Dysart Unified District (4243), AZ

Original Research by School Decision on Dysart Unified District (4243)

Dysart Unified District serves students from preschool through twelfth grade across a wide stretch of Maricopa County. It is a large public school district that includes more than two dozen schools: elementary campuses, middle schools, and four comprehensive high schools, plus a few specialty programs such as a traditional academy and an online school. The student body is diverse, with a substantial share of Hispanic students and a large white population, alongside smaller groups of Black, Asian, Native American, and multiracial students. Economic data for the district was not reported, so the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals is unknown.

On state assessments administered in the 2024-25 school year, Dysart’s results are mixed. In English language arts, proficiency rates across grades three through eight range from around a third to just over half of students meeting the bar, with upper elementary grades on the lower end and middle grades somewhat higher. Math proficiency shows a similar pattern but at lower levels, with the highest rate in third grade and a decline in later grades, particularly at seventh grade. Science proficiency, tested in fifth and eighth grades, sits at roughly two in five students reaching the proficient level. When all tested subjects and grades are combined into a single index, Dysart falls below the midpoint among Maricopa County’s districts, meaning its overall academic performance is weaker than that of many neighboring systems.

Parents should note that these scores represent a single point in time; no multi-year trend was available to show whether performance is improving or declining. The district’s own data series for math and ELA across the past few years showed variation, but the change flags were not reported as comparable, so no clear trend can be drawn.

Chronic absenteeism, which measures how many students miss a significant number of school days, is lower than the typical rate for districts in Maricopa County. That is a positive signal about student attendance and engagement. On spending, Dysart’s per-pupil current expenditure sits in the middle range among county districts but on the lower side of that range. The district is not among the highest-funded systems in the area, which could matter for program breadth and class sizes, though the data on specific offerings such as Advanced Placement, career and technical education, or dual enrollment was not available here.

The community this district serves spans multiple municipalities and unincorporated areas, including parts of Surprise, El Mirage, Glendale, Peoria, Waddell, and smaller communities. Housing in the district varies widely by location. Home values in some neighborhoods are well above the national median, while others are more affordable, and the overall weighted home value for the district’s zip codes has seen a slight decline recently. Rents also vary, with a modest increase on average. The broader housing market in the Phoenix metro area has been under pressure from rising mortgage rates and inflation, and Dysart’s communities reflect that mix of growth and adjustment.

Two recent district-level changes are worth noting for families. Starting in the 2021-22 school year, the district reconfigured several of its existing elementary schools into separate middle and elementary campuses. This restructuring shifted grade configurations and feeder patterns, meaning that some children now attend different schools than they would have a few years ago, and the transition points between school levels have changed. In July 2022, the district rebranded from Dysart Unified School District to Dysart Schools, a name change that accompanied a new identity and mission presentation. While primarily a marketing shift, it coincided with the broader grade reconfiguration and signals a strategic direction that parents may want to understand.

The district’s high school graduation rate was not included in the data, so there is no direct measure of how many students finish on time. That gap may be worth following up on, as graduation rates are a key indicator for many families considering a district. Similarly, information on school safety, discipline practices, special education services, and English learner support was not available in this profile, so those dimensions remain unexamined here.

For a family weighing Dysart Unified, the picture is one of a large, diverse district with academic performance that lags the county median. Chronic absenteeism is a relative bright spot, and the district has taken active steps to reorganize its grade levels and refresh its public identity. The housing landscape across its territory offers a range of costs, from more affordable older neighborhoods to newer, pricier developments. The absence of several key data points means a parent would benefit from visiting schools, talking to current families, and asking directly about outcomes like graduation rates, advanced coursework, and support for students with special needs.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

23,118

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 44%

Black 8%

White 39%

Asian 2%

Two+ 7%

Am. Indian / AK Native 1%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 1%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

31%

—

Gr 4

45%

—

Gr 5

30%

—

Gr 6

36%

—

Gr 7

41%

—

Gr 8

42%

—

Math

Gr 3

37%

—

Gr 4

41%

—

Gr 5

34%

—

Gr 6

23%

—

Gr 7

20%

—

Gr 8

27%

—

Science

Gr 5

32%

—

Gr 8

31%

—

Schools in this District

26 schools are officially reported under this district.

Dysart Middle School

Dysart High School

El Mirage Elementary School

Luke Elementary School

Surprise Elementary School

Kingswood Elementary School

West Point Elementary School

Countryside Elementary School

Marley Park Elementary

Thompson Ranch Elementary

Sunset Hills Elementary

Rancho Gabriela

Sonoran Heights Middle School

Parkview Elementary

Western Peaks Elementary

Valley Vista High School

Mountain View

Canyon Ridge School

Riverview School

Shadow Ridge High School

Ashton Ranch Middle School

Cimarron Springs Middle School

Willow Canyon High School

Dysart iSchool

Freedom Traditional Academy

Asante Preparatory Academy

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

46%

Grade 3

30%

Grade 4

30%

Grade 5

33%

Grade 6

27%

Grade 7

37%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

41%

Grade 3

40%

Grade 4

33%

Grade 5

46%

Grade 6

50%

Grade 7

51%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

43%

Grade 5

42%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$439,068

Year-over-year change-1.6%

Range across 14 ZIP codes$277K to $518K

vs. state typical1.04x

vs. national typical1.19x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (14 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
85387	Surprise	$457K	-1.5%	25.0%
85355	Waddell	$498K	-0.8%	23.2%
85388	Surprise	$450K	-2.1%	10.6%
85374	Surprise	$389K	-3.0%	10.5%
85335	El Mirage	$343K	-2.3%	9.6%
85379	Surprise	$425K	-2.3%	8.8%
85361	Wittmann	$518K	+3.3%	2.7%
85378	Surprise	$334K	-1.4%	2.6%
85307	Glendale	$411K	-1.6%	2.3%
85375	Sun City West	$382K	-2.7%	1.7%
85373	Sun City	$366K	-2.9%	1.1%
85363	Youngtown	$311K	-3.5%	0.3%
85345	Peoria	$367K	-2.5%	0.2%
85351	Sun City	$277K	-4.3%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,064/mo

Year-over-year change+0.6%

Range across 12 ZIP codes$1,420 to $2,305/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (12 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
85387	Surprise	$2,123	+1.9%	25.0%
85355	Waddell	$2,260	+0.1%	23.2%
85388	Surprise	$2,247	-0.3%	10.6%
85374	Surprise	$1,685	+0.1%	10.5%
85335	El Mirage	$1,866	-2.0%	9.6%
85379	Surprise	$2,000	+1.6%	8.8%
85361	Wittmann	$2,305	—	2.7%
85307	Glendale	$1,420	-0.6%	2.3%
85375	Sun City West	$1,803	+8.0%	1.7%
85363	Youngtown	$1,513	—	0.3%
85345	Peoria	$1,795	+1.1%	0.2%
85351	Sun City	$1,676	+1.9%	0.0%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,216/mo

Home price / national median income5.2x

Annual rent / national median income29.6%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$152/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$423,746 (-1.6% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.