Is Empire High School a good school?

Yes. Empire High School ranks in the top 6.9% of Arizona high schools.

How many students attend Empire High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 876 students attended Empire High School.

What is the racial makeup of Empire High School?

Students at Empire High School are 54% White, 32% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 3% African American.

What schools feed into Empire High School?

Empire High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Cottonwood Elementary School Elementary : Ocotillo Ridge Elementary Elementary : Senita Valley Elementary School Elementary : Sycamore Elementary School Middle : Corona Foothills Middle School Middle : Desert Sky Middle School

Empire High School

Summary:

Empire High School is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Tucson, Arizona, with a diverse student population of 876. It is part of the Vail Unified District, which is ranked 62 out of 288 school districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Empire High School consistently ranks among the top high schools in Arizona, with a statewide ranking of 18 out of 259 schools for the 2023-2024 school year and a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's academic performance is significantly higher than the state and district averages across various standardized tests, including AASA English Language Arts (79% proficient or better vs. 38% state average) and AASA Mathematics (67% proficient or better vs. 30% state average) for 11th-grade students. Additionally, Empire High School has maintained an exceptionally high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 95.9% to 97.8% over the past five years, outperforming the state and district averages.

When compared to other high schools in the Vail Unified District, Empire High School stands out as the top performer, with significantly higher academic achievement, graduation rates, and subgroup performance. While the school's spending per student has decreased in recent years, it remains higher than the state and district averages, suggesting a focus on resource allocation to support student success. Overall, Empire High School is a standout educational institution within the district and the state, consistently delivering exceptional academic outcomes and providing a supportive learning environment for its diverse student population.

Detail:

Public 9-12

10701 E Mary Ann Cleveland Way
Tucson, AZ 85747-8995

(520) 879-3000

District: Vail Unified District

SchoolDigger Rank:
18^th of 259 Arizona High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $6,261

Feeder schools for Empire High School:

Elementary:	Cottonwood Elementary School
	Ocotillo Ridge Elementary
	Senita Valley Elementary School
	Sycamore Elementary School
Middle:	Corona Foothills Middle School
	Desert Sky Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 20.7

Number of students: 876

Racial breakdown:

White:

54.1%

Hispanic:

31.8%

Two or more races:

6.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 20.9%

See top rated Arizona high schools

Compare Empire High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Empire High School ranks better than 93.1% of high schools in Arizona. It also ranks first among 4 ranked high schools in the Vail Unified District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 94.52. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Empire High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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: White (54.1%), Hispanic (31.8%), two or more races (6.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 20.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Empire High School is 20.7. 4 high schools in the Vail Unified District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Empire High School employs 42.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Empire High School is $6,261. 4 high schools in the Vail Unified District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Empire High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Empire High School 18^th of 259 Arizona public high schools. (See Empire 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:

Vail Unified District:

SchoolDigger ranks Vail Unified District 62^nd of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Empire High School?

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Rank History for Empire High School

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Rank History for all students at Empire High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2009	89.46	39^th	395	90.1%
2010	92.41	28^th	403	93.1%
2011	88.78	43^rd	397	89.2%
2012	91.71	25^th	471	94.7%
2013	92.81	17^th	491	96.5%
2014	93.37	13^th	394	96.7%
2015	67.49	53^rd	261	79.7%
2016	89.98	28^th	406	93.1%
2017	87.66	32^nd	416	92.3%
2018	86.72	27^th	420	93.6%
2019	85.45	22^nd	285	92.3%
2021	93.91	33^rd	509	93.5%
2022	88.23	42^nd	464	90.9%
2023	89.23	41^st	469	91.3%
2024	94.52	18^th	259	93.1%

See the entire list of Arizona High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Empire High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2021	76.55	68^th	374	81.8%
2022	71.42	66^th	282	76.6%
2023	85.20	12^th	199	94.0%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at Empire High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	62.98	32^nd	155	79.4%
2021	63.51	70^th	422	83.4%
2022	57.38	76^th	380	80.0%
2023	68.13	33^rd	172	80.8%

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

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	83.55	16^th	253	93.7%
2023	81.48	35^th	347	89.9%
2024	95.88	8^th	168	95.2%

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

Rank History for Female students at Empire High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	88.58	21^st	354	94.1%
2019	88.89	21^st	247	91.5%
2021	94.95	32^nd	492	93.5%
2022	87.81	39^th	456	91.4%
2023	91.66	25^th	406	93.8%
2024	91.34	20^th	193	89.6%

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

Rank History for Foster Care students at Empire High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	83.16	3^rd	25	88.0%

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

Rank History for Military Connected students at Empire High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2021	65.37	28^th	102	72.5%
2022	64.75	41^st	125	67.2%
2023	67.47	14^th	74	81.1%

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

Rank History for Male students at Empire High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	78.15	53^rd	370	85.7%
2019	81.88	30^th	238	87.4%
2021	89.40	40^th	492	91.9%
2022	84.97	54^th	455	88.1%
2023	84.45	54^th	429	87.4%
2024	95.00	12^th	207	94.2%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Empire High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	86.24	10^th	83	88.0%
2021	75.10	57^th	231	75.3%
2022	65.13	83^rd	238	65.1%
2023	81.35	20^th	146	86.3%

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

Rank History for African American students at Empire High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2021	62.95	79^th	306	74.2%
2022	39.04	150^th	301	50.2%
2023	50.87	86^th	201	57.2%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Empire High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	86.93	19^th	311	93.9%
2019	92.39	5^th	183	97.3%
2021	84.14	46^th	479	90.4%
2022	69.39	86^th	441	80.5%
2023	71.09	77^th	379	79.7%
2024	96.10	7^th	164	95.7%

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

Rank History for Native American students at Empire High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	30.29	115^th	256	55.1%
2022	25.05	150^th	255	41.2%

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

Rank History for White students at Empire High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	79.19	37^th	291	87.3%
2019	82.13	26^th	217	88.0%
2021	91.95	32^nd	448	92.9%
2022	88.83	26^th	409	93.6%
2023	89.91	29^th	371	92.2%
2024	94.45	11^th	174	93.7%

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.

Data source: Arizona Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Empire High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2006	259	10	7	50	1	n/a	n/a	327
2007	413	21	16	97	2	n/a	n/a	549
2008	533	25	25	145	6	n/a	n/a	734
2009	583	31	27	147	4	n/a	n/a	792
2010	579	41	36	158	1	n/a	n/a	815
2011	554	34	43	167	4	0	0	802
2012	575	41	21	161	19	0	1	818
2013	506	39	30	156	7	2	12	752
2014	497	35	23	177	6	2	17	757
2015	494	32	26	202	6	1	15	776
2016	491	32	26	237	4	0	13	803
2017	502	37	36	226	2	1	13	817
2018	434	30	37	197	1	2	6	707
2019	498	36	39	229	2	3	26	833
2020	503	36	39	250	4	4	32	868
2021	490	37	32	259	6	2	36	862
2022	489	27	31	261	6	2	45	861
2023	474	28	30	279	6	1	58	876

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 Empire High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	327	21.5	15.2	13.5
2007	549	26.2	21.0	15.8
2008	734	41.1	17.9	12.5
2009	792	48.6	16.3	11.9
2010	815	46.3	17.5	15.8
2011	802	39.0	20.5	15.2
2012	818	38.9	21.0	14.3
2013	752	39.8	18.8	15.8
2014	757	36.4	20.7	16
2015	776	39.0	19.8	16.5
2016	803	45.0	17.8	n/a
2017	817	44.2	18.4	16
2018	707	44.0	16.0	14.9
2019	833	43.8	18.9	13.8
2020	868	45.1	19.2	15.9
2021	862	40.4	21.2	n/a
2022	861	39.8	21.6	7.1
2023	876	42.2	20.7	20.9

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 Empire High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	327	21.5	15.2	13.5
2007	549	26.2	21.0	15.8
2008	734	41.1	17.9	12.5
2009	792	48.6	16.3	11.9
2010	815	46.3	17.5	15.8
2011	802	39.0	20.5	15.2
2012	818	38.9	21.0	14.3
2013	752	39.8	18.8	15.8
2014	757	36.4	20.7	16
2015	776	39.0	19.8	16.5
2016	803	45.0	17.8	n/a
2017	817	44.2	18.4	16
2018	707	44.0	16.0	14.9
2019	833	43.8	18.9	13.8
2020	868	45.1	19.2	15.9
2021	862	40.4	21.2	n/a
2022	861	39.8	21.6	7.1
2023	876	42.2	20.7	20.9

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 Empire 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	$245 (2.8%)	$80 (0.9%)	$571 (6.5%)	$7,241 (82.7%)	$1,191 (13.6%)	$8,433 (96.3%)	$8,758
2020	$215 (2.6%)	$107 (1.3%)	$537 (6.4%)	$6,988 (83.3%)	$1,078 (12.9%)	$8,066 (96.2%)	$8,388
2021	$92 (1.6%)	$05 (0.1%)	$190 (3.2%)	$5,424 (91.4%)	$413 (7.0%)	$5,837 (98.4%)	$5,934
2022	$70 (1.1%)	$00 (0.0%)	$142 (2.3%)	$5,777 (92.3%)	$413 (6.6%)	$6,190 (98.9%)	$6,261

Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Empire 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 22^nd of 285 High schools	Ranks 41^st of 469 High schools	1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	833	876	5.2%
African American	36	28	22.2%
American Indian	2	6	200%
Asian	39	30	23.1%
Hispanic	229	279	21.8%
Pacific Islander	3	1	66.7%
White	498	474	4.8%
Two or More Races	26	58	123.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	13.8%	20.9%	7.1%

Schools Near Empire 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 6th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 7th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 8th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 11th Grade	AASA Mathematics 6th Grade	AASA Mathematics 7th Grade	AASA Mathematics 8th 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
Empire High School	Public	9-12	10701 E Mary Ann Cleveland Way	Tucson	85747	Pima County	Vail Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 879-3000	876	42	20.7	20.9%	474 (54.1%)	28 (3.2%)	279 (31.8%)	30 (3.4%)	6 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	58 (6.6%)	94.5	18^th of 259 public high schools	93.1%		89.2	41^st of 469 public high schools	91.3%	23				79.0				67.0	$6,261	$71	$01	$142	$5,777	$413	$6,190
PCJTED - Empire High School	Public	9-12	10701 E Mary Ann Cleveland Way	Tucson	85747	Pima County	Pima County JTED	No	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 879-3000	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)										$00			$00
Vail Blended Learning	Public	6-12	10775 E Mary Ann Cleveland Way	Tucson	85747	Pima County	Vail Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 879-1300	74	3	24.5		43 (58.1%)	2 (2.7%)	21 (28.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (10.8%)								(n/a)	83.0	75.0	59.0		83.0	62.0	63.0		$9,358	$24	$10	$57	$9,201	$124	$9,325
PCJTED - Mica Mountain High School	Public	9-12	10800 E Valencia Rd	Tucson	85747	Pima County	Pima County JTED	No	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 352-5833	1				1 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)										$00			$00
Mica Mountain High	Public	9-12	10800 E Valencia	Tucson	85747	Pima County	Vail Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 879-3800	1,161	63	18.3	17.9%	546 (47.0%)	61 (5.3%)	450 (38.8%)	27 (2.3%)	3 (0.3%)	7 (0.6%)	67 (5.8%)	70.5	70^th of 259 public high schools	73.0%		73.4	105^th of 469 public high schools	77.6%	35				55.0				46.0	$6,928	$67	$11	$146	$6,271	$579	$6,850
PCJTED - Cienega High School	Public	9-12	12775 E Mary Ann Cleveland Way	Vail	85641	Pima County	Pima County JTED	No	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 879-2800	1				0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)										$00			$00
Cienega High School	Public	9-12	12775 E Mary Ann Cleveland Way	Vail	85641	Pima County	Vail Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 879-2800	1,913	107	17.9	20.0%	909 (47.5%)	73 (3.8%)	788 (41.2%)	29 (1.5%)	3 (0.2%)	5 (0.3%)	106 (5.5%)	67.8	76^th of 259 public high schools	70.7%		72.7	109^th of 469 public high schools	76.8%	33				56.0				42.0	$6,182	$94	$06	$194	$5,673	$408	$6,081
Pantano High School	Public	9-12	12775 E Mary Ann Cleveland Way	Vail	85641	Pima County	Vail Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 879-1200	88	8	11.1	54.5%	37 (42.0%)	5 (5.7%)	35 (39.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (11.4%)								(n/a)									$16,519	$382	$58	$823	$15,860	$218	$16,078
PCJTED - Vail High School	Public	9-12	7762 E Science Park Dr	Tucson	85747	Pima County	Pima County JTED	No	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 352-5833	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)										$00			$00
Andrada Polytechnic High School	Public	9-12	12960 S Houghton Rd	Tucson	85747	Pima County	Vail Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 879-3300	652	39	16.7	24.8%	383 (58.7%)	19 (2.9%)	200 (30.7%)	11 (1.7%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	35 (5.4%)	85.1	39^th of 259 public high schools	84.9%		75	96^th of 469 public high schools	79.5%	57				64.0				58.0	$7,186	$02	$01	$05	$6,810	$373	$7,184

Empire High School

Empire High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Vail Unified District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Empire High School

Rank History for all students at Empire High School

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Empire High School

Rank History for Special Education students at Empire High School

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

Rank History for Female students at Empire High School

Rank History for Foster Care students at Empire High School

Rank History for Military Connected students at Empire High School

Rank History for Male students at Empire High School

Rank History for Asian students at Empire High School

Rank History for African American students at Empire High School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Empire High School

Rank History for Native American students at Empire High School

Rank History for White students at Empire High School

Enrollment information for Empire High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Empire High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Empire High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Empire High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Empire High School

Rankings

Student Body

Schools Near Empire High School

Frequently Asked Questions about Empire High School

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