Original Research by School Decision on Page High School
Page High School serves the northern Arizona community of Page, a planned town that was originally built to house workers constructing the Glen Canyon Dam. Today Page is a small logistics hub for the massive tourism traffic heading to Lake Powell and nearby slot canyons, with a commercial strip of hotels and restaurants along Lake Powell Boulevard and a residential grid behind it. The town’s population has seen a modest decline in recent years, and the closure of the Navajo Generating Station removed a major industrial employer. Tourism, the school district, the National Park Service, and healthcare are now the primary economic anchors. Page has a significant Native American population, and that is reflected in the high school’s student body: the large majority of students are American Indian or Alaska Native, with a much smaller share of White students and a modest Hispanic enrollment.
Page High School is a regular public high school serving grades nine through twelve. The school is part of Page Unified School District, and sits on a separate campus from the district’s other schools, which are spread across town. The district did not report any recent major parent-relevant changes, so readers should check directly with the school or district for current initiatives. The school’s enrollment is concentrated across all four high school grades with a fairly even decline from ninth to twelfth grade, which is typical for a high school of its size.
What stands out most clearly from the available data is the state assessment results. In English language arts, roughly a quarter of students met proficiency standards in the most recent testing year, and in mathematics the share is lower, around one in seven. These are weak attainment numbers by any measure. A parent considering this school will want to understand what academic supports are in place, how the school is working to raise proficiency rates, and whether the curriculum is preparing students for the next step after graduation. The data does not include graduation rate, chronic absenteeism, or information on course access, staffing, or discipline. These are significant gaps. Readers should ask the school directly for its four-year graduation rate, how many students are taking Advanced Placement, dual-credit, or career and technical education courses, and what the school’s attendance and discipline picture looks like. Without these pieces, a full picture of the academic pathway and student support here is incomplete.
Housing in Page is somewhat below the state median value, and the town identifies attainable housing as a major challenge, so families moving to the area may find a market that is more affordable than Arizona’s larger cities but still tight. The town is car-dependent outside of the main boulevard, and public transit is limited. The nearest two-year college has an instructional site in Page adjacent to the library, which could offer dual-enrollment opportunities, but the data did not confirm whether Page High School students participate in that program.
For a family weighing Page High School, the core question is whether the academic supports match the student’s needs. The proficiency numbers are low, and the missing data on graduation, course offerings, and discipline means a family should not make a decision without a visit and direct conversations with school staff. The community itself is small, with a tourism-driven economy and a strong Native American cultural presence. The school fits a family that wants a small-town high school in a remote but heavily visited corner of northern Arizona, and that is prepared to investigate the academic program closely to see how it serves its students.
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