each school’s actual results with the projection for its socioeconomic context.
Best High Schools in Santa Cruz County, AZ
The top high schools in Santa Cruz County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Nogales High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Nogales Unified District (4457) • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1796 Students
2. Rio Rico High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Santa Cruz Valley Unified District (4458) • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1414 Students
3. Patagonia Union High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Patagonia Union High School District (4462) • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 79 Students
4. Pinnacle Charter High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Pinnacle Education-kino Inc. (81009) • Charter • Grades 9 - 12 • 45 Students
5. Edoptions Preparatory Academy
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Educational Options Foundation (90201) • Charter • Grades 7 - 12 • 93 Students
6. Pierson High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Nogales Unified District (4457) • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 142 Students
Best Middle Schools in Santa Cruz County, AZ
The top middle schools in Santa Cruz County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Desert Shadows Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Nogales Unified District (4457) • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 760 Students
2. Sahuarita Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Sahuarita Unified District (4411) • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 579 Students
3. Coatimundi Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Santa Cruz Valley Unified District (4458) • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 473 Students
4. Wade Carpenter Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Nogales Unified District (4457) • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 576 Students
Best Elementary Schools in Santa Cruz County, AZ
The top elementary schools in Santa Cruz County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Elgin Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Sonoita Elementary District (4461) • Public • Grades Pre K - 8 • 149 Students
2. Mexicayotl Charter School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Mexicayotl Academy Inc. (4463) • Charter • Grades KG - 8 • 166 Students
3. Montessori De Santa Cruz - St. Ann's Hall
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Santa Cruz Valley Opportunities In Education Inc. (79066) • Charter • Grades KG - 8 • 69 Students
4. Robert Bracker Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Nogales Unified District (4457) • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 266 Students
5. Francisco Vasquez De Coronado Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Nogales Unified District (4457) • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 515 Students
6. Little Red Schoolhouse
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Santa Cruz Elementary District (4459) • Public • Grades Pre K - 8 • 183 Students
7. Patagonia Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Patagonia Elementary District (4460) • Public • Grades Pre K - 8 • 101 Students
8. Mountain View School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Santa Cruz Valley Unified District (4458) • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 387 Students
9. Challenger Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Nogales Unified District (4457) • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 374 Students
10. Mary L Welty Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Nogales Unified District (4457) • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 364 Students
Education & Community Snapshot in Santa Cruz County, AZ
County-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.
Community Factors
Santa Cruz County, AZ has a total population of 47,669 with 24% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 78%, and 24% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Students in Santa Cruz County, AZ
K-12 Students
High School Graduates
Adults 25+ with HS diplomas
College Graduates
Adults 25+ with a Bachelor’s degree or higher
Demographics statistics provided by Best Neighborhood Santa Cruz County, AZ.
Safety
Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.
Overall Crime Grade
27.63 per 1,000 Residents
Violent Crime Grade
5.30 per 1,000 Residents
Property Crime Grade
22.34 per 1,000 Residents
Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Santa Cruz County, AZ.
Connectivity
Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Santa Cruz County, AZ.
ISP Report Card
Internet Infrastructure Grade
Average Download Speed
Speed Most Residents Can Get
Digital Connectivity Index
ISP Connectivity Demand Report
To read more about these statistics, please visit Santa Cruz County, AZ Internet Health Assessment.
Questions About Schools in Santa Cruz County, AZ
How many schools are in Santa Cruz County, AZ?
Santa Cruz County, AZ has 34 public schools: 6 high schools, 4 middle schools and 21 elementary schools, serving 12,334 students in total.
How do schools in Santa Cruz County perform on state tests?
On average, 34 schools in Santa Cruz County score 30% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 20%, so on average schools in Santa Cruz County greatly exceed expectations.
How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Santa Cruz County?
Every public school gets a SchoolGrade from A+ to F based on the share of students at or above the state proficiency bar. The Impact Grade compares that result with what we would expect given the school’s student and community context, so schools that outperform their circumstances stand out. Schools cannot pay to change a grade. Read the full methodology.
Best Schools in Cities Near Santa Cruz County, AZ
Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.
- Actual: 33%
- Projected: 26%
- Impact Grade: Greatly Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 45%
- Projected: 29%
- Impact Grade: Greatly Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 35%
- Projected: 25%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 35%
- Projected: 25%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 49%
- Projected: 38%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 35%
- Projected: 26%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 41%
- Projected: 35%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 33%
- Projected: 31%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 36%
- Projected: 30%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 34%
- Projected: 33%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
Cities, towns and school districts in Santa Cruz County
4 places in Santa Cruz County with graded public schools. Each link opens that place's ranked schools.
Cities and towns (4)
School districts (2)
- Nogales Unified District (4457) (11 schools)
- Santa Cruz Valley Unified District (4458) (5 schools)