How to Evaluate Arizona Schools From Far Away

You can learn a lot about an Arizona school without setting foot in it. Every public school has a state letter grade and a report card with the data behind it; every school, public or private, can answer a short list of questions by phone or video. This page walks through the sources in the order we use them, then lists what to ask and what no data source can tell you.

Start with the state letter grade, then look underneath it

Arizona assigns every public school, district and charter alike, a letter grade from A to F each year under A.R.S. 15-241. The grade combines several indicators: how many students scored proficient on the state tests, how much students grew compared with similar students, English learner progress and, depending on the grades served, readiness measures, graduation rate and a college-and-career indicator. A grade is a summary, and the State Board is revising the system after a June 2026 Auditor General report found it obscured differences between schools. Read what the letter grades mean before you lean on one.

The report card behind the grade is at azreportcards.azed.gov. It shows each indicator separately, so you can see whether an A came from high test scores, strong growth, or both. You can compare up to three schools or districts side by side and print a PDF.

What test and growth data tell you

Proficiency is the share of students who met the standard on the AASA (grades 3 to 8) or the high school assessment. Growth compares each student's score with students statewide who scored similarly the year before, so a school with modest proficiency can still show strong growth. For a child who is behind, growth matters more; for a child who is ahead, look at the share scoring highly proficient and at the advanced programs on offer. Private schools do not take the state tests, so for them you will be comparing their own outcomes, such as college matriculation lists, which are not standardized.

Class size, programs and the things data misses

Class size is not on the state report card. Ask the school directly for average class size by grade, and for the student-to-teacher ratio if that is all they publish (the two are not the same; a ratio counts every teacher, including specialists). Ask which programs your child would actually use: gifted or honors, IB or AP, CTE, dual enrollment, special education, English learner support, arts, athletics, before- and after-school care. A program that exists on paper for one grade is not the same as one your child can join mid-year.

Visiting from a distance

Most schools will do a video call with a counselor or admissions officer, and many have recorded tours. Ask to speak with the person who would handle your child's grade level, not only the front office. If you can visit once before the move, go while school is in session and watch a hallway change between classes; it tells you more about a school's culture than any brochure.

Questions to ask any school

Is there space in my child's grade right now, and if not, how long is the wait list? (District schools must post capacity and update it at least every twelve weeks under A.R.S. 15-816.01.)
What do you need from us to enroll, and what can wait until after the first day?
How do you place a student who arrives with partial-year grades or credits from another state?
What is the average class size in my child's grade?
How many teachers in that grade have been at the school more than three years?
How do you handle an IEP or 504 plan that was written in another state?
What does a typical day look like, including start time, lunch and transportation?
For private schools: what is the total cost with fees, and how does need-based aid work?

Warning signs

The school cannot or will not tell you its capacity, class sizes or staff turnover.
A charter or private school pressures you to commit or pay a deposit before answering basic questions.
Programs are described in the future tense ("we will be adding").
Online reviews are all from the same few months, or all from staff.
For boarding and residential programs, the school is vague about who supervises students after hours and how students contact family.

The limits of rankings

Niche, GreatSchools and U.S. News each build their lists from different data with different weights, and Private School Review publishes category lists rather than a ranking. None of them visits schools. A ranking is a reasonable way to build a short list and a poor way to pick between two schools near the top of it. See School rankings and reviews for how each is built.

Sources and where to verify

Frequently asked questions

Is an A school always better than a B school?

No. The grade bundles several indicators, and the Auditor General found in 2026 that schools with very different proficiency rates can hold the same grade. Open the report card and compare the indicators that matter for your child.

Are private schools graded by the state?

No. The A-F system applies to public schools, including charters. For a private school, look at accreditation, programs, class size, outcomes the school publishes, and a visit or video call.

Where do I find class size?

Ask the school. The state report card does not show it, and ranking sites usually show a student-to-teacher ratio instead, which counts all teachers and is not the same as class size.

Can I trust online reviews of a school?

Use them for patterns, not verdicts. A few dozen reviews spread over several years that mention the same strengths and weaknesses are worth reading; a burst of five-star reviews in one month is not.

How do I compare schools in two different districts?

Use the compare tool on the report card site, which takes up to three schools or three districts at a time. Then ask each school the same list of questions so you are comparing like with like.

What if the school I want is full?

District schools keep wait lists under open enrollment, and charters run lotteries, so ask where you stand and when the list moves. Your resident district school must enroll you in the meantime; see Enroll this week.

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