Maricopa Unified School District: Schools, Data, and Boundaries

By James Sanson, REALTOR. Licensed Arizona REALTOR since August 2002. Maricopa specialist since 2004. 1,000+ closings. See about James Sanson and the team.

Published 2026-05-20. Last reviewed 2026-05-20. Data sources cited in each section.

Quick answer

Maricopa Unified School District (MUSD) is the public school district serving Maricopa, Arizona. The district operates 11 schools per MUSD official reporting, enrolls 9,950+ students, and employs approximately 1,200 employees (the largest employer in the city). MUSD includes 6 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 2 traditional high schools, and Maricopa Virtual Academy. The board approved K-8 boundary adjustments effective 2026-2027. Call 520-838-8037 for help interpreting the MUSD assignment for specific addresses.

On this page

1. District overview and contact
2. All MUSD schools with addresses and grades
3. MUSD elementary schools (K-5)
4. MUSD middle schools (6-8)
5. MUSD high schools (9-12)
6. Virtual academy and specialty programs
7. 2026-2027 K-8 boundary adjustment
8. District programs and academic services
9. Update policy and data verification

This page documents the Maricopa Unified School District as of recent reporting. We list every school in the district, with addresses, grade levels, and the most recently published A-F letter grade where available. We do not rank schools or recommend one over another. We provide the data and direct families to the official sources for current verification.

For charter school options in Maricopa that operate independently of MUSD, see our charters in Maricopa page. For the broader Maricopa schools landscape, including both MUSD and charter schools, see our Maricopa schools hub.

District overview and contact

1. District name. Maricopa Unified School District (MUSD).
2. NCES District ID. 0404720.
3. Address. 44150 W. Maricopa Casa Grande Highway, Maricopa, AZ 85138.
4. Phone. 520-568-5100.
5. Website. musd20.org.
6. Total schools: 11 per MUSD official reporting (musd20.org).
7. Enrollment. 9,950+ students per most recent reporting.
8. Grade span. Preschool through grade 12.
9. Founded. 1912.
10. Total staff. Approximately 1,200. The largest employer in the city of Maricopa.
11. Student-teacher ratio. Approximately 18 to 1, below the Arizona state average.
12. Teacher licensure rate. Approximately 99.9 percent.
13. Per-pupil spending. Approximately 7,924 dollars per US News report.

All MUSD schools with addresses and grades

MUSD elementary schools (K-5)

MUSD operates 6 elementary schools serving kindergarten through grade 5. Each school's published A-F grade and verifiable address are listed in the master table above. Key facts about the elementary schools as a group:

1. Total elementary schools. 6 (Butterfield, Maricopa, Pima Butte, Saddleback, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa).
2. 2022-2023 A grades earned. Butterfield Elementary, Maricopa Elementary, and Pima Butte Elementary all received A grades from the Arizona Department of Education for the 2022-2023 reporting period, per the MUSD announcement.
3. Current MUSD-designated recognitions. Pima Butte Elementary is identified as an A+ School of Excellence on the MUSD homepage. Santa Cruz Elementary is identified as an A school on the MUSD homepage.
4. 2022-2023 B grades. Santa Rosa Elementary received a B grade for 2022-2023 reporting, after holding an A grade in the prior period, per MUSD announcement.
5. Elementary proficiency overall. Per US News district-level reporting, approximately 39 percent of MUSD elementary students tested at or above the proficient level for reading, and 34 percent tested at or above that level for math.

Specific elementary schools are located within several Maricopa subdivisions. Pima Butte and Santa Rosa are inside Rancho El Dorado. Santa Cruz is in Tortosa. Maricopa Elementary is inside Alterra. Butterfield is in the Villages community. Saddleback sits along N. Porter Rd.

MUSD middle schools (6-8)

1. Desert Wind Middle School. Home of the Panthers. Address: 45725 W. Honeycutt Ave., Maricopa, AZ 85139. Phone: 520-568-7100.
2. Maricopa Wells Middle School. District phone 520-568-5100 for current contact information.
3. Middle school proficiency overall. Per US News district-level reporting, approximately 34 percent of MUSD middle school students tested at or above the proficient level for reading, and 24 percent tested at or above that level for math.

MUSD high schools (9-12)

1. Maricopa High School. The district's original 9-12 high school. Received a B grade in the 2022-2023 reporting period, maintaining its grade from the prior period per MUSD. Maricopa High is profiled by US News with ranking, AP participation data, and graduation rate reporting.
2. Desert Sunrise High School. The district's newer 9-12 high school. Opened in July 2022 with grades 9 and 10, added grade 11 for 2023-2024, and grade 12 for 2024-2025 to reach full enrollment. Located at 16200 N. Murphy Rd, Maricopa, AZ 85138. Built with approximately 26 million dollars approved by the School Facilities Board in 2018. Mascot: Gary the Golden Hawk. Colors: blue and gold. Initial enrollment was 1,016 students for the 2023-2024 school year. As a newer school, Desert Sunrise has not received a stabilized A-F letter grade.

For families considering MUSD high schools, the two schools provide different settings: Maricopa High as the established 9-12 with established programs and ranking data, and Desert Sunrise as the newer campus, still developing programs and longitudinal data. Contact the schools directly for current programs and AP offerings.

Virtual academy and specialty programs

1. Maricopa Virtual Academy. Online program operated by MUSD for students in grades 6-12 whose families prefer or require an online format (per MUSD school site references showing Virtual Academy grades 6-12). Enrollment is through the district. Contact 520-568-5100.
2. Alma Farrell Innovation Academy. Located at 35565 W. Honeycutt Rd, Maricopa, AZ 85138. Phone: 520-568-7110. Home of the Tigers. This is MUSD's first K-8 campus, currently under construction and scheduled to open in July 2026, per MUSD. Once operational, Alma Farrell will serve grades K through 8 in a single building, a model MUSD has not previously operated. See afia.musd20.org for current construction progress.
3. Saddleback Preschool. Located at 18600 N. Porter Rd, Maricopa, AZ 85138, sharing facilities with Saddleback Elementary.
4. Additional preschool programs. Santa Rosa Preschool and other preschool offerings may be available. Contact MUSD for current preschool enrollment.

2026-2027 K-8 boundary adjustment

The MUSD school board approved adjustments to K-8 attendance boundary maps in December 2025, with the changes taking effect for the 2026-2027 school year. This is one of the most important MUSD developments for current and prospective Maricopa home buyers and sellers.

Key facts about the adjustment:

1. Approval date. December 2025 by board vote.
2. Effective date. 2026-2027 school year.
3. Scope. K-8 attendance boundary maps (elementary and middle school assignments). High school assignment patterns may also be reviewed, but the K-8 changes are the primary focus.
4. What it means. Specific home addresses may be assigned to a different elementary or middle school than they were assigned under the prior boundary map. Families relying on a specific school for their address should confirm the 2026-2027 assignment via the MUSD School Finder.
5. Documentation. MUSD has published K-8 boundary FAQs at musd20.org/about/district-map-and-boundaries/k-8-boundary-faqs explaining the adjustment.
6. Verification. The MUSD School Finder is the authoritative source for current and 2026-2027 assignments for any specific address.

Real estate implications:

1. The listing language describing the school assignment should reflect the updated 2026-2027 boundaries to avoid claims that turn out to be inaccurate.
2. Buyers prioritizing a specific school for their children should confirm the 2026-2027 assignment for any home they are considering, not just the current-year assignment.
3. For families with children already in MUSD schools, the boundary adjustment may or may not affect their current students. Contact the school and the district to confirm.

Call 520-838-8037 if you want help understanding how the 2026-2027 boundary changes apply to a specific Maricopa address you are considering.

District programs and academic services

MUSD lists multiple academic programs and services available across district schools. Specific availability varies by school and grade level.

1. Advanced Placement (AP). College-credit-eligible courses at the high school level.
2. Career and Technical Education (CTE). Vocational and career-preparatory programs.
3. Dual Language. Bilingual instruction programs at participating schools.
4. Maricopa Accelerated Program. District signature program for accelerated learners.
5. Gifted and Talented Education. Programs for students identified as gifted.
6. Exceptional Student Services. Special education and related services.
7. English Language Learner. Programs for students whose primary language is not English.
8. Native American Education. Programs serving Native American students and families.
9. 21st Century Programs. Extended learning opportunities.
10. Preschool. Saddleback Preschool, Santa Rosa Preschool, and additional preschool programs.
11. Section 504. Services for students with disabilities under federal civil rights law.

For specific program availability at a specific school, contact the school directly or visit the MUSD academics pages at musd20.org. Call 520-838-8037 if you want help connecting a school search to a specific Maricopa home address.

Update policy and data verification

This page is built as a data reference rather than an opinion piece. To support that, we follow a stated update cadence and cite our sources.

1. AZ A-F letter grades. Refreshed annually after the Arizona Department of Education publishes the new school report cards. The most recent grades referenced on this page reflect early 2026 reporting.
2. State proficiency data. Reading and math proficiency percentages from state-required assessments, sourced from US News and AZ Report Cards (azreportcards.azed.gov), refreshed when new data is published.
3. Enrollment and demographics. Sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and US News, refreshed when new federal data is published.
4. MUSD boundary and zoning information. Updated whenever MUSD publishes new boundary maps or K-8 boundary changes. The December 2025 board-approved boundary adjustment, effective 2026-2027, is reflected in current guidance.
5. Charter school information. Updated when individual charter networks publish changes to grade levels, programs, or enrollment.

The most reliable place to verify current school information for a specific home address is the official MUSD School Finder at musd20.org and the Arizona Department of Education report cards at azreportcards.azed.gov. For charter school enrollment, contact the individual school directly. Call 520-838-8037 for help interpreting how school assignments apply to specific addresses in Maricopa.

Important. This page is informational. We present school data sourced from public records, state assessments, and federal databases without opinion or recommendation. Letter grades, ratings, and proficiency percentages can change year to year. School boundaries can change. Charter enrollment availability changes by school year. Always verify current information directly with the school, the Maricopa Unified School District, or the Arizona Department of Education before making decisions based on school data. The James Sanson Team does not advise on school selection or comparative quality.

For charter school options that operate independently of MUSD, see our charter schools in Maricopa page. For the broader schools landscape, see our Maricopa schools hub. To talk through the MUSD school assignment for a specific Maricopa home, call 520-838-8037 to reach a Maricopa REALTOR with 1,000+ closings across the district.