Tolleson Union High School

Summary:

Tolleson Union High School is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Tolleson, Arizona, with a diverse student population that is majority Hispanic. The school faces significant challenges, including consistently underperforming on standardized tests compared to state and district averages, fluctuating graduation and dropout rates, and mixed performance across different student subgroups.

Academically, only 18% of 11th-grade students at Tolleson Union High School were proficient or better in English Language Arts, and 17% were proficient or better in Mathematics, far below the state averages of 38% and 30%, respectively. The school's science assessment scores are also low, with only 9% of 11th-grade students scoring proficient or better. While the school's four-year graduation rates have fluctuated, ranging from 88.2% to 91.5%, these rates are still higher than the state average, but the school's dropout rates, which have ranged from 0.6% to 2.9%, are also higher than the state's average.

Interestingly, University High School, a top-performing school in the state, is located just 0.08 miles from Tolleson Union High School, highlighting the stark contrast in academic achievement between the two schools. Additionally, the school's high percentage of students from low-income families, with over 54% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, likely contributes to its academic struggles, and the inconsistencies in funding and staffing over the years may also impact the school's ability to provide consistent, high-quality instruction and support for its students.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 9419 W Van Buren St
       Tolleson, AZ  85353-2804


(623) 478-4200

District: Tolleson Union High School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
226th of 259 Arizona High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,168 Help


Feeder schools for Tolleson Union High School:

Elementary:    Arizona Desert Elementary School
    Dos Rios Elementary
    Porfirio H. Gonzales Elementary School
    Union Elementary School
Middle:    Hurley Ranch Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  23.0 Help
Number of students:  2,256

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
82.5%
African American:
9.5%
White:
3.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  55% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Tolleson Union High School ranks worse than 87.3% of high schools in Arizona. It also ranks 6th among 7 ranked high schools in the Tolleson Union High School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 15.37. (See more...)
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The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Tolleson Union High School freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (82.5%), African American (9.5%), White (3.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 55% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Tolleson Union High School is 23, which is the 4th best among 7 high schools in the Tolleson Union High School District. (See more...)
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Compare Tolleson Union High School employs 97.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Tolleson Union High School is $10,168, which is the 2nd highest among 7 high schools in the Tolleson Union High School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Tolleson Union High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Tolleson Union High School 226th of 259 Arizona public high schools. (See Tolleson Union 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:


Tolleson Union High School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Tolleson Union High School District 223rd of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Tolleson Union High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Tolleson Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 60.57 168th 395 57.5%
2010 63.78 153rd 403 62.0%
2011 52.45 194th 397 51.1%
2012 54.81 226th 471 52.0%
2013 49.00 252nd 491 48.7%
2014 46.56 225th 394 42.9%
2015 22.40 212th 261 18.8%
2016 16.99 333rd 406 18.0%
2017 45.32 165th 416 60.3%
2018 43.81 176th 420 58.1%
2019 17.69 235th 285 17.5%
2021 37.12 273rd 509 46.4%
2022 23.92 317th 464 31.7%
2023 30.83 296th 469 36.9%
2024 15.37 226th 259 12.7%
See the entire list of Arizona High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Tolleson Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 38.97 216th 374 42.2%
2022 21.84 218th 282 22.7%
2023 6.24 197th 199 1.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Tolleson Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 46.16 18th 45 60.0%
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 Special Education students at Tolleson Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.79 87th 155 43.9%
2021 60.70 79th 422 81.3%
2022 32.37 192nd 380 49.5%
2023 24.31 138th 172 19.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Tolleson Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.05 143rd 253 43.5%
2022 22.56 135th 168 19.6%
2023 32.93 220th 347 36.6%
2024 18.29 140th 168 16.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Tolleson Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 60.15 42nd 168 75.0%
2022 41.93 64th 150 57.3%
2023 29.72 38th 60 36.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Tolleson Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.21 144th 354 59.3%
2019 16.95 208th 247 15.8%
2021 35.94 282nd 492 42.7%
2022 21.79 332nd 456 27.2%
2023 25.20 302nd 406 25.6%
2024 11.49 182nd 193 5.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Foster Care students at Tolleson Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 99.84 1st 130 99.2%
2022 99.56 1st 116 99.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for Male students at Tolleson Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.32 161st 370 56.5%
2019 17.46 199th 238 16.4%
2021 38.58 264th 492 46.3%
2022 24.05 309th 455 32.1%
2023 27.86 289th 429 32.6%
2024 13.84 180th 207 13.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Tolleson Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.94 15th 83 81.9%
2021 9.13 181st 231 21.6%
2022 31.68 176th 238 26.1%
2023 6.15 140th 146 4.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Tolleson Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 48.76 53rd 122 56.6%
2019 48.68 19th 33 42.4%
2021 29.42 191st 306 37.6%
2022 29.11 198th 301 34.2%
2023 22.03 166th 201 17.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Tolleson Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.07 87th 311 72.0%
2019 22.66 146th 183 20.2%
2021 43.41 226th 479 52.8%
2022 28.08 296th 441 32.9%
2023 35.47 229th 379 39.6%
2024 22.10 129th 164 21.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Tolleson Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 87.88 23rd 255 91.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Tolleson Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 27.21 41st 94 56.4%
2022 20.13 80th 129 38.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Tolleson Union High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.04 82nd 291 71.8%
2019 50.10 88th 217 59.4%
2021 64.46 139th 448 69.0%
2022 71.72 78th 409 80.9%
2023 34.29 246th 371 33.7%
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.

Tolleson Union 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: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Saturday, November 14, 2009

Open Quote It is a Great School with great educational opportunities. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Tolleson Union High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1242 81 29 751 81 n/a n/a -105 2079
1989 1333 105 43 895 93 n/a n/a -302 2167
1990 1134 110 54 836 99 n/a n/a -271 1962
1991 1018 102 55 797 77 n/a n/a -271 1778
1992 801 78 35 624 57 n/a n/a 0 1595
1993 656 60 26 567 58 n/a n/a 0 1367
1994 575 59 26 571 63 n/a n/a 0 1294
1995 586 61 23 651 50 n/a n/a 0 1371
1996 586 61 23 651 50 n/a n/a 0 1371
1997 596 82 26 730 54 n/a n/a 0 1488
1998 584 98 28 797 53 n/a n/a 0 1560
1999 602 124 28 889 59 n/a n/a 0 1702
2000 584 135 35 1009 58 n/a n/a 0 1821
2001 534 136 36 1119 53 n/a n/a 0 1878
2002 447 206 47 1370 74 n/a n/a 0 2144
2003 447 206 47 1370 74 n/a n/a 0 2144
2004 368 224 45 1343 68 n/a n/a 0 2048
2005 283 195 35 1350 62 n/a n/a 0 1925
2006 262 229 43 1397 55 n/a n/a 0 1986
2007 267 248 58 1562 43 n/a n/a 0 2178
2008 264 275 65 1715 38 n/a n/a 0 2357
2009 236 241 77 1613 42 n/a n/a 0 2209
2010 208 245 74 1619 48 n/a n/a 0 2194
2011 129 212 46 1333 38 2 0 0 1760
2012 104 202 35 1300 35 2 14 0 1692
2013 100 194 27 1386 30 3 15 0 1755
2014 106 204 28 1507 32 7 24 0 1908
2015 96 206 25 1533 19 5 27 0 1911
2016 109 204 30 1630 18 8 26 0 2025
2017 116 213 31 1755 18 12 25 0 2170
2018 127 213 35 1927 33 8 31 0 2374
2019 128 220 31 1931 27 8 21 0 2366
2020 115 190 31 1828 15 3 40 0 2222
2021 93 168 30 1624 16 6 23 0 1960
2022 84 195 23 1693 21 7 31 0 2054
2023 78 214 29 1861 27 8 39 0 2256

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 Tolleson Union High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2079 108.8 19.1 n/a
1989 2167 113.0 19.1 n/a
1990 1962 98.5 19.9 n/a
1991 1778 90.0 19.7 n/a
1992 1595 81.9 19.4 n/a
1993 1367 72.1 19.0 n/a
1994 1294 66.9 19.3 n/a
1995 1371 73.4 18.7 n/a
1996 1371 73.4 18.7 n/a
1997 1488 71.4 20.8 n/a
1998 1560 85.8 18.2 n/a
1999 1702 80.9 21.0 n/a
2000 1821 94.0 19.4 n/a
2001 1878 102.7 18.3 n/a
2002 2144 102.1 21.0 31.8
2003 2144 102.1 21.0 31.8
2004 2048 105.3 19.4 46.1
2005 1925 95.8 20.1 57.7
2006 1986 97.7 20.3 59.3
2007 2178 108.6 20.1 51
2008 2357 110.6 21.3 0.3
2009 2209 114.1 19.4 47.8
2010 2194 105.3 20.8 54.9
2011 1760 78.3 22.4 66.9
2012 1692 83.2 20.3 63.4
2013 1755 82.2 21.3 70.3
2014 1908 82.7 23.0 71.9
2015 1911 92.0 20.7 72.4
2016 2025 89.0 22.7 63.3
2017 2170 97.4 22.2 72.1
2018 2374 101.0 23.5 66.1
2019 2366 102.4 23.1 68
2020 2222 98.5 22.5 64.9
2021 1960 100.0 19.5 n/a
2022 2054 95.8 21.4 22.4
2023 2256 97.8 23.0 55

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 Tolleson Union High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2079 108.8 19.1 n/a
1989 2167 113.0 19.1 n/a
1990 1962 98.5 19.9 n/a
1991 1778 90.0 19.7 n/a
1992 1595 81.9 19.4 n/a
1993 1367 72.1 19.0 n/a
1994 1294 66.9 19.3 n/a
1995 1371 73.4 18.7 n/a
1996 1371 73.4 18.7 n/a
1997 1488 71.4 20.8 n/a
1998 1560 85.8 18.2 n/a
1999 1702 80.9 21.0 n/a
2000 1821 94.0 19.4 n/a
2001 1878 102.7 18.3 n/a
2002 2144 102.1 21.0 31.8
2003 2144 102.1 21.0 31.8
2004 2048 105.3 19.4 46.1
2005 1925 95.8 20.1 57.7
2006 1986 97.7 20.3 59.3
2007 2178 108.6 20.1 51
2008 2357 110.6 21.3 0.3
2009 2209 114.1 19.4 47.8
2010 2194 105.3 20.8 54.9
2011 1760 78.3 22.4 66.9
2012 1692 83.2 20.3 63.4
2013 1755 82.2 21.3 70.3
2014 1908 82.7 23.0 71.9
2015 1911 92.0 20.7 72.4
2016 2025 89.0 22.7 63.3
2017 2170 97.4 22.2 72.1
2018 2374 101.0 23.5 66.1
2019 2366 102.4 23.1 68
2020 2222 98.5 22.5 64.9
2021 1960 100.0 19.5 n/a
2022 2054 95.8 21.4 22.4
2023 2256 97.8 23.0 55

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 Tolleson Union 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 $292 (3.9%) $125 (1.7%) $709 (9.5%) $5,706 (76.4%) $1,350 (18.1%) $7,056 (94.4%) $7,473
2020 $510 (6.4%) $419 (5.3%) $1,438 (18.1%) $5,938 (74.9%) $1,066 (13.4%) $7,004 (88.3%) $7,932
2021 $783 (7.3%) $338 (3.1%) $1,903 (17.7%) $7,229 (67.2%) $2,402 (22.3%) $9,631 (89.6%) $10,751
2022 $1,200 (11.8%) $697 (6.9%) $3,098 (30.5%) $7,113 (70.0%) $1,158 (11.4%) $8,271 (81.3%) $10,168

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Tolleson Union 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 235th of 285 High schoolsRanks 296th of 469 High schools
 19.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students23662256
 4.6%
African American220214
 2.7%
American Indian2727
Asian3129
 6.5%
Hispanic19311861
 3.6%
Pacific Islander88
White12878
 39.1%
Two or More Races2139
 85.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients68%55%
 13%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Tolleson Union High School

Students at Tolleson Union High School are 82% Hispanic, 9% African American, 3% White, 2% Two or more races, 1% Asian, 1% American Indian.

Tolleson Union High School ranks in the bottom 12.7% of Arizona high schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 2,256 students attended Tolleson Union High School.


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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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