Florence Unified School District (4437), AZ

Original Research by School Decision on Florence Unified School District (4437)

Florence Unified School District serves a broad stretch of Pinal County, covering the historic town of Florence as well as rapidly growing communities such as San Tan Valley and Queen Creek. The district describes itself as a district of educational choice, offering open enrollment that lets students attend schools outside their boundary area, a 1:1 technology initiative, and Career and Technical Education programs that run district-wide. This framing is central to how the district presents itself to families.

The district is relatively large, enrolling roughly a full-sized K-12 student population for a county of this type. Its student body is mixed, with a student population that is roughly evenly divided between white students and Hispanic students, and smaller shares of Black, multiracial, Native American, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. Free or reduced-price meal eligibility data was not available in the source material, so a reader cannot gauge overall economic need from that measure alone.

On state assessments, the district’s proficiency rates in math and English language arts fall below the midpoint among Pinal County’s districts on a composite proficiency index. The rates for individual grade levels show a consistent pattern. In math, proficiency rates across grades three through eight landed at or below about a quarter of students meeting the bar in the most recent testing year, with the lower grades closer to that threshold and middle grades dipping lower. In English language arts, the same grades showed a similar range, with fourth grade the highest and fifth grade the weakest. Science proficiency for tested grades was also in that general range. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what supports are available for students who are not yet meeting proficiency targets.

The district’s chronic absenteeism rate, a measure of students missing substantial school time, sits above the midpoint among the county’s districts, meaning it is higher than average for the area. This is a soft spot a family may want to understand better by visiting individual schools, since absenteeism can affect classroom pace and student continuity.

Per-pupil current spending falls in the lower half of the middle range for Pinal County districts, a position that may reflect the district’s growth context and tax base rather than a lack of investment, but it is worth noting for families concerned about resource levels.

The district operates one early childhood center, several K-8 schools, a STEM-focused K-8 campus, traditional elementary schools, a virtual academy, and a few comprehensive high schools. This range of school types and the open enrollment policy give families some ability to choose a specific program or school format that fits their child.

Florence itself is an older town with historic roots, while San Tan Valley and parts of Queen Creek are fast-growing suburban areas. The district spans zip codes with a wide spread in home values, from more modestly priced homes in Coolidge and rural Florence to higher-value areas in Queen Creek and Saddlebrooke. Rents across the district vary as well, with the most affordable rentals in Coolidge and the highest in Saddlebrooke and Queen Creek. This breadth means the district serves families across a fairly wide economic spectrum, although that spectrum does not directly translate into a single district profile.

A graduation rate was not available in the source data, so that key measure of high school completion cannot be assessed here.

For a family considering this district, the main takeaway is that academic proficiency is an area the district is likely working on, given below-midpoint composite scores compared to other Pinal County districts. The district’s selling points are its choice structure, CTE program offerings, and technology access, which may appeal to families who want flexibility and practical pathways. The higher chronic absenteeism rate is a factor worth investigating for a parent deciding whether a particular school within the district addresses attendance effectively. The housing market across the district’s territory is uneven, so a family’s experience of the district will depend heavily on which community they live in and which school their child attends.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

8,952

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 42%

Black 7%

White 42%

Asian 1%

Two+ 5%

Am. Indian / AK Native 2%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 1%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

19%

—

Gr 4

29%

—

Gr 5

17%

—

Gr 6

18%

—

Gr 7

25%

—

Gr 8

22%

—

Math

Gr 3

24%

—

Gr 4

22%

—

Gr 5

19%

—

Gr 6

16%

—

Gr 7

14%

—

Gr 8

—

Science

Gr 5

19%

—

Gr 8

14%

—

Schools in this District

15 schools are officially reported under this district.

Skyline Ranch Elementary School

Anthem Elementary School

Circle Cross K8 STEM Academy

Magma Ranch K8 School

San Tan Foothills High School

Poston Butte High School

Summit School

San Tan Heights Elementary

Florence Virtual Academy

Mountain Vista Academy

Early Childhood Learning Center

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

28%

Grade 3

26%

Grade 4

22%

Grade 5

19%

Grade 6

14%

Grade 7

15%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

23%

Grade 3

34%

Grade 4

19%

Grade 5

22%

Grade 6

27%

Grade 7

30%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

22%

Grade 5

20%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$356,139

Year-over-year change-2.2%

Range across 8 ZIP codes$168K to $587K

vs. state typical0.84x

vs. national typical0.97x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (8 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
85132	Florence	$333K	-2.3%	72.3%
85739	Saddlebrooke	$473K	-1.6%	10.7%
85142	Queen Creek	$587K	-0.8%	4.7%
85128	Coolidge	$270K	-1.4%	4.7%
85143	San Tan Valley	$378K	-3.0%	3.9%
85137		$168K	-3.8%	2.5%
85140	San Tan Valley	$433K	-2.2%	1.3%
85658	Marana	$536K	-1.7%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,877/mo

Year-over-year change+1.6%

Range across 7 ZIP codes$1,598 to $2,346/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (7 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
85132	Florence	$1,795	+1.8%	72.3%
85739	Saddlebrooke	$2,346	—	10.7%
85142	Queen Creek	$2,199	-0.1%	4.7%
85128	Coolidge	$1,598	+1.6%	4.7%
85143	San Tan Valley	$1,977	-0.1%	3.9%
85140	San Tan Valley	$2,057	+0.2%	1.3%
85658	Marana	$2,118	—	0.0%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,797/mo

Home price / national median income4.3x

Annual rent / national median income26.9%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$79/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.