Liberty Elementary District (4266), AZ

Original Research by School Decision on Liberty Elementary District (4266)

Liberty Elementary District serves students from preschool through eighth grade across a cluster of schools in the southwestern portion of Maricopa County. The district covers parts of Buckeye and Goodyear, two communities that have seen substantial residential growth in recent years. Housing values in the area sit near the middle of the national range, with a modest year-over-year decline, and rents are similarly positioned. The district’s enrollment is large for a PK-8 system, and the student body is majority Hispanic, with a substantial white population and smaller shares of Black, multiracial, Asian, Native American, and Pacific Islander students. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals was not available, nor were counts of students with disabilities or English learners.

Academically, the district’s state assessment results place it below the midpoint among Maricopa County’s districts in overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. In math, proficiency rates by grade level range from roughly a fifth to just over two-fifths of students meeting the bar, with the highest rates in fourth grade and the lowest in sixth grade. In English language arts, the pattern is similar: the strongest showing is in fourth and seventh grades, where just under half of students scored proficient, while other grades fall in the mid-to-upper third range. Science results, available for fifth and eighth grades, show about a third of fifth graders and a quarter of eighth graders reaching proficiency. The district’s overall proficiency index sits below the midpoint among Maricopa County’s districts. A multi-year trend, covering three years of data, shows a decline in both math and English language arts proficiency over that period, though the assessment context may have shifted in ways that affect comparability.

Chronic absenteeism is a notable concern. The district’s rate is above the midpoint among county districts, meaning a larger share of students are missing substantial school time. A parent may want to ask the district what strategies are in place to address attendance.

The district operates seven active schools: six elementary schools serving various grade configurations and one academy. An online school is listed as inactive. The district serves only through eighth grade, so there is no high school graduation rate to report. Per-pupil current spending is in the lower range compared to other Maricopa County districts.

Housing in the district’s attendance area is anchored by the city of Buckeye, which accounts for the majority of the weighted home value, and Goodyear, which makes up most of the remainder. Home values in the district are slightly below the state median and roughly on par with the national median, with a small year-over-year decline. Rents are similarly positioned. The area has been a zone of rapid development in recent years, though the district brief turned up little in the way of recent operational changes or strategic initiatives that would be of immediate note to a parent.

For a family considering this district, the picture is one of a large elementary system in a growing suburban corridor with academic results that trail the county median. The chronic absenteeism rate is a soft spot worth exploring with the school. The district does not serve high school grades, so families will need to plan for a transition to a neighboring district or a charter or private option after eighth grade. The absence of data on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education, and English learner populations leaves gaps in the full portrait of student support needs.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

4,444

Grades

PK–08

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 57%

Black 6%

White 31%

Asian 1%

Two+ 4%

Am. Indian / AK Native 1%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

26%

—

Gr 4

35%

—

Gr 5

25%

—

Gr 6

22%

—

Gr 7

34%

—

Gr 8

30%

—

Math

Gr 3

27%

—

Gr 4

31%

—

Gr 5

20%

—

Gr 6

13%

—

Gr 7

13%

—

Gr 8

14%

—

Science

Gr 5

18%

—

Gr 8

17%

—

Schools in this District

8 schools are officially reported under this district.

Liberty Elementary School

Estrella Mountain Elementary School

Rainbow Valley Elementary School

Westar Elementary School

Freedom Elementary School

Las Brisas Academy

Liberty Online School

Blue Horizons Elementary School

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

39%

Grade 3

42%

Grade 4

31%

Grade 5

21%

Grade 6

25%

Grade 7

25%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

38%

Grade 3

46%

Grade 4

36%

Grade 5

36%

Grade 6

46%

Grade 7

38%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

31%

Grade 5

26%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$392,160

Year-over-year change-1.3%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$375K to $551K

vs. state typical0.93x

vs. national typical1.07x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
85326	Buckeye	$375K	-1.2%	73.2%
85338	Goodyear	$440K	-1.5%	26.6%
85395	Goodyear	$551K	+0.1%	0.1%
85396	Buckeye	$461K	-0.9%	0.1%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,905/mo

Year-over-year change-0.7%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$1,793 to $2,241/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
85326	Buckeye	$1,945	-0.4%	73.2%
85338	Goodyear	$1,793	-1.3%	26.6%
85395	Goodyear	$1,836	-2.9%	0.1%
85396	Buckeye	$2,241	+3.1%	0.1%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,979/mo

Home price / national median income4.7x

Annual rent / national median income27.3%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$74/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.