School district · Kern County

Maricopa Unified schools

In Maricopa Unified, 3 of 4 public middle schools sit at or above the 50th percentile among California middle schools we score; 0 of 5 public elementary schools do (spring 2026 tests).

Elementary · 5 schools

from 3rd to 46th · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests

  • Heartland Charter: 46th percentile, Developing
  • Peak to Peak Mountain Charter: 44th percentile, Developing
  • Blue Ridge Academy: 31st percentile, Developing
  • California Virtual Academy at Maricopa: 31st percentile, Developing
  • Maricopa Elementary: 3rd percentile, Needs Support
1Needs Support
4Developing
0Solid
0Strong

Middle · 4 schools

from 13th to 83rd · among 2,529 California middle schools we score · spring 2026 tests

  • California Virtual Academy at Maricopa: 83rd percentile, Strong
  • Heartland Charter: 67th percentile, Solid
  • Blue Ridge Academy: 54th percentile, Solid
  • Maricopa Middle: 13th percentile, Needs Support
1Needs Support
0Developing
2Solid
1Strong

High · 3 schools

from 15th to 67th · among 1,498 California high schools we score · spring 2025 tests

  • Heartland Charter: 67th percentile, Solid
  • Blue Ridge Academy: 56th percentile, Solid
  • California Virtual Academy at Maricopa: 15th percentile, Needs Support
1Needs Support
0Developing
2Solid
0Strong

One dot per school. Each stage is placed only among California schools at its own level. 3 of the 6 ranked schools teach all three levels, so they appear in more than one picture.

  • 6 ranked schools
  • 4 of 6 are charter schools
  • 2 schools not ranked statewide

Schools around Maricopa Unified

8 listed public schools with mapped locations.

Open full map →

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Percentile among California schools at the same level

  • Strong75th+
  • Solid50–74th
  • Developing25–49th
  • Needs Supportbelow 25th
  • Not scored

The school lists on this page are also available without the map.

Elementary schools

Which elementary schools in Maricopa Unified score highest?

Heartland Charter is highest, at the 46th percentile.

That’s higher than 46 in 100 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests).

Highest in Maricopa Unified

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.

  • Heartland CharterMaricopa · Charter school. Check how it admits students.
    46thDevelopingScope Score 34
  • Peak to Peak Mountain CharterPine Mountain Club · Charter school. Check how it admits students.
    44thDevelopingScope Score 33
  • Blue Ridge AcademyMaricopa · Charter school. Check how it admits students.
    31stDevelopingScope Score 28
Show the other 2 elementary schools
Context

The average elementary school in Maricopa Unified had 11 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once.

Middle schools

Which middle schools in Maricopa Unified score highest?

California Virtual Academy at Maricopa is highest, at the 83rd percentile.

That’s higher than 83 in 100 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests).

Highest in Maricopa Unified

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.

Show the other 1 middle school
Context

The average middle school in Maricopa Unified had 9 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.

High schools

Which high schools in Maricopa Unified score highest?

Heartland Charter is highest, at the 67th percentile.

That’s higher than 67 in 100 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests).

Highest in Maricopa Unified

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.

Context

The average high school in Maricopa Unified had 5 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California high school we score had 22 in 100.

2 high schools not ranked statewide

Alternative schools enroll students differently from a regular school, so each is compared only with schools of its kind. The others have no statewide percentile this year.

The district

Where does Maricopa Unified’s money go, and what does it plan?

Maricopa Unified spent $30,668 per student in the 2024–25 school year.

The typical California district spent $20,491. About 65 cents of every Maricopa Unified dollar went to classroom instruction.

Spending by function

Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from the district’s annual financial report (SACS) to the California Department of Education. District-wide: it includes central administration and costs never assigned to one campus.

Share by function, 2024–25

  • Instruction65%
  • Instruction support6%
  • Student services11%
  • Administration8%
  • Buildings & maintenance10%

Shares of the same spending total, by the report’s spending categories, rounded so they add up to 100. Names are simplified from the report’s own categories.

What the district plans

$2.1 million

planned in its 2026–27 plan for 14 funded actions in 4 goals. That’s 20% of its $11.0 million general fund budget. These are planned amounts; the district reports what it spent in a later plan.

The plan in short

Source: the district’s yearly spending plan (Local Control and Accountability Plan, or LCAP, 165 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.

Where the money goes

Three actions take 56% of the money. The plan itself puts 72% of it toward staff.

  • Student Engagement Support $479,731
  • Academic Support $453,979
  • Comprehensive Support for College and Career Readiness $258,314
  • 11 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help

4 of the plan’s 14 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.

Actions whose titles name math, catch-up help or English learners
  • Math $147,681
  • Catch-up help $453,979
  • English learners $169,249

Largest of these

  • Academic Support$453,979
  • Targeted Support for Math$147,681
  • Supplemental support for English Learners$98,783
For high-need students (English learners, low-income students and foster youth), what changed and what its goals measure
For high-need students

It plans $1.8 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025–26, it planned $1.8 million and estimates it spent $2.0 million, $0.2 million (12%) more than planned (our arithmetic).

What changed

The total is $294,921 (12%) lower than in the 2025–26 plan. The biggest change in dollars is Academic Support, which went from $576,600 to $453,979.

Largest cuts

  • Academic Support−⁠$122,621
  • Integration of Supplemental Curriculum−⁠$68,972
  • Multi-Tiered System of Support for Student Engagement−⁠$54,890

Largest increases

  • Comprehensive Support for College and Career Readiness+⁠$30,444
  • Supplemental support for English Learners+⁠$18,514
What its goals measure

Read these state results for the district’s own schools as context for the goals they measure; results alone can’t show what the plan caused.

What its goals measure: state results, 2024–25 and 2025–26
Measure2024–252025–26Change
English, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 124%20%down 4 pts
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 116%11%down 5 pts
Chronically absentCounted across all the district’s students, not averaged by schoolGoal 232 in 10032 in 100no change
Suspended at least onceGoal 28.2%7.8%down 0.4 pts

Goals 3 and 4 aren’t shown because they track named schools.

Figures from CDE’s state test, chronic absence and suspension files. Test figures cover every grade the district tests (California tests grades 3–8 and 11), so they differ from a profile’s rated grades. We combined the district’s schools ourselves, weighted by students and leaving out charter schools. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days.

The plan’s own titles and amounts
  • Student Engagement Support · $479,731
  • Academic Support · $453,979
  • Comprehensive Support for College and Career Readiness · $258,314
The full plan4 goals, 47 measures and where the money goes

We calculate each action’s share of the plan by dividing its planned amount by the total of the plan’s funded actions ($2.1 million).

Where does the money go?

59% to Goal 1. Each box is one action, sized by its planned dollars and coloured by its change since last year’s plan. Tap a box to open its goal.

G1
G2
G4

Change since the 2025–26 plan, same title

  • fell 25% or more
  • fell 10–25%
  • fell 2–10%
  • within 2%
  • grew 2–10%
  • grew 10–25%
  • grew 25% or more
  • new or renamed title
  • not compared: unconfirmed, or repeated across goals

Every goal, in the plan’s order

Goal 1The Maricopa Unified School District is committed to graduating students who are prepared for post- secondary…$1.3 million59% of action budgets

“The Maricopa Unified School District is committed to graduating students who are prepared for post- secondary education and the workforce by providing ongoing professional development for educators and implementing effective instructional practices aligned with rigorous curriculum standards. This will narrow achievement gaps, provide targeted interventions for struggling learners, and foster a positive school climate” p. 27 ↗

8 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $1.5 million (−⁠$230,411)

Largest funded actions

  1. Academic Support$453,979action 1.3 · p. 126 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $388,979 is state funding counted toward those services
  2. Comprehensive Support for College and Career Readiness$258,314action 1.6 · p. 126 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $140,401 is state funding counted toward those services
  3. Technology Support to enhance Tier 1 instruction$170,565action 1.7 · p. 126 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $136,065 is state funding counted toward those services
  4. Professional Development Initiative to support Tier 1 Instruction$111,579action 1.1 · p. 126 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  5. Supplemental support for English Learners$98,783action 1.5 · p. 126 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services

3 more funded actions in this goal

  • Supplemental support for Long Term English Learners · action 1.8 · p. 126 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$70,467
  • Integration of Supplemental Curriculum · action 1.4 · p. 126 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $65,631 is state funding counted toward those services$69,631
  • Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) · action 1.2 · p. 126 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$31,324

Changes from last year’s plan, same title

  1. Academic Support−⁠$122,621$576,600 → $453,979 · p. 126 ↗
  2. Integration of Supplemental Curriculum−⁠$68,972$138,603 → $69,631 · p. 126 ↗
  3. Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)−⁠$44,176$75,500 → $31,324 · p. 126 ↗

Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan

  • Comprehensive Support for College and Career Readiness · $227,870 → $258,314 · p. 126 ↗+⁠$30,444
  • Technology Support to enhance Tier 1 instruction · $197,935 → $170,565 · p. 126 ↗−⁠$27,370
  • Professional Development Initiative to support Tier 1 Instruction · $129,817 → $111,579 · p. 126 ↗−⁠$18,238
  • Supplemental support for English Learners · $80,269 → $98,783 · p. 126 ↗+⁠$18,514
  • Supplemental support for Long Term English Learners · $68,459 → $70,467 · p. 126 ↗+⁠$2,008

How the plan measures it · 22 measures

None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 27 ↗.

Goal 2MUSD aims to enhance school culture by prioritizing supplemental programs, fostering a positive environment…$729,21734% of action budgets

“MUSD aims to enhance school culture by prioritizing supplemental programs, fostering a positive environment for learning. Emphasizing diverse educational opportunities beyond the core curriculum, it seeks to enrich student experiences and promote engagement. These efforts are geared towards improving outcomes, assessed through state dashboard metrics, demonstrating a commitment to academic advancement and student success” p. 68 ↗

5 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $793,727 (−⁠$64,510)

Largest funded actions

  1. Student Engagement Support$479,731action 2.1 · p. 127 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  2. Student Engagement through Sports, Student Clubs, and Educational Experiences$177,598action 2.5 · p. 127 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  3. Multi-Tiered System of Support for Student Engagement$56,055action 2.3 · p. 127 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  4. Incentive and Recognition Support$13,362action 2.2 · p. 127 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  5. Link Crew Transition Program$2,470action 2.4 · p. 127 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services

Changes from last year’s plan, same title

  1. Multi-Tiered System of Support for Student Engagement−⁠$54,890$110,945 → $56,055 · p. 127 ↗
  2. Student Engagement through Sports, Student Clubs, and Educational Experiences−⁠$12,947$190,545 → $177,598 · p. 127 ↗
  3. Student Engagement Support+⁠$3,356$476,375 → $479,731 · p. 127 ↗

Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan

  • Incentive and Recognition Support · $13,362 → $13,362 · p. 127 ↗unchanged
  • Link Crew Transition Program · $2,500 → $2,470 · p. 127 ↗−⁠$30

How the plan measures it · 16 measures

None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 68 ↗.

Goal 3 · Equity Multiplier Focus GoalFrom July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2027, Maricopa Middle School School aims to boost math competency, using state…$00% of action budgets

“From July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2027, Maricopa Middle School School aims to boost math competency, using state test scores as the metric. Despite past challenges in State dashboard performance, the focus is on enhancing math education through innovative teaching methods, curriculum enhancements, and professional development initiatives, ensuring students excel in mathematical proficiency, comprehension, and real-world applications” p. 92 ↗

No funded actions in this plan · 2025–26 plan: $0 (unchanged)

How the plan measures it · 4 measures

None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 92 ↗.

Goal 4 · Equity Multiplier Focus GoalFrom July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027, Maricopa High School aims to boost math competency, using state test…$147,6817% of action budgets

“From July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027, Maricopa High School aims to boost math competency, using state test scores as the metric. Despite past challenges in State dashboard performance, the focus is on enhancing math education through innovative teaching methods, curriculum enhancements, and professional development initiatives, ensuring students excel in mathematical proficiency, comprehension, and real-world applications. Maricopa High School continues to be eligible as an equity multiplier school for 25-26 school year” p. 98 ↗

1 funded action · reworded since the 2025–26 plan

Largest funded actions

  1. Targeted Support for Math$147,681action 4.1 · p. 127 ↗

Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan

  • Targeted Support for Math · $147,681 → $147,681 · p. 127 ↗unchanged

How the plan measures it · 5 measures

None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 98 ↗.

All amounts are planned. We read them from the PDF and added up each goal’s actions ourselves. Page links open the plan at that page.

Who goes to the district’s schools
Who attends

Student mix

2024–25 · October enrollment count, 15,701 students
1. White: 44%2. Hispanic or Latino: 38%3. Two or more races: 7%4. Black or African American: 4%5. Asian: 3%6. Not reported: 3%7. Filipino: 1%8. American Indian or Alaska Native: <1%9. Pacific Islander: <1%Student mix2024–25
  1. White44%
  2. Hispanic or Latino38%
  3. Two or more races7%
  4. Black or African American4%
  5. Asian3%
  6. Not reported3%
  7. Filipino1%
  8. American Indian or Alaska Native<1%
  9. Pacific Islander<1%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools.

Free or reduced-price meals

46%

Across California, 63% of students qualify.

2024–25 · 7,153 of 15,701 students qualify, summed from the CDE’s meal counts for every school it lists under the district, charters included. It comes from a different CDE file than the student mix, so the two totals differ.

The district’s state records

Is the state giving the district extra help?

Maricopa Unified isn’t getting extra state help in 2026, only the standard support every district gets.

How English learners moved up on the state’s English test

From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 34% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (24 of 70 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.

1 school getting state support, 2025–26

Maricopa High (Targeted support)

This list covers the district’s own schools; each charter school’s page shows its record. Federal designation under the Every Student Succeeds Act, 2025–26.

Sources: District help (CDE) ↗ · English learner progress (CDE) ↗ · School support (CDE) ↗. State results from the 2026 California School Dashboard.

Which places nearby can you look at next?

Cities in the district

More places (1)

Common questions

Which public schools in Maricopa Unified rank highest?

Elementary: Heartland Charter, 46th percentile (Developing). Middle: California Virtual Academy at Maricopa, 83rd percentile (Strong). High: Heartland Charter, 67th percentile (Solid). Each percentile is among the California schools at the same level we score. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.

Does living in the Maricopa Unified district decide which school my child attends?

Not by itself. Attendance boundaries, programs, transfers and space all matter. Confirm the school for your address, grade and program with the district.
More questions (5)

Are the public schools in Maricopa Unified good?

Maricopa Unified’s 5 public elementary schools run from the 3rd to the 46th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 4 Developing and 1 Needs Support. Maricopa Unified’s 4 public middle schools run from the 13th to the 83rd percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Strong, 2 Solid and 1 Needs Support. Maricopa Unified’s 3 public high schools run from the 15th to the 67th percentile among the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). By band: 2 Solid and 1 Needs Support. A percentile compares a school with California public schools at the same level that we score. How we score schools.

How does chronic absence in Maricopa Unified compare with California?

The average elementary school in Maricopa Unified had 11 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once. The average middle school in Maricopa Unified had 9 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100. The average high school in Maricopa Unified had 5 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California high school we score had 22 in 100. These are averages of school rates: each school counts once, whatever its size.

How much does Maricopa Unified spend per student?

Maricopa Unified spent $30,668 per student in the 2024–25 school year. The typical California district spent $20,491. About 65 cents of every Maricopa Unified dollar went to classroom instruction. Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from its annual financial report to the California Department of Education. The district’s spending, by function.

What is in Maricopa Unified’s 2026–27 spending plan?

The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $2.1 million into 14 funded actions in 4 goals, 20% of its $11.0 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $1.3 million, 59% of the action budgets. The 2026–27 plan, goal by goal.

Where do these results come from?

California’s state tests (CAASPP): spring 2026 for elementary and middle schools, spring 2025 for high schools, and chronic-absence rates for 2025–26, published by the California Department of Education. Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s calculations. How we score schools.

Sources and methodology

This page lists the public schools governed and funded by Maricopa Unified, with the district’s spending and state accountability records.

Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26 elementary and middle school; 2024–25 high school

Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.

View CDE data ↗ (opens in a new tab)How Scope Scores work →

Download these schools (CSV)Free to use under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.