Is Safford High School a good school?

Safford High School ranks 164 th of 259 Arizona high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Safford High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 836 students attended Safford High School.

What is the racial makeup of Safford High School?

Students at Safford High School are 52% Hispanic, 43% White, 2% Two or more races, 1% American Indian, 1% African American.

What schools feed into Safford High School?

Safford High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Dorothy Stinson School Elementary : Lafe Nelson School Elementary : Ruth Powell Elementary School Middle : Safford Middle School

Safford High School

Summary:

Safford High School is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Safford, Arizona, with a student population of 836. The school is part of the Safford Unified District, which has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Safford High School has seen a decline in its four-year graduation rate, dropping from 96.0% in 2019-2020 to 85.7% in 2022-2023, though this is still higher than the district's overall graduation rate. Academically, the school's performance, as measured by standardized test scores, is generally below the state average, with only 32% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 29% proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to the state averages of 38% and 30%, respectively. However, the school appears to be performing relatively well in supporting its English Language Learner and Special Education student populations.

Compared to nearby schools, Safford High School's performance is generally on par with or slightly better than Mt. Graham High School, which is also part of the Safford Unified District. However, it lags behind the performance of Pima High School and Thatcher High School, which are in neighboring districts. Safford High School's diverse student population, with a significant Hispanic student population, could present both challenges and opportunities for the school.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1400 W 11th St
Safford, AZ 85546-3456

(928) 348-7050

District: Safford Unified District

SchoolDigger Rank:
164^th of 259 Arizona High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $6,124

Feeder schools for Safford High School:

Elementary:	Dorothy Stinson School
	Lafe Nelson School
	Ruth Powell Elementary School
Middle:	Safford Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 29.1

Number of students: 836

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

51.6%

White:

43.1%

Two or more races:

2.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 32.9%

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Compare Safford High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Safford High School ranks worse than 63.3% of high schools in Arizona. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 34.06. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Safford High School freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (51.6%), White (43.1%), two or more races (2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 32.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Safford High School is 29.1. (See more...)

Compare Safford High School employs 28.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Safford High School is $6,124.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Safford High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Safford High School 164^th of 259 Arizona public high schools. (See Safford High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Safford Unified District:

SchoolDigger ranks Safford Unified District 188^th of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Safford High School

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Rank History for all students at Safford High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2009	74.13	110^th	395	72.2%
2010	57.17	183^rd	403	54.6%
2011	61.29	169^th	397	57.4%
2012	68.65	148^th	471	68.6%
2013	66.52	174^th	491	64.6%
2014	65.20	154^th	394	60.9%
2015	15.03	249^th	261	4.6%
2016	40.09	193^rd	406	52.5%
2017	45.01	166^th	416	60.1%
2018	44.67	171^st	420	59.3%
2019	34.62	164^th	285	42.5%
2021	48.72	212^th	509	58.3%
2022	43.65	194^th	464	58.2%
2023	48.15	197^th	469	58.0%
2024	34.06	164^th	259	36.7%

See the entire list of Arizona High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Safford High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	44.43	194^th	374	48.1%
2022	26.59	200^th	282	29.1%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Safford High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	44.58	29^th	312	90.7%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Safford High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	65.05	27^th	155	82.6%
2021	55.81	102^nd	422	75.8%
2022	44.59	131^st	380	65.5%
2023	22.10	155^th	172	9.9%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Safford High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	60.90	61^st	253	75.9%
2022	38.56	91^st	168	45.8%
2023	49.85	152^nd	347	56.2%
2024	51.95	67^th	168	60.1%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Safford High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	28.02	72^nd	150	52.0%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Safford High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	50.16	139^th	354	60.7%
2019	39.13	135^th	247	45.3%
2021	50.35	198^th	492	59.8%
2022	47.72	180^th	456	60.5%
2023	52.33	171^st	406	57.9%
2024	24.93	141^st	193	26.9%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Foster Care students at Safford High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	34.65	38^th	130	70.8%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for Male students at Safford High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	41.64	164^th	370	55.7%
2019	28.86	160^th	238	32.8%
2021	44.46	228^th	492	53.7%
2022	34.54	235^th	455	48.4%
2023	38.58	240^th	429	44.1%
2024	35.19	124^th	207	40.1%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Safford High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	50.33	137^th	231	40.7%
2022	73.89	54^th	238	77.3%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Safford High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	68.84	46^th	306	85.0%
2022	56.00	101^st	301	66.4%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Safford High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	40.32	152^nd	311	51.1%
2019	33.85	104^th	183	43.2%
2021	43.07	230^th	479	52.0%
2022	35.08	237^th	441	46.3%
2023	44.52	188^th	379	50.4%
2024	43.72	81^st	164	50.6%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Safford High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	49.59	123^rd	291	57.7%
2019	36.19	135^th	217	37.8%
2021	46.98	233^rd	448	48.0%
2022	33.78	248^th	409	39.4%
2023	38.15	233^rd	371	37.2%
2024	11.54	162^nd	174	6.9%

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.

Data source: Arizona Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Safford High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	450	15	3	304	3	n/a	n/a	30	805
1989	495	16	6	327	5	n/a	n/a	-91	758
1990	501	11	5	293	3	n/a	n/a	-44	769
1991	489	19	2	288	6	n/a	n/a	-45	759
1992	489	22	4	280	4	n/a	n/a	0	799
1993	518	14	4	320	3	n/a	n/a	0	859
1994	516	12	3	322	0	n/a	n/a	0	853
1995	485	15	5	386	6	n/a	n/a	0	897
1996	485	15	5	386	6	n/a	n/a	0	897
1997	475	13	9	417	4	n/a	n/a	0	918
1998	493	14	8	400	3	n/a	n/a	0	918
1999	485	14	8	355	4	n/a	n/a	0	866
2000	474	19	6	323	4	n/a	n/a	0	826
2001	435	17	10	301	5	n/a	n/a	0	768
2002	400	12	11	322	4	n/a	n/a	0	749
2003	400	12	11	322	4	n/a	n/a	0	749
2004	416	15	9	347	7	n/a	n/a	0	794
2005	401	15	6	355	7	n/a	n/a	0	784
2006	397	18	6	329	5	n/a	n/a	0	755
2007	417	22	5	350	9	n/a	n/a	0	803
2008	425	20	2	363	13	n/a	n/a	0	823
2009	422	23	2	333	7	n/a	n/a	0	787
2010	423	21	2	325	9	n/a	n/a	0	780
2011	386	13	1	327	13	0	6	0	746
2012	389	13	3	357	12	2	4	0	780
2013	410	8	5	387	10	1	2	0	823
2014	426	10	3	429	8	0	5	0	881
2015	408	10	3	464	3	0	5	0	893
2016	373	11	3	461	2	0	4	0	854
2017	380	8	3	456	5	0	4	0	856
2018	334	7	3	367	7	0	8	0	726
2019	380	4	2	396	9	0	11	0	802
2020	390	7	4	390	7	0	17	0	815
2021	341	10	2	363	6	0	13	0	735
2022	346	9	4	396	8	0	15	0	778
2023	360	10	6	431	12	0	17	0	836

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 Safford High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	805	37.0	21.7	n/a
1989	758	38.0	19.9	n/a
1990	769	38.0	20.2	n/a
1991	759	39.0	19.4	n/a
1992	799	38.5	20.7	n/a
1993	859	39.5	21.7	n/a
1994	853	41.0	20.8	n/a
1995	897	42.5	21.1	n/a
1996	897	42.5	21.1	n/a
1997	918	40.8	22.5	n/a
1998	918	41.0	22.4	n/a
1999	866	40.7	21.3	n/a
2000	826	38.9	21.2	n/a
2001	768	37.0	20.8	n/a
2002	749	38.8	19.3	n/a
2003	749	38.8	19.3	n/a
2004	794	36.0	22.1	36.4
2005	784	34.0	23.1	99.6
2006	755	39.0	19.4	n/a
2007	803	35.5	22.6	n/a
2008	823	37.8	21.8	25.3
2009	787	41.7	18.9	25.3
2010	780	37.6	20.7	0.3
2011	746	36.0	20.6	0
2012	780	36.7	21.2	0.5
2013	823	37.9	21.7	43.4
2014	881	38.2	23.0	37.2
2015	893	38.0	23.5	34.4
2016	854	37.0	23.0	38.1
2017	856	40.2	21.2	41.9
2018	726	37.9	19.1	37.9
2019	802	39.0	20.5	36.9
2020	815	35.8	22.7	38.9
2021	735	35.1	20.8	n/a
2022	778	35.8	21.7	19.8
2023	836	28.6	29.1	32.9

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 Safford High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	805	37.0	21.7	n/a
1989	758	38.0	19.9	n/a
1990	769	38.0	20.2	n/a
1991	759	39.0	19.4	n/a
1992	799	38.5	20.7	n/a
1993	859	39.5	21.7	n/a
1994	853	41.0	20.8	n/a
1995	897	42.5	21.1	n/a
1996	897	42.5	21.1	n/a
1997	918	40.8	22.5	n/a
1998	918	41.0	22.4	n/a
1999	866	40.7	21.3	n/a
2000	826	38.9	21.2	n/a
2001	768	37.0	20.8	n/a
2002	749	38.8	19.3	n/a
2003	749	38.8	19.3	n/a
2004	794	36.0	22.1	36.4
2005	784	34.0	23.1	99.6
2006	755	39.0	19.4	n/a
2007	803	35.5	22.6	n/a
2008	823	37.8	21.8	25.3
2009	787	41.7	18.9	25.3
2010	780	37.6	20.7	0.3
2011	746	36.0	20.6	0
2012	780	36.7	21.2	0.5
2013	823	37.9	21.7	43.4
2014	881	38.2	23.0	37.2
2015	893	38.0	23.5	34.4
2016	854	37.0	23.0	38.1
2017	856	40.2	21.2	41.9
2018	726	37.9	19.1	37.9
2019	802	39.0	20.5	36.9
2020	815	35.8	22.7	38.9
2021	735	35.1	20.8	n/a
2022	778	35.8	21.7	19.8
2023	836	28.6	29.1	32.9

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 Safford High School

Year	Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Total Expenditures from Federal Funds	Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$59 (1.0%)	$77 (1.3%)	$196 (3.2%)	$4,993 (82.7%)	$907 (15.0%)	$5,900 (97.7%)	$6,037
2022	$106 (1.7%)	$34 (0.6%)	$245 (4.0%)	$5,193 (84.8%)	$792 (12.9%)	$5,985 (97.7%)	$6,124

Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Safford 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 164^th of 285 High schools	Ranks 197^th of 469 High schools	15.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	802	836	4.2%
African American	4	10	150%
American Indian	9	12	33.3%
Asian	2	6	200%
Hispanic	396	431	8.8%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	380	360	5.3%
Two or More Races	11	17	54.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	36.9%	32.9%	4%

Schools Near Safford High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				AASA English Language Arts (2024)	AASA Mathematics (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	AASA English Language Arts 11th Grade	AASA Mathematics 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
GIFT - Safford High School	Public	9-12	1400 W 11th St	Safford	85546	Graham County	Gila Institute for Technology	No	(n/a)	No	No	(928) 348-3393	2				1 (50.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (50.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)				$00			$00
Safford High School	Public	9-12	1400 W 11th St	Safford	85546	Graham County	Safford Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(928) 348-7050	836	29	29.1	32.9%	360 (43.1%)	10 (1.2%)	431 (51.6%)	6 (0.7%)	12 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (2.0%)	34.1	164^th of 259 public high schools	36.7%		48.2	197^th of 469 public high schools	58.0%	33	32.0	29.0	$6,124	$106	$34	$245	$5,193	$792	$5,985
Thatcher High School	Public	9-12	601 North 3rd Avenue	Thatcher	85552	Graham County	Thatcher Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(928) 348-7270	558	31	17.7	17.7%	413 (74.0%)	2 (0.4%)	126 (22.6%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (1.8%)	62.8	87^th of 259 public high schools	66.4%		72.9	107^th of 469 public high schools	77.2%	20	51.0	41.0	$5,475	$07	$16	$31	$4,465	$986	$5,451
GIFT - Thatcher High School	Public	9-12	601 N 3rd Ave	Thatcher	85552	Graham County	Gila Institute for Technology	No	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 348-3393	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)				$00			$00
Mt Graham High School	Public	9-12	300 W Discovery Park Blvd	Safford	85546	Graham County	Safford Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(928) 348-7060	58	5	11.6	60.3%	25 (43.1%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (55.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.7%)								(n/a)			$13,934	$178		$356	$12,359	$1,397	$13,756
GIFT - Mt. Graham High School	Public	9-12	3200 West Discovery Park Blvd.	Safford	85546	Graham County	Gila Institute for Technology	No	(n/a)	No	No	(928) 348-3393	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)				$00			$00
Eagle Online Academy	Public, Virtual	7-12	3490 W Main St	Thatcher	85552	Graham County	Thatcher Unified District	No	(n/a)	Yes	No	(928) 348-7200	27				15 (55.6%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (44.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)				$00			$00
GIFT - Gila Institute for Technology	Public	9-12	615 N Stadium Ave	Thatcher	85552	Graham County	Gila Institute for Technology	No	(n/a)	No	No	(928) 428-2950	18	2	9.0		11 (61.1%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (33.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)				$00			$00
GIFT - Pima High School	Public	9-12	38 E 200 South	Pima	85543	Graham County	Gila Institute for Technology	No	(n/a)	No	No	(928) 348-3393	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)				$00			$00
Pima High School	Public	9-12	131 S. Main	Pima	85543	Graham County	Pima Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(928) 387-8151	352	22	15.7	27.8%	258 (73.3%)	5 (1.4%)	83 (23.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	55.8	108^th of 259 public high schools	58.3%		71.1	115^th of 469 public high schools	75.5%	7	38.0	47.0	$7,038	$24	$215	$263	$6,183	$616	$6,799

Safford High School

Safford High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Safford Unified District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Safford High School

Rank History for all students at Safford High School

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Safford High School

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Safford High School

Rank History for Special Education students at Safford High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Safford High School

Rank History for Homeless students at Safford High School

Rank History for Female students at Safford High School

Rank History for Foster Care students at Safford High School

Rank History for Male students at Safford High School

Rank History for Asian students at Safford High School

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