AZ School EnrollmentAZ School Enrollment

Where are you landing? Arizona schools by region

Arizona has about 200 public school districts and more than 500 charter schools, and the mix looks very different in Phoenix, Tucson, the Verde Valley and the high country. Your home address decides which district and which neighborhood school you are assigned to, but Arizona's open enrollment law lets you apply to other schools and other districts when they have room. Pick the region below to see the districts, charters, private schools and practical realities where you are landing.

How Arizona's school map works

Arizona runs public schools two ways at once.

  • School districts are tied to geography. The Arizona Auditor General's January 2026 financial risk analysis covered 207 districts (as of January 2026). Some are "unified" (kindergarten through grade 12), some are elementary-only (usually through grade 8), and some are union high school districts that serve only grades 9 to 12 and draw from several elementary districts. In central Phoenix, for example, a child might attend an elementary district for K-8 and then a separate high school district.
  • Charter schools are public, tuition-free and open to any Arizona resident. The State Board for Charter Schools reported 559 charter schools run by 412 charter holders as of fiscal year 2023 (the most recent count we could verify; the board's own site has the current figure). Charters have no attendance boundaries; when more families apply than there are seats, they hold a lottery.

Private schools, online schools and homeschooling sit outside both systems. See Your school options in Arizona for how they compare.

Your address sets your district, but it does not lock you in

Every district draws attendance boundaries, and the school inside your boundary must take you. That is the fastest route if you need a seat this week: the boundary school cannot turn away a resident child.

Beyond that, A.R.S. § 15-816.01 requires every district to adopt an open enrollment policy and admit non-resident students without tuition when capacity allows. In practice:

  • You can apply to a different school inside your own district, or to a school in another district entirely.
  • Resident students, returning students and siblings get priority. If a school has more applicants than seats, it runs a lottery.
  • Transportation is usually your responsibility. Districts may offer limited bus service to open-enrolled students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, within 30 miles, but most do not.
  • Open enrollment windows for the following year typically open in November through February, and many districts accept applications year-round for grades with space.

Each regional page below lists where to find every district's boundary map or school locator, and its enrollment page.

The four regions

Phoenix metro

More than half of Arizona's students live in Maricopa County. The Valley is a patchwork of dozens of districts, including several union high school districts layered over elementary districts, plus the densest concentration of charter networks and private schools in the state. Your choices are wide; the trade-off is traffic and heat. Read Phoenix metro schools.

Tucson

Tucson Unified is the big one, surrounded by a ring of suburban districts (Amphitheater, Catalina Foothills, Marana, Vail, Sahuarita, Flowing Wells, Sunnyside, Tanque Verde), most of them welcoming open enrollment. Charter networks are present but fewer than in Phoenix; private options cluster around the Catholic high schools and a handful of independent schools. Read Tucson schools.

Sedona and the Verde Valley

Small town-sized districts (Sedona-Oak Creek, Cottonwood-Oak Creek, Mingus Union, Camp Verde, Clarkdale-Jerome, Beaver Creek), a few charter schools and a short list of private schools. Distances are short, choices are few, and Prescott is close enough to matter. Read Sedona and Verde Valley schools.

Flagstaff and northern Arizona

Flagstaff Unified anchors the high country, with charter and private alternatives in town. Prescott and Prescott Valley have their own districts and charter cluster. Payson, Show Low and Pinetop-Lakeside, Williams and Page each have one district and long bus routes. Winter weather is real here. Read Flagstaff and northern Arizona schools.

Finding any Arizona school

The Arizona Department of Education's AZ School Report Cards site lists every public district, charter and school with its letter grade and contact details. The State Board for Charter Schools keeps the charter directory. For private schools there is no single state directory; the regional pages link each school's own site.

Sources and where to verify

Frequently asked questions

How many school districts does Arizona have?

About 200. The Arizona Auditor General's January 2026 financial risk analysis covered 207 districts. Counts move by one or two as small districts consolidate, so treat the number as approximate.

How many charter schools are there?

The State Board for Charter Schools reported 559 charter schools operated by 412 charter holders as of fiscal year 2023, the most recent figure we could verify. The board's site carries the current count.

Do I have to send my child to the school assigned to my address?

No. The assigned school must take you, but Arizona's open enrollment law lets you apply to any other district school with space, and charter schools have no boundaries at all. Priority goes to residents, returning students and siblings.

Can I open enroll in a district I do not live in?

Yes. A.R.S. § 15-816.01 requires districts to admit non-resident students without tuition when they have capacity. You will usually need to provide your own transportation.

What is the difference between a unified district and a union high school district?

A unified district runs kindergarten through grade 12. A union high school district runs only grades 9 to 12 and takes students from several separate elementary districts. In parts of Phoenix and the Verde Valley you will enroll in two districts over a child's school career.

Which region should I read if I am moving somewhere not listed?

Yuma, Lake Havasu, Kingman, Casa Grande and other communities are not covered yet. The same rules apply: find the district for your address on the AZ School Report Cards site, open its enrollment page, and apply through open enrollment if you want a different school.

Last reviewed October 11, 2026. Figures change; the sources above are where to check.