Willow Canyon High School

Summary:

Willow Canyon High School is a public high school in Surprise, Arizona, serving grades 7-12 with a total enrollment of 1,787 students. The school is part of the Dysart Unified District, which is ranked 135 out of 288 districts in Arizona and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Willow Canyon High School has consistently high four-year graduation rates, ranging from 93.6% in 2018-2019 to 97.2% in 2022-2023, significantly outperforming the state average. The school's students also consistently outperform the district and state averages in various standardized tests, including AASA English Language Arts and Mathematics, AzSCI Science, and ACT. For example, in 2022-2023, 47% of 11th-grade students were proficient or better in AASA English Language Arts, compared to the district's 49% and the state's 40%. The school's diverse racial makeup, with 49.13% White, 32.12% Hispanic, and smaller percentages of other racial groups, is also noteworthy.

Compared to nearby schools, Willow Canyon High School generally outperforms the Dysart iSchool and Valley Vista High School in terms of graduation rates, test scores, and overall statewide rankings. However, the nearby charter schools, such as Imagine Prep Surprise and Highland Prep, also demonstrate strong academic performance in certain areas.


Detail:

Public 7-12

 17901 W Lundberg St
       Surprise, AZ  85388-0281


(623) 523-8000

District: Dysart Unified District

SchoolDigger Rank:
119th of 270 Arizona High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,902 Help


Feeder schools for Willow Canyon High School:

Elementary:    Asante Preparatory Academy
    Canyon Ridge School
    Cimarron Springs Middle School
    Kingswood Elementary School
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  23.2 Help
Number of students:  1,819

Racial breakdown:

White:
47.7%
Hispanic:
34.1%
African American:
7.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  31.9% Help


 See top rated Arizona high schools

 Compare Willow Canyon High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Willow Canyon High School is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 98.68. (See more...)
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Compare Details Willow Canyon High School ranks better than 55.9% of high schools in Arizona. It also ranks 2nd among 4 ranked high schools in the Dysart Unified District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 49.39. (See more...)
Help
The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Willow Canyon High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (47.7%), Hispanic (34.1%), African American (7.4%). (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Willow Canyon High School is 23.2. 2 high schools in the Dysart Unified District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Willow Canyon High School employs 78.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Willow Canyon High School is $9,902. 2 high schools in the Dysart Unified District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Willow Canyon High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Willow Canyon High School 119th of 270 Arizona public high schools. (See Willow Canyon High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
Native American students:
Pacific Islander students:
White students:


Dysart Unified District:

SchoolDigger ranks Dysart Unified District 144th of 297 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Willow Canyon High School?

Rank History for Willow Canyon High School

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Rank History for all middle school students at Willow Canyon High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 98.68 12th 854 98.6%
See the entire list of Arizona High School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Willow Canyon High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 96.89 17th 806 97.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Willow Canyon High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 69.86 157th 760 79.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Willow Canyon High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 98.79 3rd 675 99.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Arizona Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Willow Canyon High School

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Rank History for all high school students at Willow Canyon High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 78.18 94th 395 76.2%
2010 73.24 116th 403 71.2%
2011 72.49 113th 397 71.5%
2012 68.58 149th 471 68.4%
2013 69.91 154th 491 68.6%
2014 63.95 164th 394 58.4%
2015 25.71 195th 261 25.3%
2016 48.51 158th 406 61.1%
2017 53.21 130th 416 68.8%
2018 42.18 182nd 420 56.7%
2019 37.35 156th 285 45.3%
2021 77.07 96th 509 81.1%
2022 69.08 102nd 464 78.0%
2023 60.69 154th 469 67.2%
2024 49.39 119th 270 55.9%
See the entire list of Arizona High School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Multi-racial students at Willow Canyon High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.93 49th 76 35.5%
2019 21.87 21st 25 16.0%
2021 68.32 98th 374 73.8%
2022 55.28 103rd 282 63.5%
2023 56.52 80th 199 59.8%
2024 52.42 17th 37 54.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for high school English Language Learner students at Willow Canyon High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 44.58 29th 312 90.7%
2022 41.67 53rd 258 79.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for high school Special Education students at Willow Canyon High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.78 86th 155 44.5%
2021 48.24 150th 422 64.5%
2022 38.42 169th 380 55.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Willow Canyon High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.46 116th 253 54.2%
2022 75.65 34th 168 79.8%
2023 55.66 126th 347 63.7%
2024 54.32 61st 172 64.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for high school Homeless students at Willow Canyon High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 31.10 69th 168 58.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for high school Female students at Willow Canyon High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.81 153rd 354 56.8%
2019 38.12 137th 247 44.5%
2021 81.24 80th 492 83.7%
2022 75.01 75th 456 83.6%
2023 60.48 129th 406 68.2%
2024 48.26 97th 200 51.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for high school Foster Care students at Willow Canyon High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 34.65 38th 130 70.8%
2022 30.47 48th 116 58.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for high school Military Connected students at Willow Canyon High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 75.24 21st 102 79.4%
2022 30.11 94th 125 24.8%
2023 45.54 44th 74 40.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for high school Male students at Willow Canyon High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.94 178th 370 51.9%
2019 33.39 140th 238 41.2%
2021 69.34 111th 492 77.4%
2022 65.41 116th 455 74.5%
2023 55.80 168th 429 60.8%
2024 41.70 119th 219 45.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for high school Asian students at Willow Canyon High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.80 55th 83 33.7%
2021 63.99 85th 231 63.2%
2022 57.80 97th 238 59.2%
2023 43.37 89th 146 39.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for high school African American students at Willow Canyon High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 41.36 66th 122 45.9%
2019 62.65 12th 33 63.6%
2021 62.72 81st 306 73.5%
2022 68.48 56th 301 81.4%
2023 47.47 90th 201 55.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for high school Hispanic students at Willow Canyon High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.17 138th 311 55.6%
2019 40.77 89th 183 51.4%
2021 70.65 88th 479 81.6%
2022 67.82 88th 441 80.0%
2023 55.68 132nd 379 65.2%
2024 51.08 63rd 170 62.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for high school Native American students at Willow Canyon High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 71.86 46th 255 82.0%
2023 49.84 50th 128 60.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for high school Pacific Islander students at Willow Canyon High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 61.20 11th 41 73.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for high school White students at Willow Canyon High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.04 192nd 291 34.0%
2019 26.54 167th 217 23.0%
2021 68.13 119th 448 73.4%
2022 58.94 134th 409 67.2%
2023 47.88 184th 371 50.4%
2024 34.29 121st 184 34.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Arizona Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Willow Canyon High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2)
25%

0%

0%

0%

75%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Monday, April 8, 2019

Open Quote Teachers don't care at this school, I can name a few, they can leave a message only, they will not return your call when you call them back to discuss your student, they will not respond to your emails either, getting ready to contact the district, will see how will they handle the situation??? Close Quote


by a parent
Monday, September 19, 2016

Open Quote Very pleased with the education my son is receiving! He is in the IB programme and is surrounded by teachers that care about their students. I could not be happier. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Willow Canyon High School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2004 526 58 15 251 8 n/a n/a 0 858
2005 1032 127 28 439 18 n/a n/a 0 1644
2006 1680 212 59 652 22 n/a n/a 0 2625
2007 1434 214 71 523 19 n/a n/a 0 2261
2008 1448 253 82 557 19 n/a n/a 0 2359
2009 1321 234 84 508 20 n/a n/a 0 2167
2010 1225 210 81 450 22 n/a n/a 0 1988
2011 1212 210 75 484 22 5 6 0 2014
2012 1229 196 66 477 21 7 34 0 2030
2013 1271 149 70 488 21 8 43 0 2050
2014 1298 167 64 505 21 8 70 0 2133
2015 1221 171 66 517 17 10 82 0 2084
2016 1156 135 59 490 11 3 75 0 1929
2017 1068 142 54 465 10 3 72 0 1814
2018 1051 143 47 473 8 4 73 0 1799
2019 1083 147 51 524 7 6 79 0 1897
2020 1099 135 59 566 10 5 111 0 1985
2021 764 79 25 426 4 4 82 0 1384
2022 901 112 48 587 14 11 111 0 1784
2023 878 137 46 574 20 11 121 0 1787
2024 867 135 39 620 23 13 122 0 1819

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Willow Canyon High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2004 858 38.0 22.6 54.2
2005 1644 72.5 22.7 39.2
2006 2625 103.0 25.5 32.4
2007 2261 112.4 20.1 2.1
2008 2359 97.0 24.3 0
2009 2167 89.7 24.2 31.5
2010 1988 83.0 23.9 28.8
2011 2014 83.3 24.1 38.9
2012 2030 91.0 22.3 36.8
2013 2050 86.5 23.6 37.6
2014 2133 82.6 25.8 35.6
2015 2084 83.0 25.1 35.5
2016 1929 74.0 26.0 35.3
2017 1814 76.4 23.7 34.1
2018 1799 74.4 24.1 33.9
2019 1897 80.0 23.7 32.9
2020 1985 81.4 24.3 30.9
2021 1384 82.2 16.8 n/a
2022 1784 77.8 22.9 12.7
2023 1787 76.2 23.4 31.9
2024 1819 78.2 23.2 n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Willow Canyon High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2004 858 38.0 22.6 54.2
2005 1644 72.5 22.7 39.2
2006 2625 103.0 25.5 32.4
2007 2261 112.4 20.1 2.1
2008 2359 97.0 24.3 0
2009 2167 89.7 24.2 31.5
2010 1988 83.0 23.9 28.8
2011 2014 83.3 24.1 38.9
2012 2030 91.0 22.3 36.8
2013 2050 86.5 23.6 37.6
2014 2133 82.6 25.8 35.6
2015 2084 83.0 25.1 35.5
2016 1929 74.0 26.0 35.3
2017 1814 76.4 23.7 34.1
2018 1799 74.4 24.1 33.9
2019 1897 80.0 23.7 32.9
2020 1985 81.4 24.3 30.9
2021 1384 82.2 16.8 n/a
2022 1784 77.8 22.9 12.7
2023 1787 76.2 23.4 31.9
2024 1819 78.2 23.2 n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Willow Canyon High School

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YearPersonnel Expenditures from Federal FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from Federal FundsTotal Expenditures from Federal FundsPersonnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $180 (2.2%) $125 (1.5%) $485 (5.9%) $6,076 (73.4%) $1,898 (22.9%) $7,974 (96.3%) $8,279
2020 $152 (2.0%) $414 (5.6%) $719 (9.7%) $5,175 (69.7%) $1,684 (22.7%) $6,858 (92.4%) $7,425
2021 $368 (3.3%) $1,418 (12.7%) $2,153 (19.2%) $7,566 (67.6%) $1,842 (16.5%) $9,408 (84.0%) $11,194
2022 $234 (2.4%) $875 (8.8%) $1,344 (13.6%) $7,392 (74.7%) $1,401 (14.1%) $8,793 (88.8%) $9,902

Data source: Arizona Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Willow Canyon High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 156th of 285 High schoolsRanks 154th of 469 High schools
 21.9%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students18971787
 5.8%
African American147137
 6.8%
American Indian720
 185.7%
Asian5146
 9.8%
Hispanic524574
 9.5%
Pacific Islander611
 83.3%
White1083878
 18.9%
Two or More Races79121
 53.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients32.9%31.9%
 1%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Willow Canyon High School

Willow Canyon High School ranks 119th of 270 Arizona high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students at Willow Canyon High School are 48% White, 34% Hispanic, 7% African American, 7% Two or more races, 2% Asian, 1% American Indian.

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,819 students attended Willow Canyon High School.

Willow Canyon High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Asante Preparatory Academy
Elementary : Canyon Ridge School
Elementary : Cimarron Springs Middle School
Elementary : Kingswood Elementary School
Elementary : Western Peaks Elementary


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Arizona Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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