Original Research by School Decision on Pcjted - Rio Rico High School
PCJTED – Rio Rico High School is a career and technical high school in Rio Rico, Arizona, serving grades nine through twelve. It is part of Pima County JTED, a regional joint technical education district. The school sits in an unincorporated census-designated place in Santa Cruz County, north of the Nogales border crossing. The community is largely residential and has grown steadily over the past decade, developing at a low density across a wide area. The largest local employment sectors are public administration, transportation and warehousing, and health care and social assistance. Household income is below the national average, and a substantial share of the population identifies as Hispanic.
Because this is a career and technical school, its academic profile differs from a traditional comprehensive high school. State testing data was not available, so there is no reported record of proficiency in English, math, or science. A graduation rate was also not reported. These gaps are common for specialized career and technical schools that may operate on a shared-time model or serve students who also attend a home high school for core academics, though the data does not confirm that arrangement here. The enrollment count appears incomplete; the most recent figures show no students reported, which is likely a data reporting issue rather than actual enrollment. Without reliable enrollment numbers, student demographics, free- or reduced-price lunch eligibility, and special population counts are all missing.
The school’s designation as a career and technical school means the instructional focus is on vocational and workforce-oriented training. No specific program offerings were provided in the available records, so a parent or student interested in particular trades or certifications would need to contact the school directly to learn what pathways are available. The district brief for Pima County JTED turned up no recent changes or initiatives that would affect families.
Housing in the Rio Rico area has a typical home value below the state average but close to the national median. Rents have been trending upward. The economic climate nationally shows a stable mortgage rate and a moderate unemployment rate.
For parents considering this school, the lack of standard academic metrics means the traditional indicators of school performance are absent. That does not necessarily signal a weak school – career and technical institutions often prioritize hands-on skills and industry credentials over standardized tests. However, without data on completion rates, job placement, or industry certification attainment, it is difficult to gauge outcomes. A parent may want to look into this further with the school or its overseeing JTED district to understand student pathways, transfer arrangements with local high schools, and post-graduation placement. The community is growing and has a strong border-economy employment base, which could align well with CTE programs in logistics, public service, or healthcare, but no specific alignment can be confirmed from the data at hand.
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