Budget & finance
District profile / Arizona
Mesa Unified District (4235)
55,821
Students
2024-25 school year
82
Schools
2024-25 school year
$10,088
Spending per student
FY2020-21 · 8% above the Arizona median
18.3
Students per teacher
2024-25 · Arizona median 18.5
Mesa Unified District (4235) is a public school district based in Mesa, Arizona, serving 55,821 students in 82 schools. By enrollment it ranks #1 of the 108 Arizona districts with 1,000 or more students, making it the largest in the state. Its schools average 681 students each, more than the Arizona median of 512. It spends about $10,088 per student on day-to-day operations, 8% more than the Arizona median. It has roughly 18.3 students per teacher. We've matched 3 news stories to the district.
How Mesa Unified District (4235) compares
Mesa Unified District (4235)Arizona median, districts with 1,000+ students
Spending and staffing
Where the money comes from$704.9 million in revenue · FY2020-21
Federal 19%State 42%Local 39%
| Measure | Mesa Unified District (4235) | Arizona median | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current spending per student | $10,088 | $9,361 | FY2020-21 |
| Instruction spending per student | $5,671 | $5,141 | FY2020-21 |
| Total spending | $681.3 million | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Total revenue | $704.9 million | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Teachers (full-time equivalent) | 3,056 | n/a | 2024-25 |
| Total staff (full-time equivalent) | 7,226 | n/a | 2024-25 |
| Students per teacher | 18.3 | 18.5 | 2024-25 |
| Students per counselor | 380 | 512 | 2024-25 |
Spending: NCES school district finance survey (F-33), FY2020-21. Staffing and enrollment: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25. Via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. The Arizona median compares districts with 1,000 or more students.
In the news
3 stories matchedTeaching & learning
MCC hosts Mesa Public Schools open forum ahead of election
Leadership
Mesa school board seats, $449M bond at stake in election
Peer districts in Arizona
Compare side by side →| District | Students | Schools | Spending per student | Students per teacher | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mesa Unified District (4235)Mesa · this district | 55,821 | 82 | $10,088 | 18.3 | #1 |
| Chandler Unified District #80 (4242)Chandler | 41,421 | 48 | $8,851 | 17.6 | #2 |
| Tucson Unified District (4403)Tucson | 40,316 | 90 | $10,066 | 14.8 | #3 |
| Peoria Unified School District (4237)Glendale | 34,436 | 44 | $8,957 | 18.6 | #4 |
| Deer Valley Unified District (4246)Phoenix | 32,265 | 41 | $9,331 | 16.8 | #5 |
Similar-size districts nationally
| District | Students | Spending per student | Students per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| North East ISDSan Antonio, TX | 56,420 | $9,987 | 14.2 |
| Aldine ISDHouston, TX | 56,419 | $11,814 | 14.4 |
| Forsyth CountyCumming, GA | 54,864 | $10,321 | 15.7 |
| Manatee CountyBradenton, FL | 54,215 | $10,483 | 17.4 |
Peers are the districts closest in enrollment, so they can still differ in many other ways. Enrollment, school counts and phone numbers are from the NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25.
Printed from Superintendent's Corner: https://superintendentscorner.com/district-az-mesa-unified-district-4235