Sunnyside Unified District (4407), AZ

Original Research by School Decision on Sunnyside Unified District (4407)

Sunnyside Unified District serves the southern portion of Tucson and its surrounding unincorporated areas in Pima County, making it one of the larger districts in the region by enrollment. It is a full PK-through-12 system, and the student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic, with a small share of White, Black, and Native American students. The district operates a network of more than twenty schools, including traditional elementary and middle schools, two comprehensive high schools, an early learning center, a fine arts magnet strand that runs from primary through intermediate grades, and an online academy.

State assessment data from a recent school year shows that student proficiency rates in both English language arts and math fall in the bottom quartile among Pima County's districts. In math, proficiency rates begin low in the early elementary grades and decline further by middle school, with a particularly sharp drop between grades five and six. English language arts rates cluster in a similar low range across all tested grades, with fourth grade showing a modestly higher result. Science proficiency rates at tested grade levels are also low. The district’s chronic absenteeism rate sits below the midpoint among county districts, meaning it is higher than the median and a concern families may want to explore further with individual schools. Because a single year of data is available for most measures, trends cannot yet be assessed.

Per-pupil spending is in the middle range among Pima County districts but falls in the lower half, which may reflect the district’s reliance on federal and state funding sources given the community’s economic profile. Housing in the area is more affordable than the national and state benchmarks, with home values that have seen a modest year-over-year decline and rents that have held roughly steady. The typical mortgage and rent estimates are both below national averages, making the district’s attendance zone one of the more accessible housing markets in the Tucson region. This affordability is an important factor for households weighing school quality against cost of living.

The district offers a fine arts magnet program at two schools, giving families an option for a themed elementary and intermediate experience within the district. It also provides an online school, a choice for students who need a flexible learning environment. Beyond those offerings, the data does not detail specific program pathways such as Advanced Placement, career and technical education courses, or dual enrollment opportunities. A parent interested in those options would need to check with the individual high schools.

No graduation rate is available in the provided data, and it is not clear why. High school outcomes are a central measure for any PK-through-12 district, and its absence is a notable gap for a family evaluating the district’s overall performance. Similarly, information on student support services, discipline practices, and teacher staffing levels is not present, which limits a full picture of the school environment.

Sunnyside Unified is a large, diverse, urban-fringe district where academic proficiency rates are low relative to other Pima County districts. The district sits in a relatively affordable housing market, and families who move into the area for that reason should be aware that the academic profile is a soft spot. The presence of a fine arts magnet and an online school adds some programmatic variety, but the core academic challenge is clear from the state assessment data. Anyone considering this district would be well served to visit specific schools, ask about academic supports and interventions, and seek out the most recent graduation and postsecondary readiness data directly from the district or the Arizona Department of Education.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

14,144

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 89%

Black 3%

White 3%

Asian 0%

Two+ 2%

Am. Indian / AK Native 3%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

18%

—

Gr 4

24%

—

Gr 5

17%

—

Gr 6

21%

—

Gr 7

19%

—

Gr 8

20%

—

Math

Gr 3

20%

—

Gr 4

16%

—

Gr 5

14%

—

Gr 6

—

Gr 7

—

Gr 8

—

Science

Gr 5

14%

—

Gr 8

11%

—

Schools in this District

22 schools are officially reported under this district.

STAR Academic High School

Apollo Middle School

Craycroft Elementary School

Drexel Elementary School

Elvira Elementary School

Liberty Elementary School

Los Ninos Elementary School

Mission Manor Elementary School

Santa Clara Elementary School

Sunnyside High School

Ocotillo Early Learning Elementary School

Esperanza Elementary School

Sierra 2-8 School

Gallego Primary Fine Arts Magnet

Los Amigos Elementary School

Desert View High School

Summit View Elementary

Challenger Middle School

Billy Lane Lauffer Middle School

Rivera Elementary

Sunnyside Online Success Academy

Gallego Intermediate Fine Arts Magnet School

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

23%

Grade 3

21%

Grade 4

17%

Grade 5

Grade 6

Grade 7

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

20%

Grade 3

28%

Grade 4

19%

Grade 5

22%

Grade 6

22%

Grade 7

22%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

17%

Grade 5

13%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$293,412

Year-over-year change-2.2%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$235K to $306K

vs. state typical0.69x

vs. national typical0.80x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
85756	Tucson	$306K	-1.1%	52.9%
85746	Tucson	$286K	-3.7%	31.7%
85706	Tucson	$262K	-2.7%	13.6%
85714	Tucson	$235K	-3.7%	0.2%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,620/mo

Year-over-year change+1.0%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$1,025 to $1,915/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
85756	Tucson	$1,915	+1.0%	52.9%
85746	Tucson	$1,349	+1.8%	31.7%
85706	Tucson	$1,118	-1.3%	13.6%
85714	Tucson	$1,025	—	0.2%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,481/mo

Home price / national median income3.5x

Annual rent / national median income23.2%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$140/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.